First-year students' satisfaction with a private university's policies, practices, and services

The cost of college student dropouts impacts colleges, society, and most importantly students. As institutions of higher education seek to address this area of concern, student satisfaction has emerged as a means of improving retention and graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to provide a clear response to the central research question: Which factors exert the greatest influence on first-year students' satisfaction? There is a significant benefit in determining what academic and non-academic factors lead to more students successfully completing their education.; Using a case study approach in a specific setting, data were collected from first-year students (N = 566) with the Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI). Regression analysis was applied to 9 selected items of the SSI. The Cobb-Douglas production function with a series of inputs and a final output---student satisfaction---is included.; The analysis indicated empirically that the 5 most significant factors to consider, because they are the most sensitive to student satisfaction, are SAT1---Most students feel a sense of belonging here, SAT39---I am able to experience intellectual growth here, SAT41---There is a commitment to academic excellence on this campus, SAT58---I receive quality instruction in most of my classes, and SAT 66---Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment.; The findings indicate that institutions of higher education need to direct their resources to both academic and non-academic aspects of their student's college experience as they seek to increase student satisfaction and resulting graduation rates.; The findings of this research will also have important implications for social change. The outcome of this study can change how institutions of higher education make input decisions into the academic and non-academic experiences of the students they serve. These changes could lead to retaining and graduating additional students enabling them to be productive members of the society in which we live.