An Investigation of the Factors Influencing the Postsecondary Success of Nevada GEAR UP Students using Logistic Regression
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Authors
Hopkinson, Kimberly
Issue Date
2021
Type
Dissertation
Language
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The federally funded Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is designed to “increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education” (U.S. Department of Education, 2021). Despite this stated purpose, the majority of research on GEAR UP program outcomes has focused on only college enrollment and/or retention; few published studies have investigated rates of college completion for program participants.The purpose of this study was to examine which academic and personal variables, if any, can predict whether GEAR UP eligible students that enroll in college complete postsecondary education and obtain a college degree within 150% of the normal time to degree completion. The academic and personal variables included in the study comprise 12th grade GPA, 7th grade college aspirations, cumulative GEAR UP program service hours, gender, middle school setting, and race/ethnicity. A binary logistic regression was conducted, resulting in a model that included 12th grade GPA and cumulative GEAR UP program service hours as predictors of college completion; students with higher GPA and higher levels of program participation were more likely to be in the graduated in 150% of normal time group.