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Factors Affecting Student Retention

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 VOLUME 7

11th Global Business Conference

St. Scholastica’s College-Manila
March 3, 2018

CD JOURNAL
ISSN No. 2094-7305
Factors Affecting Student Retention at De La Salle Araneta University
Jerico John G. Dalangin
De La Salle Araneta University, De La Salle University-Manila
jerico.dalangin@dlsau.edu.ph

Abstract
The study was conducted to identify the factors affecting student retention at the Senior
High School of De La Salle Araneta University (DLSAU). It is estimated that 31% of students from
the Basic Education leave to take higher education in another institution. The study was guided by
Tinto’s (1975) Student Integration Theory focusing on student views of retention through “Initial
Goals and Institutional Commitment, Academic Integration, Social Integration and Later Initial
Goals and Institutional Commitments”.
Respondents demographics are: majority of respondents attended government school for
their pre-SHS schooling, 18 years of age; mostly, female, 60%, resides in Malabon, 42% while the
least are from Manila 5%. Educational attainment of respondents’ father were college graduate, 51%
while the least were grade school graduate and doctorate degree holder, at 3% respectively and
similar trend was manifested in mother’s education, college graduate 53% while the least were
elementary graduate and doctorate degree holder, at 3% respectively.
The study receives responses that Academic Integration has a relationship with Initial
Goals and Institutional Commitment than Social Integration. It was recommended that the
University must provide Extracurricular Activities for the Senior High School.
Based on the result, only the Later Goals and Institutional Commitment is significant, this
means that the commitment of the students in their initial goals is the same commitment that
supports their Later Goals and Institutional Commitments. However, even there is a significance in
the Later Goals and Institutional Commitment, it did not guarantee student retention. The factor
resonate behind may be due to the availability of options that the students can proceed after their
senior high school.

Key Words: Retention, Admissions, Career, Education

1. Introduction
Student retention is one of the most widely researched topics in higher education
(Seidman, 2005). Theories were developed to further the literature on student retention. Based
on several journal articles, the most dominant author as to student retention is Tinto (1957)
who espoused the student integration theory. Tinto (1957) was able identify three major sources
of student departure: “academic difficulties, the inability of individuals to resolve their
educational and occupational goals, and lastly failure to become or remain incorporated in the
intellectual and social life of the institution”. Tinto's "Model of Institutional Departure" states
that, “to persist, students need integration into formal (academic performance) and informal
(faculty/staff interactions) academic systems and formal (extracurricular activities) and
informal (peer-group interactions) social systems.” To add, according to Berger and Braxton
(1998), Tinto’s integration model has been the focus of much empirical research; it has near
paradigmatic status in the study of college student departure.
The implementation of the Senior High School Program has brought a game changing
environment to those universities and colleges that offer complete education (Basic Education
to College Degree Programs). The process of student retention for these schools would be
different and challenging since the additional two years of study (Senior High School) would
keep some of these students from proceeding to college nor be enrolled in the same institution
where the Senior High School diploma was obtained. Students who belong to a university or
college that provides complete education may opt to obtain a degree in another university as
they might find themselves over familiar with the environment; moreover, with the new K to
12 curriculum, that would really add up to their stay in a certain institution. The situation of
staying longer in an institution would make the students proceeding to the college program

