*   IR Series
  Office of Institutional Research - Box 5161 - 372-6144
  Tennessee Technological University

Vol. 05-06, No. 29   March 3, 2006

Retention Rates for First-Time Freshman Lottery Scholarship Recipients and Nonrecipients
This report contains current information about Fall-to-Spring and Fall-to-Fall retention rates for first-time freshman Tennessee Lottery Scholarship recipients and nonrecipients at Tennessee Technological University.  Each freshman cohort consists of all first-time, full-time freshmen who entered the University in the Fall semester or the immediately preceding Summer.  Results are presented for the University and by academic unit (college or school within the University).

Below is a summary of retention rates by Lottery Scholarship status and academic unit.  These rates were calculated as weighted averages for the entering freshman classes of Fall 2004 and Fall 2005.  In subsequent sections, Tables 1 and 9 provide detailed information for the two Lottery Scholarship status subcohorts (recipients and nonrecipients), and Tables 2 through 8 and Tables 10 through 16 provide corresponding information by academic unit and for those students classified in General Curriculum.  Tables 2 through 8 and Tables 10 through 16 are mutually exclusive, and students are grouped according to their college and major in their first Fall term.  Retention information is about retention at the University and not necessarily retention within the original unit.  Some freshmen migrate from the original unit (e.g., Engineering) to another unit (e.g., Arts and Sciences).

Although the role of student ability in college student persistence is complex,* ability indicators such as high school grade-point average and ACT Composite score are associated with student persistence.  In using retention information from this report about Tennessee Lottery Scholarship recipients and nonrecipients, it is important to recognize that high school grade-point average and ACT Composite score are two criteria that are used in determining student eligibility for the Lottery Scholarship. Therefore, in this basic initial analysis at Tennessee Tech, the larger retention rate of Lottery Scholarship recipients as compared to the corresponding rate for nonrecipients cannot be attributed solely to the beneficial financial impact of the Tennessee Lottery Scholarship Program. It could even be hypothesized that much of the college student persistence of Lottery Scholarship recipients is not attributable to the financial benefits of the scholarship. Additional study is needed.


*   Stage, F. K., & Hossler, D. (2000). Where is the student? Linking student behaviors, college choice, and college persistence.  In J. M. Braxton (Ed.), Reworking the student departure puzzle (pp. 180-181). Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.    





Fall-to-Spring Retention Rate for First-Time Freshmen
What percentage of first-time freshmen in Fall semester return for
their Spring semester at Tennessee Tech?
Lottery No Lottery
Scholarship Scholarship
University 91.7% 79.8%
Agriculture and Human Ecology 86.0% 89.7%
Arts and Sciences 90.3% 72.7%
Business Administration 91.3% 82.5%
Education 94.0% 86.5%
Engineering 92.2% 86.0%
Nursing 96.8% 75.0%
General Curriculum 90.6% 73.8%
One-Year Retention Rate for First-Time Freshmen
What percentage of first-time freshmen return for their second year
at Tennessee Tech?
Lottery No Lottery
Scholarship Scholarship
University 74.2% 64.0%
Agriculture and Human Ecology 71.4% 77.8%
Arts and Sciences 67.8% 53.1%
Business Administration 70.6% 63.9%
Education 88.7% 69.6%
Engineering 75.6% 78.8%
Nursing 80.5% 62.5%
General Curriculum 71.4% 60.0%


Notes:
  1. Throughout this report, the average one-semester retention rate (from first Fall term to first Spring term) was calculated from two cohorts:  the entering freshmen of Fall 2004 and Fall 2005.
  2. Information about retention of Lottery Scholarship recipients and nonrecipients by academic department for the Fall 2005 cohort is included in Appendices A and B.
  3. The first-time, full-time freshmen of Fall 2004 and Fall 2005 are the two cohorts that have entered Tennessee Technological University since the inception of the Tennessee Lottery Scholarship Program. The Fall-to-Spring weighted average retention rate was calculated using these two cohorts. The Fall-to-Fall retention rate and "Fall-to-Second-Spring-Term" rate were calculated for the one available cohort:  the first-time, full-time freshmen of Fall 2004.
  4. In this report, "Independent Programs" is not included as a single unit.  Instead, freshmen classified with a major of "General Curriculum" are included, but freshmen in "Pre-Law" and "General Health Studies" are excluded.  However, Pre-Law and General Health Studies are included in Appendices A and B.
  5. This is the first iteration of this report.



FIRST-TIME FRESHMEN WITH LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIPS

Table 1:     University
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 1,264 1,159 938 879
    91.69% 74.21% 69.54%
2005 1,119 1,027    
    91.78%    
Weighted      
Average:   91.73% 74.21% 69.54%
Table 2:     Agriculture and Human Ecology
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 56 48 40 35
    85.71% 71.43% 62.50%
2005 51 44  
    86.27%    
Weighted      
Average:   85.98% 71.43% 62.50%
Table 3:     Arts and Sciences
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 267 239 181 171
    89.51% 67.79% 64.04%
2005 228 208  
    91.23%    
Weighted      
Average:   90.30% 67.79% 64.04%
Table 4:     Business Administration
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 170 155 120 117
    91.18% 70.59% 68.82%
2005 129 118  
    91.47%    
Weighted      
Average:   91.30% 70.59% 68.82%
Table 5:     Education
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 141 135 125 117
    95.74% 88.65% 82.98%
2005 160 148  
    92.50%    
Weighted      
Average:   94.02% 88.65% 82.98%
Table 6:     Engineering
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 308 281 233 221
    91.23% 75.65% 71.75%
2005 283 264    
    93.29%    
Weighted      
Average:   92.22% 75.65% 71.75%
Table 7:     Nursing
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 113 109 91 85
    96.46% 80.53% 75.22%
2005 77 75    
    97.40%    
Weighted      
Average:   96.84% 80.53% 75.22%
Table 8:     General Curriculum (Major = 'GECU')
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 199 183 142 126
    91.96% 71.36% 63.32%
2005 142 126    
    88.73%    
Weighted      
Average:   90.62% 71.36% 63.32%



FIRST-TIME FRESHMEN WITHOUT LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIPS

Table 1:     University
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 214 173 137 121
    80.84% 64.02% 56.54%
2005 291 230    
    79.04%    
Weighted      
Average:   79.80% 64.02% 56.54%
Table 2:     Agriculture and Human Ecology
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 9 9 7 4
    100.00% 77.78% 44.44%
2005 20 17  
    85.00%    
Weighted      
Average:   89.66% 77.78% 44.44%
Table 3:     Arts and Sciences
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 49 40 26 22
    81.63% 53.06% 44.90%
2005 61 40  
    65.57%    
Weighted      
Average:   72.73% 53.06% 44.90%
Table 4:     Business Administration
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 36 30 23 21
    83.33% 63.89% 58.33%
2005 44 36  
    81.82%    
Weighted      
Average:   82.50% 63.89% 58.33%
Table 5:     Education
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 23 22 16 14
    95.65% 69.57% 60.87%
2005 29 23  
    79.31%    
Weighted      
Average:   86.54% 69.57% 60.87%
Table 6:     Engineering
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 33 26 26 25
    78.79% 78.79% 75.76%
2005 24 23    
    95.83%    
Weighted      
Average:   85.96% 78.79% 75.76%
Table 7:     Nursing
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 16 11 10 8
    68.75% 62.50% 50.00%
2005 4 4    
    100.00%    
Weighted      
Average:   75.00% 62.50% 50.00%
Table 8:     General Curriculum (Major = 'GECU')
Entering First First Second Second
Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring
Class Term Term Term Term
2004 45 32 27 25
    71.11% 60.00% 55.56%
2005 81 61    
    75.31%    
Weighted      
Average:   73.81% 60.00% 55.56%



Appendix A

One-Semester Rates for First-Time Freshmen with Lottery Scholarships,
By Department

Fall 2005 Cohort 
 FIRST   FIRST
  FALL   SPRING
UNIT    DEPT     TERM    TERM         PERCENT
---------------------------------------------

