If Life Happened but a Degree Didn’t: Examining Factors That Impact Adult Student Persistence

Bergman, Matt; Gross, Jacob P. K.; Berry, Matthew; Shuck, Brad

doi:10.1080/07377363.2014.915445

Cited by 67 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The authors found that other characteristics such as high school class rank, standardized test scores, college preparation curriculum, and high school friends were all less relevant to adult students' persistence. Bergman, Gross, Berry, and Shuck (2014) found no differences in persistence by gender, race/ethnicity, or age, but instead found that educational aspirations, institutional responsiveness, and familial encouragement all play significant positive roles in adult nontraditional student persistence. In contrast, Bowl's (2001) deep qualitative work points to the role of higher education institutions in nontraditional student attrition.…”

Section: Attritionmentioning

confidence: 68%

Student Veterans and the Transition to Higher Education: Integrating Existing Literatures

Jenner¹

2017

JVS

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To address concerns about student veterans, including lagging BA attainment and troubling drop-out rates, researchers, policy-makers and practitioners would benefit from a more in-depth understanding of the processes student veterans undergo as they transition out of the military and into higher education. This paper synthesizes the literature related to the transition processes and post-secondary experiences of student veterans, nontraditional students, first-generation students, and under-represented minority students in order to identify points of convergence and divergence. These disparate literatures all recognize that the transition to higher education provides additional challenges, relative to the challenges faced by traditional students; however, over the past several decades a growing body of literature points to co-identity organizations-organizations that are centered around one aspect of a student's identity-as one factor that has potential to ease adjustment to higher education. By integrating existing research focused on the groups of students noted above with the burgeoning literature on student veterans, future researchers can to conduct more informed research and policy-makers and administrators can be empowered to create more effective policies and programs.

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Section: Attritionmentioning

confidence: 68%

Student Veterans and the Transition to Higher Education: Integrating Existing Literatures

Jenner¹

2017

JVS

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“…There are many factors that could contribute to a student’s retention or attrition in an educational degree program (Bergman, et al, ). According to Lampley (), “factors such as decreased funding, slow enrollment growth, rising cost, increased competition, an increasing need for accountability, and a stronger sense of student consumerism, may force institutions of higher education to take a closer look at how they operate” (p. 13).…”

Section: Overview Of Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…These relationships may sometimes serve as both socialization and support mechanism (e.g. faculty and peers), but supportive networks function more to encourage students, relieve burdens, hold students accountable, and offer inspiration (Bergman et al, ; Bauer, ; Pauley, ; Seagram et al, ). These supportive relationships lead to higher persistence rates for doctoral students (Emerson, ; King & Chepyator‐Thompson, ; Leadabrand, ; Malmberg, ).…”

Section: Socialization Student Support and Orientationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adult students face a multitude of attrition risk factors due to completion deterrents including family responsibilities, age, part‐time enrollment status, distance from campus, lack of socialization opportunities with faculty, and employment demands (Bergman, Gross, Berry, & Shuck ). As Meriwether (2015) explained, “just as African American, Latino, LGBT or other student populations cannot simply be treated as a homogenous demographic group, adult learners require similar strategic focus and attention” (p. 18).…”

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confidence: 99%

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The Impact of Student Attributes and Program Characteristics on Doctoral Degree Completion

Gittings

Bergman

Shuck

et al. 2018

New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development

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Doctoral students typically represent a highly educated group of students that have demonstrated the academic aptitude to successfully complete multiple degrees. Yet, research has continually shown that 40%–60% of doctoral students do not persist to graduate (Allum & Okahana, 2015; Bowen & Rudenstine, 1992). The purpose of this study was to explore the possible influence of individual doctoral student characteristics as well as doctoral program characteristics on doctoral degree completion. Tinto’s (1993) theory of doctoral attrition was applied to explore specific variables that may assist or detract a doctoral student with their degree completion. Results suggested age, full‐time employment, employment change after comprehensive exams, enrollment status, satisfaction with dissertation chair, and satisfaction with academic involvement all impacted doctoral completion. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

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“…Hegarty (2011) concluded that graduate students are interested to participate in a professional endeavor to advance their knowledge and learning. Bergman, et al (2014) shared that educational aspirations, institutional responsiveness, and familial encouragement play significant and positive roles in helping adult students remain enrolled and graduate. Bowl, (2011) found out that mature students transcend to higher education despite financial and institutional barriers.…”

Section: Review Of Related Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

MOTIVATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS OF GRADUATE STUDENTS OF THE COLLEGE OF ADVANCED EDUCATION (CAEd)

Arceño

2018

pijss

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If Life Happened but a Degree Didn’t: Examining Factors That Impact Adult Student Persistence

Cited by 67 publications

References 31 publications

Student Veterans and the Transition to Higher Education: Integrating Existing Literatures

Student Veterans and the Transition to Higher Education: Integrating Existing Literatures

The Impact of Student Attributes and Program Characteristics on Doctoral Degree Completion

MOTIVATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS OF GRADUATE STUDENTS OF THE COLLEGE OF ADVANCED EDUCATION (CAEd)

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