Alabama Community College Residential And Non-Residential Student Persistence Comparison

Abstract

This quantitative study evaluated persistence utilizing the College Persistence Questionnaire (Davidson, 2009). The study evaluates relationships of students at community colleges in Alabama who live on campus in residential halls and those who live off campus (with a parent of relative or in an apartment or house). Three hundred seventy four first time students were surveyed at four community colleges in Alabama. The study evaluated persistence based on ten predictors advanced in the CPQ. These predictors are social integration, academic integration, degree commitment, institutional commitment, academic motivation, academic efficacy, financial strain, collegiate stress, advising, and scholastic conscientiousness. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to compare effect of community college students' place of residence for each predictor. Significance was found for four of the ten predictors which include social integration, degree commitment, academic motivation, and scholastic conscientiousness.