Tinto's Separation Stage and Its Influence on First-Semester College Student Persistence

Abstract

Examination of student departure for various student populations, in different institutional settings, and at various stages in time is crucial in the quest to improve retention (Tinto, 1988, 1993). Therefore, this study explored first- to second-semester persistence of first-time, full-time freshmen at a public, four-year institution, focusing upon Tinto's concept of separation. The question of how various underlying dimensions of separation influence departure decisions was examined. The dimensions of (1) support and (2) rejection of attitudes and values were found to influence persistence in a statistically significant way.