Volume_6_Issue_2_Digest

12 TPC Digest 12 Daniel T. Sciarra, Holly J. Seirup, Elizabeth Sposato High School Predictors of College Persistence The Significance of Engagement and Teacher Interaction C ollege persistence is a major concern in our society. While more students than ever before transition from high school to college, many do not graduate and even less do so within a four-year period. Studies show that approximately one in four students do not return to a second year in the college where they started. Therefore, studies have examined factors on the college level that might be responsible for persistence. Such factors on the college level include academic performance, support programs, financial aid, interaction with faculty and peers, quality of residential living, and social interaction in the form of extracurricular and social involvement. In regards to high school performance having a predictive value upon persistence, studies have shown that, within the academic realm, the intensity of the high school curriculum and GPA are predictive of academic success in college. However, little is known about the predictive effect upon persistence of other high school experiences and skills such as engagement in extracurricular activities, interaction with faculty, amount of time spent studying and doing homework, time doing paid and volunteer work, and the amount of social and academic support. Research has shown these factors in college to have a relationship to persistence; yet little if any research has shown whether such factors in high school are predictive of college persistence. This study seeks to answer the following question: do the same factors at the college level that have a relationship to persistence also have a predictive value for persistence when measured at the high school level? Data came from the 2002–2006 Educational Longitudinal Study and included students who enrolled in either a two-year or four- year institution upon graduation from high school. The study employed nine predictor variables: speaks with English teacher outside of class, speaks with math teacher outside of class, went to school counselor for information about college, social and academic support, and number of hours doing volunteer and community service, homework, working, and performing extracurricular activities. The criterion variable measured student status 2 years after scheduled graduation and had three