The Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice is a scholarly refereed quarterly journal. 

The volume year publication schedule is May (1), August (2), November (3), February (4).

Subscription is for a volume year, four issues. For example, if you subscribe in November (3) you would receive the whole volume year including volumes 1, 2 & 4.

To subscribe or order individual articles, please click on subscriptions to enter the publisher's web site. You will find instructions for ordering subscriptions and reprints.

Journal issues have been referenced on the daily email update sent to subscribers of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The Journal is noted in Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), Elsevier Bibliographic Databases; Higher Education Abstracts; International Bibliography of Book Reviews of Scholarly Literature on the Humanities and Social Sciences (IBR); International Bibliography of Periodical Literature on the Humanities and Social Sciences (IBZ); and PsycINFO.

AIM & SCOPE

The aim and scope of the Journal are to provide the educational community, federal and state government officials and the public with the latest research findings regarding the retention of students in higher education. Although access to higher education is virtually universally available, many students who start in a higher education program drop out prior to completing a degree or achieving their individual academic and/or social goals. Over the years colleges have spent vast amounts of money setting up programs and services for a variety of groups who will attend their college and may be in need of extra services to develop the necessary skills to graduate. In spite of all of the programs and services to help retain students, according to the U.S. Department of Education, Center for Educational Statistics, only 50% of those who enter higher education actually earn a bachelors degree. Retaining students remains a top priority of colleges and universities.

The Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice is intended to provide the educational community, federal and state governmental officials and the general public a medium to exhibit and explore the complex issue of student retention and attrition. The Journal will feature articles pertaining to current and new theoretical constructs and current research on student retention and attrition in higher education. In addition, the Journal will provide practitioners an avenue to highlight and disseminate current practices, programs and services, which help students persist.

NEED FOR THIS JOURNAL

Current U.S. retention figures have not improved over time, even with large amounts of money expended by colleges and universities on programs and services to retain students. In spite of these programs and services, retention figures have not improved. In fact, only about 66% of high school graduates attend college and about 50% of those who attend college earn a bachelor degrees. Put in real numbers, about 2,800,000 students will graduate from high school this year, 1,850,000 will attend college and only 925,000 of these students will earn a bachelor degree. Colleges are looking for ways to keep the students that they recruit. The Journal will provide the educational community with current theoretical foundations, research and practice results, which will help educators and institutions to retain students.

FEATURES & DEPARTMENTS

Refereed Articles
Occasional Commentary
Guest Editorials
Book Reviews
Correspondence section
Guest Edited Special Issues

ARTICLES & TOPICS

College and university researchers are encouraged to submit manuscripts pertinent to retention and attrition research, theory and practice. In addition manuscripts are encouraged from practitioners relative to programs and services provided to students.

Topics include: