STUDENT FACTORS AFFECTING RETENTION RATE OF BACHELOR OF

SCIENCE IN ACCOUNTANCY

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

In this study, the objective was to observe, pay close attention and capture the
different reasons as to why the students are at risk of dropping out and to find out how
they were able to manage the situations they are facing, specifically on how they end up
victoriously amidst the hurdles that nearly made them give up. It was also important to
understand how these children were rebooted and motivated to continue learning
despite the risks of dropping out. How they championed over the obstacles and what
inspired them to carry on are interesting cases needed to be studied and shared to
students who are in the same predicament. The educators would also be alerted by the
facts and reasons that students at risk of dropping out experience and go through
(Racasa, 2008).

Education is a tool to explore different opportunities to improve the mind,

enhance skills, and draw out the best from each students, It is perceived that education
is a gate pass to employment, development and industry. Moreover, it involves extra
and careful effort of the parents to choose and bring their children to a school where
they can actually finish till graduation, so as for the part of the teachers and of the
administration. It is easier indeed to send them to school than to make them stay.
(Arum, 2008; Bridgeland, 2006; Oghuvbu, 2008; Wotherspoon, 2004). In this study,
factors will be pointed out, which are a helpful solution for both the parents and of the
program, for when there is a disturbing rate of attrition within the school, or of the
program, it would seems like parents are not just wasting their efforts to bring their child
to a college or university, but also it would be a very much waste of time and money.
Another is that dropping out is a serious problem not only of the parents and of the
school, but especially because it hinders the student to see education as fundamental
human right, and an economic leverage.

Students’ retention is one of the problems that the academic institutions are
facing nowadays. Students’ retention refers to the escalating importance of the
academic administrators’ task to increase the graduation rates of the students enrolled
in the institution and decreasing the loss of tuition profit from students that either drop-
out or transfer. This paper aims to discuss the factors that influence the retention rate of
the Bachelor of Science in Accountancy students and also the reasons why some of the
students enrolled in the program tend to shift, transfer or drop-out.
 Rationale

The retention of students in higher education is a subject that is of significant

interest to academic institutions around the world. Since the 1980s, the American
academic institutions have encountered difficulties in the retention of the students,
mostly under-represented minorities (Lau, 2003). The retention of the students is also
an enormous problem that is encountered in the United Kingdom, where the
administrators focus more on lowering the attrition of the students because the retention
of students has become a major proponent in obtaining external funding (Nash, 1996).

In the United States, the student graduation rate for those who took four-year
courses was only 38%, while five and six-year courses had graduation rates of only
50% and 54% respectively (Money, 1997).
According to a 2012 research by Apollo Research Institute, there were at least 8
million individuals enrolled in higher education institutions in the United States. And yet,
data from the United States’ National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) show that
less than 50% of 4-year degree students will graduate and obtain a degree.
Furthermore, NCES also indicates that only 28.1% of full-time 5% of part-time
nontraditional learners will earn a degree within 6 years of education.

According to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the dropout rate

among the college students reached 83.7 percent on the year 2008 which translates
into 2.13 million college dropouts and only 500,000 graduates per year. Aside from
problems in the retention of the students in tertiary education, the country is suffering
from a declining enrollment rate since 1999 with growth rates at negative 0.8 in 2004 to
2005 for both private and public educational institutions (Manila Bulletin, 2012).

In Mindanao, college dropout rates are also a problem being faced by local
higher education institutions. In Digos City, the Sunday College Division of CorJesu
College suffered a 28.74% dropout rate for the second semester of School Years 2010-
2011 and 2012-2013 (Orion, Forosuelo, Cavalida, 2014).

This study will be conducted in Holy Cross of Davao College. It is located at Sta.
Ana avenue Davao City. The respondents of the study will be the students enrolled in
Accountancy of the School year 2015-2016. The researchers chose the place of
implementation because it is the main objective of the study, to know the student factors
as to the retention rate of accountancy students in Holy Cross of Davao College.
 Theoretical Framework

Student Retention is one of the major on going concern in universities or

colleges. Academic institutions still thrive for an effective program in order to improve
the retention rate and to reduce student attrition (Braxton &Hirschy, 2005). In the past
decades, many writers and researchers have proposed several models and frameworks
to explain student retention rates. Related to these models are academic, non-
academic, socio-economic and institutional factors.

