A LONGITUDINAL COHORT STUDY OF GOALS, GOAL ACHIEVEMENT, AND PERSONAL GROWTH AT A SMALL, BALANCED MINORITY COLLEGE

A cohort of 92 new entrants who earned at least 12 transferable credits at a small, urban community college with a balanced minority population was identified. Transfer was the matriculation goal of 47%, and occupational training was the goal of 49%. The response rate to a survey 6 years later was 35%. The occupational pattern of respondents, regardless of their matriculation goal, was to work full time or to both work full time and attend school part time. There were significant positive correlations between ratings on scales for educational goal strength, goal achievement, and personal growth. Multiple regression using a stepwise procedure with forward selection yielded goal strength (R2 – .236) and grade point average (R2 – .330) as the best predictors of goal achievement (F — 7.14, p — .003). It was recommended that colleges establish a matriculation plan with an individual program of study for each new entrant, that goals be clarified and motivation toward goal achievement be intensified during scheduled programs, and that progress toward goals be assessed both by computer monitoring and advisement each semester.