Abstract
Too many students are not completing their Bachelor’s degrees in California and nationwide, threatening not only the global competitiveness of our workforce, but also the economic and civic vitality produced by an educated society. At California State University (CSU) campuses, about 50,000 freshmen enrolled in 2006, representing the top one-third of California’s graduating high school seniors (CSU, 2013a). However, system-wide, roughly half of the students who enrolled as freshmen did not complete their degrees within six years (CSU, 2013a). This statistic, which has fluctuated only slightly for several years, warrants the attention of taxpayers, policymakers, administrators, education practitioners, and parents, because of the significant investments they have made in students by the time they matriculate in CSU (CPEC, no date). In order for society to reap the significant returns promised by Bachelor’s degree graduates in the workforce, and in order for California to meet urgent workforce needs, students must complete their degrees. One way to improve graduation rates is through effective resources and programs that increase the academic achievement and engagement of students. Research indicates that the majority of students who drop out do so in the first year, making this a critical time to intervene (CSU, 2013c; Tinto, 2012). To that end, this research quantifies the impact of participation in First Year Experience (FYE) on the graduation rate of first-time freshmen at California State University, Sacramento (“Sacramento State”). Using data from the cohort of first-time freshmen entering Sacramento State in 2006, this research employs logistic regression analysis to demonstrate that participation in FYE, either through a first year seminar or a learning community, is associated with a 38 percent greater likelihood of graduation than non-participation, holding constant all background characteristics and high school academic experiences. The research also indicates that other first-year achievements, including freshman GPA and first-year units, are statistically significantly associated with graduation, holding constant all background characteristics, high school academic experiences, and college experiences. Based on these findings, I recommend that Sacramento State continue and enhance its efforts to increase engagement of freshman students through FYE – to help bridge their academic and social contexts, to help them advance college over competing priorities in life, to help them establish a critical psychological mindset through academic achievement in their freshman year. The CSU Chancellor’s recent $50 million investment in student success provides potential resources to enhance the focus on freshmen. These efforts could help move the needle on graduation rates, promising significant economic returns to California stakeholders.