Supporting conditionally-admitted students: A case study of assessing persistence in a learning community

Using Astin's I-E-O model as a framework, this article explores the effects of a variety of factors on first-year persistence for conditionally-admitted students participating in a learning community at a public land-grant university. Since the learning community began in 2002, program administrators have collected survey, interview, and academic success indicators for participating students. In 2007, the program received grant funds to more carefully investigate factors that promote and inhibit persistence among students. For students matriculating in 2007, this study collected survey and entry characteristic data to probe predictive factors for persistence after the first year. These data allow us to better identify and understand dominant influences on student persistence as well as plan more informed interventions for students most at risk for departure. Key factors at our university that affected persistence of at-risk students included social integration, academic conscientiousness (most notably the use of self- regulatory learning strategies), and select pre-college characteristics including motivation and college preparatory curriculum. This article serves as a case study; after describing our local context, we present the inputs and environmental factors most predictive of persistence. We close by discussing the implications of this research for universities and colleges seeking to improve support for at-risk students.