National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972. Attrition from College: The Class of 1972 Two and One-Half Years After High School Graduation.

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Office of the Assistant Secretary for Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.

College Students; Enrollment Influences; Enrollment Trends; Followup Studies; Higher Education; Longitudinal Studies; National Surveys; Private Colleges; Racial Differences; Social Differences; State Colleges; Student Characteristics; Student Employment; Two Year College Students; Two Year Colleges; Universities; Withdrawal (Education)

Some findings about attrition from two- and four-year colleges and universities based on the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS) are presented. Attrition is defined as withdrawal from college without completing a degree. After 2 years, the four-year institutions had lost 23.5 percent of their entrants. More two-year college students, 39.3 percent, withdrew without completing a degree. Private schools and schools with higher than average admissions test scores had lower attrition rates. The majority of students who left college did so for nonacademic reasons; those who worked full time withdrew at nearly double the rate of those with a part-time job or no job at all. Black and Hispanic students withdrew somewhat more frequently than white students, but in 4-year institutions there were no differences in attrition when adjustments were made for socioeconomic background. (Author/MV)

1978

ED144989