 AH     AGRI       35      29      .    82.86
        HEC        16      15      .    93.75
---------------------------------------------
 AH                51      44      .    86.27
---------------------------------------------

 AS     BIOL       27      22      .    81.48
        CAS         7       6      .    85.71
        CHEM       57      53      .    92.98
        CSC        32      32      .   100.00
        EASC        2       2      .   100.00
        ENG        23      21      .    91.30
        FL          8       7      .    87.50
        HIST       11      10      .    90.91
      IEP         1       .      .      .
        MATH        4       4      .   100.00
        PHYS        3       3      .   100.00
        POLS        7       6      .    85.71
        PSY        34      33      .    97.06
        SOC        12       9      .    75.00
---------------------------------------------
 AS               228     208      .    91.23
---------------------------------------------

 BA     BBUS      127     116      .    91.34
        EFM         2       2      .   100.00
---------------------------------------------
 BA               129     118      .    91.47
---------------------------------------------

 ED     CI        104      96      .    92.31
        HPED        6       6      .   100.00
        MUSA       50      46      .    92.00
---------------------------------------------
 ED               160     148      .    92.50
---------------------------------------------


 FIRST   FIRST
  FALL   SPRING
UNIT    DEPT     TERM    TERM         PERCENT
---------------------------------------------
 EN     BE         70      64      .    91.43
        CEE        41      39      .    95.12
        CHE        26      25      .    96.15
        ECE        56      52      .    92.86
        IME         3       2      .    66.67
        ME         84      79      .    94.05
        MIT         3       3      .   100.00
---------------------------------------------
 EN               283     264      .    93.29
---------------------------------------------

 IP     GECU      142     126      .    88.73
        GEPL        4       2      .    50.00
        GHS        45      42      .    93.33
---------------------------------------------
 IP               191     170      .    89.01
---------------------------------------------

 NU     NURS       77      75      .    97.40
---------------------------------------------
 NU                77      75      .    97.40
---------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------
 University     1,119   1,027      .    91.78
---------------------------------------------


Appendix B

One-Semester Rates for First-Time Freshmen without Lottery Scholarships,
By Department

Fall 2005 Cohort 
 FIRST   FIRST
  FALL   SPRING
UNIT    DEPT     TERM    TERM         PERCENT
---------------------------------------------

 AH     AGRI       16      14      .    87.50
        HEC         4       3      .    75.00
---------------------------------------------
 AH                20      17      .    85.00
---------------------------------------------

 AS     BIOL       14      10      .    71.43
        CAS         3       3      .   100.00
        CHEM        9       7      .    77.78
        CSC         6       1      .    16.67
        ENG         4       3      .    75.00
        FL          1       1      .   100.00
        HIST        4       2      .    50.00
        MATH        1       1      .   100.00
        PHYS        2       2      .   100.00
        POLS        2       2      .   100.00
        PSY        10       6      .    60.00
        SOC         5       2      .    40.00
---------------------------------------------
 AS                61      40      .    65.57
---------------------------------------------

 BA     BBUS       44      36      .    81.82
---------------------------------------------
 BA                44      36      .    81.82
---------------------------------------------

 ED     CI         14      12      .    85.71
        HPED        4       2      .    50.00
        MUSA       11       9      .    81.82
---------------------------------------------
 ED                29      23      .    79.31
---------------------------------------------

 FIRST   FIRST
  FALL   SPRING
UNIT    DEPT     TERM    TERM         PERCENT
---------------------------------------------
 EN     BE          5       5      .   100.00
        CEE         3       3      .   100.00
        CHE         3       3      .   100.00
        ECE         4       3      .    75.00
        ME          9       9      .   100.00
---------------------------------------------
 EN                24      23      .    95.83
---------------------------------------------

 IP     GECU       81      61      .    75.31
        GEPL        1       1      .   100.00
        GHS        27      25      .    92.59
---------------------------------------------
 IP               109      87      .    79.82
---------------------------------------------

 NU     NURS        4       4      .   100.00
---------------------------------------------
 NU                 4       4      .   100.00
---------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------
 University       291     230      .    79.04
---------------------------------------------



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