Institutional Integration as a Predictor of Success in At-Risk First-Year College Students

As earning a postsecondary degree becomes more necessary in the preparation for future employment, many of this nation\u27s four-year colleges and universities are admitting underprepared students who are at-risk for poor academic performance and early departure from the institutions. There are a myriad of factors and characteristics that can cause students to be labeled at-risk, including being a first-generation student, coming from a lower socioeconomic environment, and having certain personality traits. At-risk college students have higher incidence of departure from the institutions, which can produce emotional distress and long-lasting financial obligations. Over the past thirty years, research in the area of student retention and departure has consistently found that institutional integration can produce higher levels of retention and commitment to the university. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the predictive value of institutional integration with academic success in at-risk first-year college students. Academic success is defined as grade point average, the ability to choose a vocation, and overall college well-being. While the model did not indicate predictive value, it demonstrated relationships between the elements of academic integration with career selfefficacy and mental well-being