Assessing the Effectiveness of a College Freshman Seminar Using Propensity Score Adjustments

    Authors

    M. H. Clark;N. L. Cundiff

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Res. High. Educ.

    Keywords

    First-year seminar; College retention; Academic success; Propensity; scores; Selection bias; ACADEMIC MOTIVATION SCALE; INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRATION; 4-YEAR; INSTITUTIONS; LOGISTIC-REGRESSION; HIGHER-EDUCATION; PERFORMANCE; STUDENT; PERSISTENCE; RETENTION; ACHIEVEMENT; Education & Educational Research

    Abstract

    Researchers investigated the impact that a first-year college experience course had on students' first-year grade point averages (GPAs) and retention rates. A sample of 109 first-year students enrolled in the course was compared to a sample of 326 students from the same university who had not taken the course. The goals of the experience course were to reduce attrition, increase grade point averages, and enhance academic skills. Without accounting for selection bias, those who took the course had similar retention rates and lower GPAs than those who did not take the course. After matching on propensity scores, the negative effects of the program on GPA were nullified and those in the program were more likely to enroll for a second year. Although the benefits from the course were weak, the positive impact of the program was more apparent after accounting for individual differences.

    Journal Title

    Research in Higher Education

    Volume

    52

    Issue/Number

    6

    Publication Date

    1-1-2011

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    616

    Last Page

    639

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000292988400004

    ISSN

    0361-0365

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