The Sept. 8th issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education leads with an article on Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America’s Public Universities by William G. Bowen, Matthew M. Chingo and Michael S. McPherson. It is an exciting and worthwhile book to read. It shows that for 21 public flagship universities, the 4-year graduation rate was only 49% with a much higher six-year graduation rate of 77%. The authors present the discussion that family income matters, that for low-income families a little increase in tuition can lead to a higher drop-out rate. As we have read in the news, even in this past year in the current economic recession, faculty have received raises and the tuition has increased, placing more financial pressure on families to keep their son or daughter in college. Colleges need to assume a greater level of accountability on containing tuition and the cost of college.
In their analysis, the authors found that the high school GPA was much more predictive of the six year graduation rate than the SAT or ACT scores for the universities they studied.
Based on my research, I would like to suggest that the results may be different for engineering colleges. Several studies of engineering studies have shown a significant relationship between the ACT or SAT Math score and upper class retention or graduation rates of engineering students. Each college should conduct their own study and make an evidence-based decision on whether the high school GPA or SAT/ACT scores (or both) are significant predictors for student retention.
As the book suggests, more focus on timely completion of degrees is needed. More focus on higher four-year graduation rates and systemic interventions that help student success are needed. We can have higher 4-year graduation rates!
Cindy
Sources:
“For Certain Types of Students , an Ever-Receding Finish” by D. Glenn, Chronicle of Higher Education, September 8, 2009; Crossing the Finish Line:Completing college at America’s Public Universities by W.G. Bowen, M.M. Chingos and M.S. McPerson, Princeton University Press,2009.