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more vulnerable to transferring compared to those schools that do not offer college programs
or only have college programs with feeder schools that may not be significantly affected.
According to Shahani (2015), the “K-12 curriculum and how does it differ from the
previous 10-year basic education curriculum is that aside from the additional two years of
Senior High School (SHS), the K-12 program totally restructures the basic education system
in the country”. It aims to provide solutions to the widespread unemployment of the youth as
the new curriculum equipped graduates of the Senior High School to be more employable by
injecting skills through offering and integrating the awarding of TESDA National Certificates
Senior High School would already qualify for decent entry-level jobs. This additionally will
increase the monetary capabilities of high school graduates who need to pursue advancement
through college completion.
The 2 years of SHS curriculum consists of two elements. The first element is the Track
Subjects covering the development of skills for students to become employable or develop their
entrepreneurship skills while the second element offers the Core Subjects that ensures readiness
of K-12 graduates to college. The SHS program has four career tracks to choose from the
Academic Track, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood Track, Sports Track, and Art & Design
Track. The four different career tracks provides flexibility depending on the goals of the
student, as well as the community and industry requirements in a particular region. The Track
Subject Curriculum enhances the value and relevance of the high school diploma. Equally vital,
the Core Subject Curriculum, remaining invariable for all schools, provides an opportunity for
everyone to be equally well-prepared for a college education academically.
The SHS educational programs likewise addresses the excess of school level general
instruction programs, which directly cover material that ought to have just been aced at the pre-
college level. This can bring about advanced education institution being more centered around
the specifics of different degrees, instead of devouring a significant part of the initial two years
assembling the abilities of the old 10-year program. The K-12 educational programs is the
current globally acknowledged standard. Subsequently, with the execution of the K-12 program
would create graduates aggressively competitive both local and globally college ready.
Career choice depends on how serious the high school students are in pursuing a course
in college. Majority of them are still confused and undecided regarding the course they are
going to take after graduation. Selecting a career starts with the chosen college course. There
are high school students who entered college but have no idea as to what career they would
land in pursuing the college program. Some students highly relied their decision from someone
they trust. Most of this people who belong to their circle of trust are their parents, immediate
family, friends and teachers. Others might have been influenced by their peers and relatives,
the environment and culture where they belong, the behavior that they possess, and other
personal reasons related to their interest towards the degree program (Ramirez & Dizon, 2014).
The De La Salle Araneta University (DLSAU) formerly known as Gregorio Araneta
University Foundation (GAUF), is a 72-year-old institution of which its thrust is primarily in
the field of Veterinary, Agriculture, Business, and Education, in response to the call of the
government and taking the opportunity to complete the K to 12 program since the institution
also offers complete basic education, it has launched its Senior High School Program in 2016
in parallel with the other institutions. When GAUF was integrated into the De La Salle
Educational System in 2002. It made a significant landmark in the educational system. The
fusion of two known schools with one known in the study of veterinary and agriculture and the
other for its business and commerce expertise with strong educational commitment and quality
amongst all its discipline.
Student retention in high school going to the college program of DLSAU has always
been a challenge based on the 7-year available data of the University. An average of 31%
proceeded to the College Level form the Basic Education Department.

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 Student population is very critical in an educational institution as they serve as the main
contributor in the development of an institution, be it on financial aspect or institution status.
Addressing this situation is not as easy as simply asking and convincing the students and their
parents to enroll in the institution and encourage them to take courses which might not be
relevant to their interest.
The study was designed to identify the factors affecting student retention at De La Salle
Araneta University. This study was guided by Tinto’s (1975) student integration theory. Since
this would be the first time to be able to have graduates from the Senior High School, it is
believe that this is a pioneering research for the institution. This would be able to guide the
administrators of the university in identifying the factors that would make students retain in the
university using the variables suggested in Tinto’s Model. Student retention is not just about
obtaining just the number of students and knowing their reasons, but moreover the reason for
leaving or continuance in the institution is very important as it is the very basic principle on
why such behavior is manifested that could lead up to student decision.
Tinto (1993) proposes that students enter a specific school or college with a set of
background attributes. These characteristics include “family background, individual attributes
and pre-college schooling. Family background characteristics include family social status,
parental formal educational level, and parental expectations. Examples of individual attributes
include academic aptitude, race, age and gender. Pre-college schooling experiences include the
characteristics of the student’s secondary school, high school academic achievement and
academic course work. These student entry characteristics directly influence students’ initial
goal and institutional commitments. Goal commitment represents the degree to which the
student is commitment, or motivated, to get a university degree in general; while institutional
commitment represents the degree to which the student is motivated to graduate from a specific
university.”
Initial goal and institutional commitments influence students’ degree of integration into
the academic and social systems of the institution. Academic integration incorporates both
structural and normative dimensions. Structural integration involves the meeting of explicit
standards of the university, whereas normative integration relates to an individual’s
identification with the normative structure of the academic system. Social integration refers to
the degree of congruency between the individual student and the social system of a university.
Tinto indicates that informal peer group associations, extracurricular activities, and interaction
with faculty and administrators are mechanisms of social integration (Tinto, 1975).
Academic and social integration affect students’ later goal and institutional
commitments. Both later commitments are also affected by students’ initial levels of
commitments. Tinto (1975) states that “in the final analysis, it is the interplay between the
individual’s commitment to the goal of college completion, and his commitment to the
institution that determines whether the individual decides to drop out from college.”
Student retention has been a challenging concern among schools, colleges and
universities. Though several students have been attending senior high school, improving the
enrollment rate to tertiary school continues to be a challenge.
In this study, the researcher intends to delve on the factors that affects student retention
in De La Salle Araneta University for the SY 2017-2018 based on Tinto’s model as benchmark.
The study also aims to elicit affirmative plan of the respondents to pursue collegiate
program in the same university wherein they had attended, thus, the following objectives is
intended for this study:
1. To test the factors affecting the retention of Senior High School Students at De La
Salle Araneta University based on Tinto’s Student Integration Theory.
2. To analyze what factors is likely to be the inclination of students whether it is more
towards Academic Integration or Social Integration.

