Graduate Students Academic Persistence: Academic and Social Integration Intertwined with Self-Directed Learning

Abstract

This study aimed to explore influential personal factors that could affect graduate students’ academic persistence. Data were collected with an online questionnaire and one-on-one interviews. The findings indicated that graduate students had integrated into the academic environment and established a positive relationship with advisors and program coordinators. Participants have limited social interactions with classmates. This factor decreased the importance of social integration on persistence. Data indicated that participants’ self-directed learning readiness was moderately high. This study suggests that these three personal factors are intertwined in influencing graduate students’ decision to persist in the academic programs.