Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

1995

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

MacKenzie, Donald G.

Abstract

Two hundred and two Hispanic and Anglo women from a public and a private university in south Florida, were requested to complete a survey to determine their reasons for departing from the institutions were a function of their ethnicity or the type of institution they attended. These women had been accepted to 4-year degree programs and had not enrolled for courses for at least six academic semesters. The instrument used was the Withdrawing/Nonreturning Student Survey (ESS) by American College Testing (1990). Of the sample, 73 were Hispanic and 129 were Anglo. Forty-seven Hispanics and 57 Anglos were surveyed from the private university and 26 Hispanics and 72 Anglos from the public university. Eighty-four percent of the women were between 21 and 29 years of age, 65.8% were not married, 50% were sophomores at the time of departure and 35.6% planned to go to school and work simultaneously next year. A 2 x 2 factorial MANOVA was utilized to assess the differences among the four groups, across the dependent variables. Reasons for departure reported by individuals were classified as personal, academic, institutional, financial and employment. Results indicate that there were no statistically significant differences among the groups. No differences were found between Hispanics and Anglos from public and private universities, between Hispanics from public and private universities and between Anglos from private and public universities in the reasons reported for their departure from college. Results suggest that the level of acculturation of Hispanic females to the North American society may be a significant explanation for the similar departure responses given by Anglo females. This is consistent with Altman and Snyder's (1970) predictions of ethnic equalization in educational settings for the 1990's in America. Further research is needed to explore subjects' initial choice of the institution they were attending at the time of departure. Recommendations include the creation of an "ombudsman office" for grievances, one-to-one mentoring by professors and upper classmen and for-day care facilities.

Extent

112 p.

Comments

College of Education|Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1995.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|College of Education

Identifier

FADT12405

Format

pdf

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