225
 3. To verify if students’ later goals and institutional commitment affects student
retention in De La Salle Araneta University.

2. Framework
Tinto's “student integration model” applies the concept of integration to college
students. Basically, students drop out when they have not achieved a sufficient level of
integration into the institution, thus the fit between person and institution is not conducive to
persistence. The researcher utilized Tinto’s model to gauge the significance of the variables in
probing retention.

Figure 1. Operational Framework for Students Retention

The Family Background, individual attributes and Pre-SHS Schooling, substituting

“College” since the study focus on the Senior High School, were clustered as Student’s profile
since these information form part of the Student’s profile.
Academic integration is determined by the student’s performance in academics and the
level of intellectual development. The study adopt the measurement of two scales developed
by Pascarella and Terenzini (1980) wherein “Faculty Concern for Student Development and
Teaching Substituting Grade Performance, and Academic and Intellectual Development.”
Social integration is the degree of quality made by peer-group interaction and student
interactions with faculty (Pascarella and Terenzini, 1980). This was measured using two scales
developed by Pascarella and Terenzini (1980): Peer-Group Interactions and Interactions with
Faculty.
Retention is measured by the commitment of the students to return to the University to
pursue a college degree. Information was obtained using a survey questionnaire with a question
of “Would you like to obtain a College Degree in DLSAU?” answerable by a yes or no.

3. Methodology
The study was conducted in De La Salle Araneta University covering the Senior High
School Grade 12 students enrolled in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Academic Strand for the School Year 2017-2018. The study employed the descriptive analysis
to analyze items that affects retention or its likelihood to proceed to tertiary education. This
study was guided by Tinto’s (1975) student integration theory. Since this would be the first
time to be able to have graduates from the Senior High School, it is believed that this is a

226
pioneering research for the institution. This would be able to guide the administrators of the
university in identifying the factors that would make students retain in the university using the
variables suggested in Tinto’s Model. Student retention is not just about obtaining just the
number of students and knowing their reasons, but moreover the reason for leaving or
continuance in the institution is very important as it is the very basic principle on why such
behavior is manifested that could lead up to student decision.
Seventy-six percent or 92 respondents out of 120 STEM students were obtained using
stratified random sampling technique. Slovin formula was used to arrive at 92 students sample.
Stratified sampling was used and a form of random sampling through lottery method was done
to identify the target respondents of the study. The researcher also considered the STEM Strand
as it has the largest population amongst the other Senior High School Academic Track offered
in the University. The researcher used a researcher-made questionnaire with Tinto's model as
benchmark for its content and used the five-point Likert scale was used.
To analyze the data collected, percentage, Mean Score, Frequency Distribution, and
measure of central tendency for the descriptive part were used and for the Causal Analysis,
multiple regressions were used to determine the relationships.