According to Durkheim’s theory, suicidal behaviour was a result of the inability to

integrate socially and intellectually with others. Spady’s theory claims that it is the same
when student drop out from school or university. Students who lack social integration at
the university are more likely to leave the university. The student’s normative
congruence describes not only the student goals, interests and personal dispositions
but also the consequences of interaction between these attributes and other
components of the college environments as well. The student’s ability to do well at
school affects their grade performance and intellectual development, while normative
congruence affects grade performance, intellectual development and friendship support,
which all affects the student’s social integration, it gives a student reasons such as
satisfaction to stay in a university. The interrelation of a student to the institution also
affects their decision to stay or to leave. To be a drop out or dismissed from the course
is the direct effect of a poor performance which leads to low grade performance. Spady
tested the validity of this model, using multiple regression analysis, results indicated that
over a four- year period, the major indicator of student retention for both male and
female students was academic performance. (Spady, 1970). The theory discussed
about one of the indicators of this study which is the academic aspect. With Spady’s
theory of student departure, the researchers will be able to understand as to why this
particular aspect of student retention is significant and should be considered since in the
theory discussed above, it is the major indicator why students depart from the program.
Bean and Metzner’s Student attrition theory is based on organizational turnover
theory and attitude-behaviour interactions theory, which emphasizes that a student’s
decision to leave school is also similar to why an employee leaves the workplace. The
theory takes into account the external factors that are affecting non- traditional students
who have low social integration. They define these students by age, residence, and
attendance. It presented four set of variables that influence student retention. First is
measured by grade average which is the academic variables. Second is influenced by
psychological outcomes such as institutional quality, satisfaction, goal commitment and
stress, and academic variables which results to student’s intention to leave. Third, are
background of student, their primary high school performance and educational goal.
Fourth are environmental variables such as finances, employment, family
responsibilities and opportunity to transfer which eventually leads to drop out decision.
They consider the fourth variable and psychological variables as more important than
academic variables for non-traditional students. (Bean &Metzner, 1985)

The theory can support indicators that are not that discussed by other theories,
since it is for non-traditional students which Spady, Astin, and Tinto (1982) neglects to
discuss further, they relied on socialization to explain retention, and they did not take
into consideration external factors which are discussed in this theory.
Tinto’s (1975) Student Integration Theory

Tinto’s (1975) student integration theory is the most widely discussed and most
researched model of student retention. According to Berger and Braxton (1988, p.104)
Tinto’s integration model has been the focus of mostly wide research in the study of the
college student’s capability of retention. Tinto’s Theory depicts a long process and
explained student retention as the degree to which a student becomes integrated into
the social and academic life in college or university (Tinto, 1993; Rendon, Jalomo, and
Nora, 2000). Academic integration is the student’s academic performance and
intellectual capacity and development while social integration is defined as the quality of
a student’s relationships with both the peer group and the faculty (Pascarella and
Terenzini, 1980). Both types of the integration may have an interrelated relationship. For
example, if a student is focused in the academic life by spending too much of his time in
study but then the student’s social interaction is lacking, consequence with regard to
student retention. According to Tinto’s (1975) theory, students enter university with a set
of background characteristics including: family backgrounds (e.g., family social status,
parental formal education, and parental expectations); individual attributes (e.g., gender,
race, age and academic aptitude); and pre-college schooling (e.g., high school
achievement, academic course work). Van Gennep’s (1860) theory is concerned
specifically with societal change overtime and how individuals foster stability in terms of
change.
Although the theory is very accessible, it still has limitations. The theory neglects
the role of finance on student retention (Bean and Metzner, 1985; Cabrera et al., 1992;
St. John et al., 2002). It fails to distinguish between factors leading students to transfer
rather than dropout (Tinto, 1982; Pascarella and Terenzini, 1983). In addition, it fails to
incorporate the important differences in educational career paths for students of
different race, gender, and social background (Tinto, 1982). Tinto modified his original
theory in 1993 (Figure 2.3) with the addition of two constructs or factors: External
Commitments and Intentions. According to Tinto (1993), a studentbuy’s intentions have
a direct influence on their goal and institutional commitment, which both directly
influence student retention.
External commitments such as families, neighborhoods, peer groups and work
environments can also have a direct influence on student’s initial goal and institutional
commitment.This theory of Tinto can support in identifying some factors concerning
retention. It discussed the importance of the relationship of a student’s academic and
social integration, if social interaction with outside parties and adapting to change can
improve or lessen focus and retention with regards to academic performance, if is it
equally helpful or one can do better without the other.

