| Retention has become a major point of focus in higher education. Numerous studies identify student and institutional variables that are related to retention and attrition on college campuses, yet there is a paucity of specific information on factors associated with retention among Black students at predominantly Black colleges. Although the majority of Black undergraduates are enrolled in predominantly white four-year institutions, four-year Black colleges grant a disproportionate share of baccalaureate degrees to Black students. Furthermore, historically Black colleges have provided the nation with the majority of established Black professionals.;This dissertation presents a comparative analysis of persistence and non-persistence among 386 Black freshmen. In 1981, these students entered Johnson C. Smith University, a small, predominantly Black, liberal arts independent institution in Charlotte, North Carolina. The major research questions are: (1) After four years, which students graduated from the University? (2) How do they compare and contrast to non-graduates? (3) How do non-graduates compare and contrast to one another?;The methodology for this study is an analysis of official transcripts and student files located in the Registrar's Office at the University. Variables examined include: students' sex, age upon applying to the University, number of parents in the home, parents' occupation, religion, geographical region, high school grade point average and rank, SAT scores, enrollment in developmental courses, college progression rate, and status after four years from point of entry.;Contingency table analysis, t-tests, descriptive statistics and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The major findings are as follows: (1) An association exists between the first semester grade point average in college and attrition after two semesters, (2) College variables were better predictors of graduation than pre-college variables, (3) Graduates had a higher incidence of two-parent households than non-graduates, (4) Graduates were more likely than non-graduates to participate in pre-career programs in high school, (5) First year college grade point average was the best predictor of graduation. |
