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A Missing Piece of the Departure Puzzle: Student–Institution Fit and Intent to Persist

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Abstract

According to prevailing theory and anecdotal evidence, the congruence between institutional attributes and students’ needs, interests, and preferences plays a key role in promoting college satisfaction and retention. However, this assertion has received little direct empirical attention, and the few available studies appear to have some key limitations. This study examined the factor structure and predictive validity of a newly developed student–institution fit instrument, which was designed to avoid the problems in previous research. Confirmatory factor analyses identified several interrelated dimensions of fit, and these dimensions can be combined into a single overall fit index. Moreover, a six-factor structure of student–institution fit is similar at two institutions that differ in terms of size, control, type, region, and religious affiliation. Structural equation modeling analyses show that student–institution fit is associated with greater college satisfaction and lower social isolation; fit also has a positive, indirect effect on intent to persist. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

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Notes

  1. Institutional data for race/ethnicity and gender were obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics. These data included a category for “non-resident aliens” that is mutually exclusive from the other racial/ethnic groups, but our study did not include such a category. Given the countries of origin of most international students, it is reasonable to assume that the vast majority of international students are not White/Caucasian (see Institute for International Education 2012). Therefore, students of color were defined as anyone who reported membership in a “racial/ethnic” group other than White/Caucasian, which includes non-resident aliens for the institutional data.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by a Grant from the Research Development Council in the College of Education and Human Development at Bowling Green State University. The authors also thank Randolph Peterson and Vivienne Felix for their data assistance.

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  1. Department of Higher Education and Student Affairs, Bowling Green State University, 330 Education Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA

    Nicholas A. Bowman

  2. School of Social Sciences and Psychology, University of Western Sydney, Richmond, NSW, Australia

    Nida Denson

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  1. Nicholas A. Bowman
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  2. Nida Denson
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Correspondence to Nicholas A. Bowman.

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Bowman, N.A., Denson, N. A Missing Piece of the Departure Puzzle: Student–Institution Fit and Intent to Persist. Res High Educ 55, 123–142 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-013-9320-9

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