4. Discussion of Results
The study obtained 92 respondents, the average age of the respondents is 17.62.
Majority of the respondents were aged 17 and 18 years old, females and resided mostly in
Malabon and Caloocan who have completed their Junior High in a government school. Most
of the respondents’ parents were college graduates both for the Father’s and Mother’s
Educational Background.
Regression result for the Family Background, Individual Attributes and Pre-SHS
Schooling of Students has an impact on the Initial Goals and Institutional Commitment shows
that for every one (1) unit increase in Age (independent variable), the Initial Goals and
Institutional Commitment (dependent variable) decreases by -0.054. Male compared to female
has more inclination towards Initial Goals and Institutional Commitment. Residence of
Malabon, Manila, Quezon City and Valenzuela as compared to Residence of Caloocan has
more inclination towards Initial Goals and Institutional Commitment. Students who came from
Public Schools are more enthusiast towards Initial Goals and Institutional Commitment as
compared to those coming from the Private Schools. Mother’s Education whose educational
attainment were College degree holders are more committed to the Initial Goals as compared
to those who finished Grade School, High School, Masters and Doctorate. Similar with the
Father’s Education, those whose educational attainment were College degree holders were
more committed to the Initial Goals as compared to those who finished Grade School, High
School, Masters and Doctorate. Based on the results, the level of significance is above the .05
value, there is no significant relationship between the Family Background, Individual
Attributes and Pre-SHS Schooling of Students when the Initial Goals and Institutional
Commitment was considered.

Table 1. Bivariate Correlation of Initial Goals and Institutional Commitment; and, Academic
Integration, Social Integration and the Later Goals and Institutional Commitment.

227
 Correlation tests utilizing Spearman’s Rho was used to check the significant
relationships among the variables as shown in Table 1.
Academic Integration is positively correlated with Initial Goals and Institutional
Commitment; Initial Goals and Institutional Commitment is positively correlated with Student
Retention while Later Goals and Institutional Commitment is negatively correlated with
Student Retention.
Table 2. Regression Table

Model 1 shows that for every one unit increase in Initial Goals and Institutional
Commitment, Academic Integration increases by .058. Based on the p-value (.658) the null
hypothesis is accepted. There is no significant relationship amongst the two variables
presented in Table 9.
In Model 2 for every one unit increase in Initial Goals and Institutional Commitment,
Social Integration increases by .159. Based on the p-value (.088) the null hypothesis is
accepted. There is no significant relationship between Initial Goals and Institutional
Commitment and Social Integration.
Model 3 highlights that for every one unit increase in Initial Goals and Institutional
Commitment, Later Goals and Institutional Commitment increases by .256. Based on the p-

228
value (.002) the null hypothesis is rejected. Therefore, there is a significant relationship
between Initial Goals and Institutional Commitment and Later Goals and Institutional
Commitment.
Model 4 presented that for every one unit increase in Later Goals and Institutional
Commitment, Student Retention decreases by .086. It shows that Later Goals and Institutional
Commitment has very low relationship based on the p-value of .478. This Means that the null
hypothesis is accepted.
Based on the result, only the Later Goals and Institutional Commitment is significant,
this means that the commitment of the students in their initial goals is the same commitment
that supports their Later Goals and Institutional Commitments. However, even there is a
significance in the Later Goals and Institutional Commitment, it did not guarantee student
retention. The factor resonate behind may be due to the availability of options that the students
can proceed after their senior high school.

5. Conclusions
According to Al-Dossary (2008) the study indicated that Tinto’s theory explained only
a small proportion of student retention. There might be some important predictors in the study
of student retention that may not be properly specified in the Tinto’s Theory. A more
comprehensive research is needed to identify these predictors. This would require a larger
sample size and more than one institution in order to identify and make comparison with
regards to using Tinto’s Model in Student Retention.
The descriptive statistics shows that Social Integration has no significant relationship
with the Initial Goals and Institutional Commitment as well as the respondents’ demographics
such as: age, sex, residence, educational background of the respondents’ father and mother,
and the type of pre-senior high school attended except for Academic Integration wherein there
is a correlation with students’ initial goals and institutional commitment.
In the study of Morris (2002), implications leading to Institutional Goal and
Commitment is measured by a student's commitment to the goal of graduation and commitment
to remain at a University. The findings that this scale is significantly related to persistence and
re-emphasizes of the importance of student academic integration and social integration. Tinto
(1993) postulated that if students feel integrated in both areas, the commitment to remain at the
current university is strengthened.
In the study of Al-Dossary (2008), it was cited that Spady (1970) assumed that students
who did not socially integrate in the university were more likely to leave university. In the
same study conducted by Spady as cited by Al-Dossary, in a four-year period, dominant
predictor of student retention for male and female students were academic performance. Male
students’ academic performance was the most influential predictor of student retention,
followed by institutional commitments. Female students was the reversed, wherein institutional
commitment being the most influential predictor of student retention, followed by academic
performance. The findings on this study shows that, Academic Performance for the group of
respondents has a significant relationship towards Later Goals which may soon affect the
student retention. Similarly with this study, there is no relationship between Initial Goals and
Social Integration and between Later Goals and Student Retention, this means that the cause
and effect of having no established relationship with Social Integration has affect the impact
and result of Student Retention.

