Committee Chair

Rausch, David W.

Committee Member

Crawford, Elizabeth K.; Banks, Steven R.; Prioleau, Ashlie A.

Department

Dept. of Education

College

College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a relationship existed between a set of prescribed student success quality indicators and retention of the Tennessee lottery scholarship after 24 attempted semester hours. There were two primary research questions: • Research Question 1 (RQ1): Does a relationship exist between lottery scholarship retention (LSR) and any single or combination of student progression variables for first-time, full-time enrolled freshmen after 24 attempted semester hours? • Research Question 2 (RQ2): Does LSR relate to continuous enrollment at the initial awarding institution after the first 24 attempted semester hour checkpoint? Data were collected about lottery scholarship recipients enrolled at a moderately selective higher education institution in the southeastern region of the United States. A Pearson chi-square analysis was administered to examine RQ1. The results revealed a) a strong relationship with high school grade point average, cumulative attempted hours, and overall college grade point average; b) a moderate relationship with standardized admission test score; and c) a weak relationship with gender, residency status, and race/ethnicity with retention of the lottery scholarship. Pell grant eligibility, college, and parent adjusted gross income did not indicate a relationship with retention of the lottery scholarship. Logistic regression analysis revealed two variables, college grade point average and cumulative attempted hours, had a significant value in predicting retention of the lottery scholarship. Correlation analysis for RQ2 demonstrated retention at the initial awarding institution and retaining the lottery scholarship award were strongly related. Students who retained the award were more likely to return to the initial awarding institution. Additionally, a review of the frequency distribution revealed that every student who retained the lottery award returned to the initial awarding institution. Ultimately, this type of research could assist universities with understanding and predicting success characteristics of incoming students. Higher retention and persistence rates within post-secondary institutions potentially impact economic growth through increased completion rates (Angrist, Oreopoulos, & Williams, 2014). Additionally, if students are able to maintain lottery eligibility, the findings from this study might permit institutions to reallocate funds from internal scholarship accounts toward student success programs.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to my colleagues at UTC –– Your support and consistently positive words meant more than you knew! Dr. David Rausch, my chair, mentor, and colleague –– You believed when I could not see it. Thank you for everything. Drs. Crawford, Banks, and Prioleau –– I can never repay you for your patience and time in meetings, phone calls, and text messages. Two words- C8 Rocks! We are the best cohort because of the people. I miss our Saturdays together!

Degree

Ph. D.; A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Date

8-2018

Subject

College attendance -- Tennessee; Academic achievement -- Tennessee -- Evaluation; Lotteries -- Tennessee

Keyword

Student success; Retention; Lottery scholarship

Document Type

Doctoral dissertations

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

x, 87 leaves

Language

English

Rights

https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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