Survival of the Fittest: What Do Early Behaviors Tell Us About Student Outcomes?

We posited student behaviors observed during the recruitment process may reveal a student's commitment to our institution and their initial motivation to succeed, which influences their level of integration and decision to leave college or remain. In particular, we examined the impact of participating in a college fair, visiting the campus before enrollment, and attending Welcome Weekend on stop-out times of students. Our findings suggest students who participate in these activities are significantly more likely to succeed. The time enrolled increases by 33.0% for college fair participants, 65% for campus visitors, and 18.0% for participants of Welcome Weekend.