Institutional Grants: Investing in Student Retention and Graduation

Abstract

Ann M Gansemer is a research and assessment analyst for Grinnell College in IA. John H. Schuh is distinguished professor in educational leadership and policy studies at Iowa State ~ ~niversity. This study examines how institutional expenditures ·and grants (student financial aid) relate to retention and graduation. It looks at this relationship over a I 0-year period and examines dif.Ter-ences between institutions with low-and high-admissions selec-tivity standards. In general expenditures .for institutional grants positively contributed to retention and graduation rates except at high-selectivity institutions, where institutional grants did not sig-nificantly contribute to retention and graduation rates.