Managing Student Drop-Outs

Abstract

This study investigates the efficacy of several variables used to predict voluntary, organizationally avoidable turnover even before the student becomes enrolled in a college.  Analyses conducted on student applicant data collected in 2 separate colleges confirmed that bio-data, clear-purpose attitudes and intentions, and disguised-purpose dispositional retention scales predicted voluntary, avoidable turnover.

Results also revealed that bio-data scales and disguised-purpose retention scales added incremental validity, whereas clear-purpose retention scales did not explain significant incremental variance in turnover beyond what was explained by bio-data and the disguised-­purpose scales.  Furthermore, disparate impact was consis­tently small.