Mapping, Modeling, and Monitoring:

Mapping, Modeling, and Monitoring: Investigating One-Year Retention Patterns of Community College Transfer Students Using Geographical Information Systems. Jaclyn A. Cameron Gerald W. McLaughlin DePaul University

Background: Tinto’s Student Integration Model

Background: Bean’s Model of Student Departure Retention

Background: Adelman’s Answers in a Toolbox

Retention:

CC Research Caveats: • Varying definitions of “Transfer” • Lack of central data source • Differences in tracking techniques • Student goal motivations and aspirations

Transfer into 4-year institutions Degree-seeking First-time at reporting institution Only attended 2-yr institution Transferring in 30+ semester hours (45+ quarter hours) Top five feeder schools Retention/Grad rates Fall to fall tracking By Gender and Race % Part time Institutional Characteristics Transfer admit policies Transfer requirements Transfer credit policies CSRDE: Community College Transfer Report

CC Transfer Report Uses: • Benchmarking/Comparisons • Institution Characteristics • Carnegie Classification • Institution Size • Institution Selectivity • Institution State • Student Characteristics • % Part time • Race • Gender • Combinations of Institution and Student Characteristics

CC “Understudied” Research • Type of institution defined by geographical location (rural, urban, etc) • Demographic • Geographic • Economic • Institutional • Population Density • Metropolitan / Non-metropolitan • Importance of Culture and Community

CC Location Research Issues • Lack of universal definitions • Rural, Urban, Suburban • Student academic aspirations • College access • Community Characteristics • Educational value beliefs • Primary community employment • Cultural traditions

Geographic Information Systems Interpret and represent geographic data • Admissions, Recruitment, Marketing, Enrollment Offices • Support and direct Strategic Goals • Facilities / Space Management Offices • Facility locale or improvement • Alumni, Advancement • Identify “hotspots”

Research Rationale

Selection Criteria CC Transfers Enrolled b/t Fall 1999 and Spring 2003 Degree Seeking 45+ Quarter Hours (30 Semester) First Year = 12 Hours Data Composition 4,285 Students Caucasian Female Full Time 89% Retained 11% Not Retained Method - Data

Method - Analyses • Density Maps • Total Sample and Non-Retained • Previous address zip code frequency • Community College location • Proportional Map • Non-retained / Retained • Zip Code density • Proportion for each zip code • Predicted Probability • Logistic regression error terms • Transfer hours, cumulative hours, cumulative GPA, full/part time • Proportion of Non-retained that were predicted to be retained

Community College Transfer Student Population by Previous Geographic Location: 1999-2003 DePaul

Non-Returning Community College Transfer Student Population by Previous Geographic Location: 1999-2003

Proportion of Non-Retained/Retained Students by Zip Code: 1999-2003

Predicted Probability to Retain of Non-Retained Transfer Students by Zip Code: 1999-2003

Conclusion • Old Issue – New Techniques • Future Research • Global to street level • U.S. Census data • Student Characteristics • Benchmarking and Trend Info

Thank You! Jaclyn Cameron jcamero4@depaul.edu Gerry McLaughlin gmclaugh@depaul.edu

Mapping, Modeling, and Monitoring: