FYE and Learning Communities Literature Review

Attrition is a growing concern for colleges and universities. Attrition rates are highest after the first year of college (Horn, 1998; Tinto, 1993). In order to increase retention, many universities have developed programs specifically designed to orient first-year students to college and to help them adjust to college over the course of the first semester or year. Research has demonstrated that these programs are effective in increasing persistence to the second year, in addition to increasing graduation rates and overall GPA (Schnell & Doetkott, 2002-2003).

Various theories of attrition have suggested that the first-year student needs to become integrated with the academic and social climate of the university (Bean, 1980; Tinto, 1975; Pascarella, & Terenzini, 1980). Attrition is also influenced by commitment to the university and commitment to one’s goal of graduating (Tinto, 1975). The main objective of the first-year seminar is to provide an environment in which the student may form networks with other students and faculty in order to facilitate their academic integration, social integration, commitment to the university, and commitment to the goal of graduating.

References

Bean, J. P. (1980). Dropouts and turnover. The synthesis and test of a causal model of student attrition. Research in Higher Education, 12, 155-87.
Horn, L. (1998). Stopouts or stayouts? Undergraduates who leave college in their first year ((NCES 1999-087) ed.) U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, US. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1980). Predicting freshman persistence and voluntary dropout decisions from a theoretical model. Journal of Higher Education, 51(1), 60-75.
Schnell, C. A., & Doetkott, C. D. (2002-2003). First year seminars produce long-term impact. Journal of College Student Retention, 4, 377-391.
Tinto, V. (1975). Dropout from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recent research. Review of Educational Research, 45(1), 89-125.
Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.



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