Attrition rate shows anomalies from previous years
Caitlin Graveson
Issue date: 5/12/09 Section: News
Saint Mary's attrition rate, which measures how many students left the school, decreased slightly from last year. The latest report, which described the First Year Student Attrition Rate for the fall 2008 to spring 2009 terms was released last week by psychology professor Mary McCall, the interim director of institutional research. The fall-to-spring rate was 8.3 percent, down by 0.7 percent from last year's nine percent. Also, the rate of students who left after completing a semester has decreased. This year the rate was 6.5 percent as compared to last year's seven percent.
The total of new first year students (NFYS) who enrolled for the fall semester was 675. Of those students, 56 did not reenroll for the spring. While 44 of those students completed the fall semester before leaving, 12 left Saint Mary's before fall was over.
There was a greater percentage of male students who did not return. Females make up 65 percent of the freshman class but only 55 percent of those who left were female. In comparison, males make up 35 percent of the new students but 45 percent of those who did not return were male.
The students who did not return had a lower high school grade-point average than the average of the class, 3.18 in comparison to 3.33. SAT scores were also lower, 1041 in comparison to 1081. Important to note is the fact that 41 percent of those who did not return were considered "first generation" students while the class is only comprised of 35 percent "first generation" students.
The group that did not return included one student with a Presidential Scholarship at entrance and two in the High Potential program. Four students were in the nursing program and three were Lasallian Leaders. Also, five students were in violation of the disciplinary code related to alcohol or drug violations and 18 were on academic probation by the end of fall 2008 term.
Of the 56 students who did not return, 22 filled out an exit survey. Of the 22, nine cited the major reason for leaving the high tuition, five noted inadequate financial aid and five said grades or academic probation. Five others said that they simply wanted to move. Social life was cited by four students as their major reason for leaving.
The total of new first year students (NFYS) who enrolled for the fall semester was 675. Of those students, 56 did not reenroll for the spring. While 44 of those students completed the fall semester before leaving, 12 left Saint Mary's before fall was over.
There was a greater percentage of male students who did not return. Females make up 65 percent of the freshman class but only 55 percent of those who left were female. In comparison, males make up 35 percent of the new students but 45 percent of those who did not return were male.
The students who did not return had a lower high school grade-point average than the average of the class, 3.18 in comparison to 3.33. SAT scores were also lower, 1041 in comparison to 1081. Important to note is the fact that 41 percent of those who did not return were considered "first generation" students while the class is only comprised of 35 percent "first generation" students.
The group that did not return included one student with a Presidential Scholarship at entrance and two in the High Potential program. Four students were in the nursing program and three were Lasallian Leaders. Also, five students were in violation of the disciplinary code related to alcohol or drug violations and 18 were on academic probation by the end of fall 2008 term.
Of the 56 students who did not return, 22 filled out an exit survey. Of the 22, nine cited the major reason for leaving the high tuition, five noted inadequate financial aid and five said grades or academic probation. Five others said that they simply wanted to move. Social life was cited by four students as their major reason for leaving.