6. Limitation and Recommendations for future research

6.1 Limitation
The research was conducted considering the following assumptions:
1. Individuals have free will to choose whether to stay to or leave the University.

229
 2. Most of the respondents are 17 years old which is not an age of majority allowing
them not to decide on their own.
3. The decision of students to be in the current strand in Senior High School is highly
influenced by the preferred course they would like to take in college.
4. Commonly, students’ decisions are highly controlled, if not influenced, by the
Parents.
5. Students’ Retention is highly dependent on Students’ Later Goal and Institutional
Commitment.
6. The willingness and openness of the respondents will provide reliable responses.

The assumptions made can be considered as a possible research improvement,

specifically in the field of student retention. The study scope aims to identify the factors
affecting student retention in De La Salle University Araneta among select Senior High School
Students for the schoolyear 2017-2018 under the STEM Academic Track. The study includes
the variables from Tinto’s theory as benchmark: Individual Attributes, Pre-SHS Schooling,
Initial and Later Goals, and Institutional Commitment, Social Integration, Academic
Integration, Institutional Commitment and Retention.

6.2 Recommendation
De La Salle Araneta University must provide programs for the Senior High School
particularly in terms of Student Development and Involvement programs wherein similar to
college, they would have their own representation and organization similar to a Basic
Education or Tertiary Level.
Future research on this can be done using longitudinal study and be conducted in the
College Level wherein Student Retention be defined in the future study as “An act by the
student with the intention of oneself to be retained or maintain its attachment with the university
until the time of Graduation”.
Student involvement regardless of the students’ Academic performance must be given
a chance to be involve and participate in extracurricular activities. There must be a support
system that is present to further deepen the institutional commitment of the students through
Social Involvement.
Though based on the related literature as mentioned by Tinto that Economic and
Financial Factors are likely not to be considered in student retention, it is still important that a
study be conducted with this variable since DLSAU has a different clientele. It may be not
true for some countries that Economic and Financial factor be not considered as there may be
option for scholarships, while for DLSAU, scholarship slots and grants are very much limited,
thus this may also be one factor that can be looked at by future researchers.
To fully assess as to what factors truly affects student retention in DLSAU, it is
important that this research could cover or be conducted in parallel with other Strand and/or
Courses in the University as there could be trends for different courses and Strand which the
university may discover to identify the best fit for student retention.

7. References
1. Acosta, I., & Acosta, A. (2016) Teachers' Perceptions on Senior High School
Readiness of Higher Education Institutions in the Philippines. Universal Journal of
Educational Research 4(10): 2447-2462
2. Al-Dossary, S.A. (2008) A Study of the Factors Affecting Student Retention at King
Saud University: Structural Equation Modelling and Qualitative Methods.
3. Bean, J. P. (1983). The Application of a Model of Turnover in Work Organization to
the Student Attrition Process. The Review of Higher Education, 6(2): 29-148.

230
 4. Braxton, J.M. (2009). Catalysts and Constraints to College Student Persistence:
Introduction to a Special Issue of the Journal of College Student Retention: Research,
Theory and Practice Baywood Publishing Co., Inc. J. College Student Retention, Vol.
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5. Calderon, Maria Theresa (2014). A critique of K-12 Philippine Education System.
International Journal of Education and Research Vol. 2 No. 10.
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student success: A review of literature. National postsecondary education
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7. Laguador, J.M. (2013). Examination of Influence and Intention towards Lyceum of
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M.A. Wong (Eds.), Environments for student growth and development: Librarians
and student affairs in collaboration (pp.41-55). Chicago: Association of College and
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9. Morris, J. (2002). Academic Integration, Social Integration, Goal and Institutional
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