First Your College Essays Examples

The article “Unmasking the Effects of Student Engagement on First-Year College Grades and Persistence” outlined a study that was conducted by students from Ohio State University. This study wanted to see if there was a relationship between key student behaviors and institutional practices that ultimately determined a student’s success. The study reviewed records from different colleges and merged the records in order to compare and contrast the key differences and outcomes. The two outcomes that were measured included academic achievement and persistence. These areas were measured because they were considered important areas for the success of first year college students.
The journal article stated that a college degree has been replaced by the high school diploma. Furthermore, a bachelor’s degree was determined to be a necessity and was associated with a good quality of life, and seen as being a stepping stone to a successful career. Students completing their four year degree were considered to be better financially stable and though to have a solid career outlook, than those students who only had a high school diploma.
The study also showed that there were disparities in degree completion rates among underserved and minority students. Although minority students entered colleges at a faster rate than they did years ago, the degree completion rate among African American and Latino students was only 46%. Minority students have stagnant graduation rates, and they completed fewer degrees than their non-minority counterparts. These statistics showed that almost half of the students were dropping out of college prior to obtaining their degrees. The reasons for leaving college were varied and ranged from personal reasons to financial reasons.