Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to characterize the College of Agriculture freshman cohort at a western land grant institution and identify variables related to retention or attrition of first-year freshmen enrolled in a College of Agriculture. The relationship between retention and measured, independent variables, including demographic data and College Student Inventory (CSI) scores, was examined. Freshmen took the CSI during summer orientation and a demographic questionnaire was administered to students in four College of Agriculture (COA) classes. A cohort group of COA full-time, first-time freshmen that had taken both the CSI and the demographic questionnaire was established and tracked from the fall of 2004 through the fall of 2005, and from the fall of 2005 through the fall of 2006. Retention was defined as enrollment in the COA for a second fall semester.
The majority of the cohort group was female, white/Caucasian, graduated from high schools with enrollments less than 400 students, had been involved in 4-H or FFA, and intended to seek a graduate level degree. Mothers were more highly educated than fathers. Most students planned to work while in college. The only independent variables significantly correlated with retention were first year cumulativeGPAandCSI family emotional support.
Keywords:
enrollment in college of agriculture, retention, mixed methods
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