Efficacy of participating in a first-year seminar on student satisfaction and retention

Improving the first-year experience has been part of a broader set of initiatives to respond to concerns about undergraduate education (Astin, Keup, & Lindholm, 2002). This research examined the efficacy of a first-year seminar on student satisfaction and retention at a Research Extensive, urban and public land-grant university. This study used survey data to compare satisfaction levels from a random sample of first-year students with those of students who had enrolled in a first-year seminar. A logistic regression model (e.g., Xiao & House, 2000) was used to determine if seminar participation affected retention. Results indicated statistically significant differences at p ≤ .05 for 15 of the 92 satisfaction items; more positive responses came from students enrolled in a first-year seminar. Results of the logistic regression analysis indicated that participation did not increase the probability of retention; only high school rank was a significant contributor to the prediction of freshman-to-sophomore retention.