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Ten Years Of Fall-To-Fall Retention, Western Washington University, Carl Simpson

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Executive Summary: Analysis of Fall-to-Fall retention at Western over the period 1987-1997 reveals modest improvement in retention rates, some traditional patterns, and some surprises. Particular groups are identified by the analysis as highest priority for university attention aimed at increasing retention. Western's overall Fall-to-Fall retention rate increased steadily from 1987 through 1992, then leveled off, to remain stable or decline very slightly since then. In particular, the retention of entering freshmen rose markedly from '87 through '92 and has declined significantly since 1992, although remaining well above its earlier rate. While the early rise in retention may be attributed to …