An Exploration of Institutional Commitment at Large, Four-Year Public Institutions

This research note explores differences between students with a low commitment to complete a degree anywhere, those with a strong commitment to complete a degree, but not at their present institution, and those with a strong commitment to complete their degree at their present institution.

EBI MAP-Works and Ball State University partnered to create MAP-Works (Making Achievement Possible-Works). MAP-Works capitalizes on Ball State’s 20 years of experience with the original MAP (Making Achievement Possible) and EBI MAP-Works’ 14 years of experience with national benchmarking assessments. MAP-Works empowers faculty and professional staff to effectively and efficiently impact student success.

MAP-Works^® is a comprehensive student retention and success program designed for all class levels. MAP-Works identifies students early in the term allowing for immediate support and intervention. It then serves as the infrastructure to manage critical outreach efforts. Data from the 2011 Fall Transition Survey is summarized below, including 59,197 first-year student respondents from 35 institutions with a Carnegie Classification as large, four-year public institutions.

Approximately 89% of first-year respondents at large, four-year public institutions indicated a commitment to completing a degree at their present institutions. Approximately 10% indicated they were strongly committed to completing a degree, but not at their current institution. Only 1% of respondents indicated they had a low commitment to completing a degree anywhere. Low commitment was linked to lower entering academic qualifications, financial concerns, and academic skills. Few differences were found on these items between those with a high commitment to completing a degree at their current institution and those with high commitment, but not at their current institution. When compared to those who are committed to completing a degree at their current institution, respondents who are committed to completing a degree, but not at their current institutions were less likely to report high levels of self-discipline and time management. Strong differences were also observed related to campus social life and peer connections. Homesickness was also more likely to be an issue among students with low commitment or with high commitment, but not at their current institution. Importantly, three-quarters of respondents with a high commitment to completing their degree, but not at their present institution indicate they intend to return to their institution in the spring term, but only 34% indicate they plan to return the next academic year.

Student Characteristics and Financial Concerns

1. Both students who are committed and those who are not committed to completing a degree at their institution have similar entering academic qualifications. But, low commitment is linked to lower average qualifications.

   • Respondents with a commitment to complete their degree, but not at their current institution have similar academic qualifications to those committed to completing their degree at their present institution.
   • Respondents with low commitment to completing a degree had significantly lower average SAT scores, ACT scores, and high school GPA.

2. Low commitment is linked to financial concerns.

   • About three out of ten respondents with low commitment indicated a high degree of confidence they could pay for next term’s tuition and fees and monthly living expenses, compared to one-half of respondents with a high commitment to completing a degree either at their present institution or elsewhere.
   • Thirty-five percent of respondents with high commitment to completing their degree at their current institution, 30% of those with high commitment, but not at their present institution, and 25% of those with low commitment had a high degree of confidence they could pay for social activities with friends.

Academic Skills and Ability and Self-Discipline

1. Students who have a low commitment to completing a degree are less likely than students with high commitment to rate their academic abilities as very good or excellent.

   • Three out of ten respondents with low commitment rated their problem-solving skills as very good or excellent, compared to about one-half of students with high commitment.
   • When comparing those with high commitment to completing a degree at their current institution and those with high commitment, but not at their current institutions, significant differences were not observed in the percentages of respondents who rated their key academic skills as very good or excellent.

2. Students with a low commitment to complete a degree are less likely than students with high commitment to report good basic academic behaviors.

   • When compared to respondents with a high commitment to completing a degree at their current, large four-year public institution, respondents with high commitment, but not at their current institution were less likely to report they always take good notes in class or spend sufficient study time to earn good grades. However, they were equally likely to report they always attend class and turn in required homework.
   • One-fourth of respondents with low commitment to completing a degree indicated they do not always attend class, and three out of ten reported they do not always turn in homework.

3. Students who have high commitment to completing a degree at their present institution are more likely than other students to report high levels of self-discipline and time management skills.

   • Forty-three percent of respondents with low commitment to completing their degree report they are self-disciplined, compared to 62% of those with high commitment to completing a degree at their large four-year public institution and 53% of those with high degree commitment, but not at their current institution.
   • When compared to those with high commitment to completing a degree at their current institution, respondents who were not committed to completing a degree at their present institution were also less likely to describe themselves as having strong time management skills.

Social Connections

1. Students with a low commitment to completing a degree and those with high commitment, but not at their current institution are less likely to have strong peer connections.

   • Only 42% of respondents who are committed to completing a degree, but not at their current institution reported connecting with people who share common interests, compared to 61% of respondents who are committed to completing a degree at their large public four-year institution.
   • Similarly, 53% of respondents with high degree commitment, but not at their current institution indicated they are connecting with people they like, compared to 72% of respondents with high degree commitment at their present institution.

2. Students who are committed to completing their degree at their present large four-year public institution are more likely to report a positive social experience living on-campus.

   • Thirty-seven percent of respondents who either have a low commitment to completing a degree or are committed to completing a degree, but not at their current institution reported they were making friends with others in the hall/ building, compared with 53% of respondents who are committed to completing a degree at their present institution.

3. Homesickness is more likely to be an issue for students with low commitment to completing a degree or high commitment to a degree, but low commitment to their current large public 4-year institution.

   • Among respondents who either have a low commitment to completing a college degree or who are committed to completing their degree, but not at their current institution, one-fifth reported they think about going home all the time. Only 9% of respondents with a high commitment to completing a degree at their current institution responded similarly.

4. Students who are committed to completing a degree, but not at their current institution are more likely than other students to indicate that a desire to change their social environment would be the most likely reason they decided to transfer.

   • Students who are committed to completing a degree, but not at their current institution are likely to report they intend to come back to their present institution for the spring semester, but much less certain of returning for the next academic year.

Conclusion

Overall, a very small percentage of students (about 1%) reported having a low commitment to completing a degree. These students were different from those with high commitment in a variety of ways, including entering academic qualifications, financial concerns, academic skills and behaviors, and peer connections.

For students who have a strong commitment to earning a degree, but do not see themselves earning that degree at their present large, public, four-year institution, similarities with their highly committed peers were found regarding academic qualifications and behaviors.

Where large gaps exist between these two groups of students (those committed to earning a degree, but not at their current institutions and those with a strong commitment to their current institution) was in the area of social integration and peer connections. Those who are not committed to their current institution appear to have greater difficulty making peer connections and, probably as a result, are more likely to cite a desire for a different social environment as a reason they may transfer. Interestingly, 75% of these students indicate they will return for the spring term, but only 34% indicate they will return for the next academic year. This suggests that large, public 4-year institutions which identify these students and help address their issues may have time to influence the students’ decisions to seek degrees elsewhere.

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