03/31/2021
By Robin Hall

The College of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Daniel Riley on “The Impact of Early College on Attrition.”

Date: Tuesday April 6, 2021
Time: 2:30 p.m. EST
Location: This will be a virtual defense via Zoom. Those interested in attending should email Jill_Lohmeier@uml.edu at least 24 hours prior to the defense to request access the meeting.

Dissertation Chair: Jill Lohmeier, Ph.D. Associate Professor, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Dissertation Committee:

  • Stacy Szczesiul, Ed.D., Associate Professor, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Shanna Thompson, Ed.D., Adjunct Faculty, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract:

In the United States, college attrition is a problem affecting the outcomes of our educational and labor market pipelines. In 2016, the U.S. Department of Education reported that only 65% of students who enrolled in post-secondary institutions from the graduating class of 2009 persisted or attained a diploma within six years of initial enrollment (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2016). The issue of college attrition can be framed as both an academic and social dilemma. To reduce attrition, most post-secondary institutions have adopted familiar strategies to close gaps and retain students once they enter college. However, the practices of offering remedial coursework and freshmen orientation/first year support programs have not yielded adequate progress with reducing attrition rates. Another approach to reducing the chances of post-secondary attrition is the early college model. Early college expands upon traditional dual enrollment by supporting exposure to college enrollment and social activities. This study presents a theory of action that suggests that if high school students have access to college courses, information pertinent to college acceptance and success, and opportunities to develop college persistence attributes through early college programming, then their likelihood of attrition in college will be reduced. This study conducts a formative program evaluation of a state-designated early college program in Massachusetts.