Location
Walsh B
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
This research study examined the relationship between persistence to graduation within six years and selected variables including financial aid awarded, high school GPA, ACT composite scores, SAT combined scores, and first-year first-semester GPA. It is well documented in research literature that high school preparation, college entrance examinations, and freshman year academic performance play a significant role in degree completion; however, studies on the impact of financial aid have not been as abundant. The researchers developed the College Persistence – Financial Aid Coding Technique System (CP-FACTS) to explore the influences of finances on degree attainment.
In this study, a documentary research approach was used to collect existing data for first-time full-time freshmen who graduated within six years at a private Historically Black University. A correlational research design was employed to determine the level of significance and descriptive statistical analyses were used to describe, summarize, and interpret the data collected. The results revealed that persistence to graduation within six years was significantly related to the frequency of financial aid awards, high school GPA, SAT combined scores, and first-year first-semester GPA. Persistence to graduation within six years was not found to be significantly related to ACT composite scores for the population in this study.
Keywords
HBCU, Persistence, Financial Aid, High School GPA, First-Year First-Semester GPA. SAT, ACT
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Anderson, Mary E. and Moffett, Noran L., "Persistence to Graduation: Is It the Money, High School Preparation, or First Semester College Matriculation?" (2017). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 29.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2017/2017/29
Included in
Persistence to Graduation: Is It the Money, High School Preparation, or First Semester College Matriculation?
Walsh B
This research study examined the relationship between persistence to graduation within six years and selected variables including financial aid awarded, high school GPA, ACT composite scores, SAT combined scores, and first-year first-semester GPA. It is well documented in research literature that high school preparation, college entrance examinations, and freshman year academic performance play a significant role in degree completion; however, studies on the impact of financial aid have not been as abundant. The researchers developed the College Persistence – Financial Aid Coding Technique System (CP-FACTS) to explore the influences of finances on degree attainment.
In this study, a documentary research approach was used to collect existing data for first-time full-time freshmen who graduated within six years at a private Historically Black University. A correlational research design was employed to determine the level of significance and descriptive statistical analyses were used to describe, summarize, and interpret the data collected. The results revealed that persistence to graduation within six years was significantly related to the frequency of financial aid awards, high school GPA, SAT combined scores, and first-year first-semester GPA. Persistence to graduation within six years was not found to be significantly related to ACT composite scores for the population in this study.
