College Persistence Of Men And Women Essay

The two essays given for review are Similarities and Differences in the College Persistence of Men and Women, by Karen Leppel and Validation Experiences and Persistence among Community College Students, by Elisabeth A. Barnett. In reviewing essays to summarize, I found it difficult to find examples which addressed the middle of the middle class. Therefore, the essays which were chosen may provide increased understanding why some students do not continue higher education until completion. Understanding factors which determine persistence may provide methods where Higher Education can invest thereby increasing college completion of students. Karen Leppel in her research is titled, Similarities and Differences in the College Persistence of Men and Women, suggested that college persistence varies with gender and her study examined student persistence until degree completion. Colleges may be taking seeking nontraditional students. Consequently, they may have lower persistence than traditional students. Understanding factors in persistence is necessary for individuals since normally they earn more than those who do not finish school. Persistence is …show more content…
However, many students leave after their first year. Students also leave before obtaining completion. Types of institutions and groups of students seem to determine early departure from college. Almost half of college students that entered community college, fewer than one-third receive a degree or a certificate. Community college students are three to four times more likely to mirror risk factors which are indicators preventing degree completion. Her research was conducted in the spring of 2006 at Midwest College, an urban community college with a diverse student population. Her sample represented a student demographic included ages from 17 to 71, with a mean age of 25. Sixty-one percent were female, and 76% of the total were non-White