Striving Toward Effective Retention: The Effect of Race on Mentoring African American Students

Abstract

Higher education represents a gateway to economic empowerment for the thousands of students who enter the nation's postsecondary institutions each year. All too often the wide-eyed optimism and enthusiasm that students bring to registration dissipates and results in departure from the institution prior to degree completion. The 4-year degree requires considerably more time than that for completion for most students. Astin, Tsui, and Avalos (1996) reported that the degree completion rate is only 40% for all 4-year institutions, and this rate increases to 45% in 6 years. However, fewer than half of students who enter 4-year institutions (47%) complete the 4-year degree within 9 years. The data are even less encouraging for public universities. These institutions have a degree completion rate of only 34% within 4 years and 40% in 6 years. Only 41% of students who enter public universities complete a 4-year degree within 9 years (Astin et al., 1996). The degree completion rates are rather discouraging for students in general but are even more disheartening when considering African American students. Astin et al. (1996) found that only 19% of African American

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