A Three Year Longitudinal Study of the University Experience a Progress Report

Abstract

An optional withdrawal questionnaire, together with a review of some overseas research resulted in the implementation of a First Year Experience survey carried out in March 1996, and a follow up questionnaire in September, complemented by other strategies. The objectives are to analyze some of the factors affecting student persistence and attrition, and gain further understanding of the quality of the university experience for an increasingly diverse student population. This report on the first year of a three year study outlines some of the major factors identified from a review of the literature, considers some North American research and analyses some of the 972 responses to the first questionnaire, and 777 to the follow-up.