Surviving Toward College Graduation

This 5-year longitudinal study with a diverse sample of 405 graduating high school seniors examined the person, behavior, and environment (PBE) factors that increased student chances of deciding to attend a 2- or 4-year college, enrolling in college the fall semester immediately following high school graduation, and then returning to that same college a year later as a retained college student. Survivability across these three critical college-going transitions was a function of two different kinds of PBE patterns. First, certain PBE factors played prominent roles at specific transition points and then more minor support roles at others. Second, several factors provided consistent support at each transition point without being the primary determiner of success at any single transition. Students are more likely to succeed in college if school counselors help them to learn and take advantage of those PBE patterns that promote postsecondary success.