The study of retention was approached by looking at selected characteristics of students and making a determination of the effects those characteristics had on retention status. Selected variables were ability, socioeconomic status, sex, race, high school program, high school grades, educational aspiration, curricular type, enrollment status, and entry status. Ability, socioeconomic status, sex, high school program, high school grades, and entry status were related to retention status in a positive direction. Race, curricular type, and enrollment status were negatively related to retention. Blacks were more likely to be retained, students in vocational curricular were more likely to be retained, and full-time students were more likely to be retained.

The causal model compared favorably with other studies using similar determinants of retention. However, the model failed to account for 92 percent of the variation in retention status. The challenge for future researchers is to identify determinants which would seem to increase the explained variance and to focus attention on more institutional factors, as they seem to substantially contribute to the explanatory power of the causal model.