What We Know About Undergraduate Retention at the UO

Office of Resource ManagementAndrea Larson Anji Duchi

Research Analyst Senior Data Analyst

ext. 60502 ext. 62010

Fall 1998 U of O Students:

Demographics Who are the new students?

– 50.2% Freshmen– 42.4% Tranfers– 7.4% Non-Admits

Who are the continuing students?– 94.5% Continuing– 5.5% Returning

University of Oregon Retention

First-Time Freshmen– From High School– First Term and Admit Term Both Fall 1997– Enrolled Full-Time (12 or more credit hours)– Completed Fall 1997 Term With a Grade

Enrolled and Received a Grade in the next Fall Term

81% Return Rate for Fall 1998

Comparative Student Retention:

American Association of Universities– AAU Data Exchange

Comparative Institutions– Similar Enrollments

First Time Freshmen

1997 Freshmen Survey

Office of Academic Advising Given to Freshmen

– 1997 Summer IntroDUCKtion Sessions – New Student Week at Beginning of Fall Term

International Students Not Included– Attend Different Orientation

2038 took survey– 318 not usable– 174 not FTF

Final Sample: 1546 First-Time Freshmen– 69% of 1997 First-Time Freshmen Cohort

Sample

Why First-Time Freshmen?

Representative Sample– Captured 69% of FTF– Only 14% of Other Freshmen– 81% Return Rate for FTF in

Survey Sample same as rate for all FTF

– 52% Return Rate for Other Freshmen in Survey Sample

lower than rate for all Other Freshmen

Standard cohort Oklahoma AAU National

Reports

Why Choose the UO?

86% General Education 75% Better Job 70% Location 56% Improve Reading and

Study Skills 50% Cost 47% Get Away From Home 17% Parents 12% Mentor

Retention

84% Who Relied on Parents for Advice Returned Fall 1998

79% Who Relied on All Others for Advice Returned Fall 1998

People Relied on for Advice

Mentors 5%

Others 6%

Friends 9%

Self 39%

Parents 41%

Parents’ Education

25% Neither Parent With A Bachelor’s Degree

29% One Parent With A Bachelor’s Degree

46% Both Parents With Bachelor’s Degrees

Retention

76% Returned Fall 1998

80% Returned Fall 1998

84% Returned Fall 1998

Plan to Complete Degree at the UO

72% Yes– 82% Return

3% No– 63% Return

25% Undecided– 79% Return

Social Connections

Time in Organizations– 35% 4 or more hours per week

84% Returned

– 65% 3 or fewer hours per week 79% Returned

Time with Friends– 88% 4 or more hours per week

82% Returned

– 12% 3 or fewer hours per week 76% Returned

Finances

Anxiety About Finances

76% Not Anxious– 81% Returned

Fall 1998

24% Anxious– 79% Returned

Fall 1998

Plan To Work While Attending the UO

19% No Plans to Work– 86% Returned

30% Undecided– 85% Returned

25% 1 - 10 Hours per Week– 78% Returned

25% 11+ Hours per Week– 74% Returned

Computer Experience

Retention

75% Returned Fall 1998

83% Returned Fall 1998

21% Had Little or No Computer Experience– 30% said they did not

plan to bring a computer to campus

79% Had Some Computer Experience– 17% said they did not

plan to bring a computer to campus

Television

30% Watched Less Than 1 Hour of Television per Week– 80% Returned Fall 1998

64% Watched 1 to 9 Hours of Television per Week– 81% Returned Fall 1998

6% Watched 10 or More Hours of Television per Week– 87% Returned Fall 1998

Summary

Students who rely on parents for advice returned at higher rates than students who relied on others

Student retention rates increased with parents’ education

The number of students who did not plan to complete their degrees at the UO was too small to significantly influence retention

Summary (continued)

Students who had less experience in social activities during high school returned to the UO at lower rates

Most students were not anxious about finances

Students who planned to work returned at lower rates than students who were undecided or who planned not to work

Summary (continued)

Students with little or no computer experience returned at lower rates than students with some experience