With Tinto’s theory, the researchers will be able to identify whether these factors are of
significance to the study, and whether the factors that were pointed less by the theory
can be taken into consideration in this study.

Pascarella’s (1980) Attrition Theory

Pascarella’s (1980) Attrition Theory is based upon Spady (1970), Astin (1970),
and Tinto (1975). In his theory, he emphasizes the significance in students’ educational
outcomes and retention through the informal interactions between students and faculty.
He concluded that the students having more informal interaction with faculty members
could increase the level of their institutional commitment and subsequently minimize the
risk of withdrawal. Furthermore, Pascarella argued that this assumption was supported,
especially for students with low institutional commitment, by the findings of his extensive
studies with Terenzini of Tinto’s model (Pascarella&Terenzini, 1977, 1979, 1980;
Terenzini&Pascarella, 1977, 1978).

According to Pascarella (1980), the influence of student faculty non-classroom

contact on educational outcomes and institutional persistence can be deeply
understand if actual experience of college in other areas as well as the principal
institutional factors will also be considered His theory articulates three independent
variables that includes informal contact with faculty, other college experiences and
educational outcomes. This three independent variables influence each other. If there is
a problem in a certain area it may greatly affect the other area. Informal contact with
faculty and other college experiences affects the persistence or withdrawal decision
indirectly through their effect on educational outcomes.

Cabrera’s (1992) Integrated Retention Theory

Cabrera, Casteñada, Nora, and Hengstler (1992) attempts to document the
extent to which the Tinto’s (1975) Student Integration Theory and Bean and Metzner’s
(1985) Student Attrition Theory can be merged in explaining student’s persistence
decision. However, there is also a considerable overlap between the two theoretical
frameworks.
 Tinto’s (1975) Student Integration Theory explains the process that motivates
individuals to leave colleges and universities before they graduate. It asserts that the
student’s motivation and academic ability and the institutions academic and social
characteristics help shape the two underlying commitments which are the educational
goal commitment and institutional commitment. According to the theory, the higher the
goal of college completion and/or the level of institutional commitment, the greater is the
probability of persisting in college. Bean and Metzner’s (1985) Student Attrition Theory
presumes that behavioral intentions are shaped by a process whereby beliefs shape
attitudes, and attitudes, in turn, influence behavioral intentions. Beliefs are presumed to
be affected by student’s experiences with the different components of an institution such
as the professors, classmates and friends, courses, and institutional quality.

Bean and associates have tested the different variation of Student Attrition Model
and it comes out that organizational variables, personal variables, and environmental
variables has a role in the intent of the student to persist in the college or university. The
two theories mentioned by Cabrera (1992), as stated above, has a considerable
overlap. Student Integration Theory view academic performance as an indicator of
academic integration, whereas Student Attrition Theory regards academic performance
as an outcome of social-psychological processes. Student Integration Theory
emphasizes the role of intent to persist, attitudes, institutional fit, and external factors
such as family approval of institutional choice, friend’s encouragement to continue
enrollment, financial aspects, and perceptions about opportunity to transfer to the other
institutions on the decision of the student to persist or withdraw in his current institution.
However, the two models have several commonalities as noted by Hosller (1984).

Both models regard persistence as the result of complex interactions over time.
The two models both argue that precollege characteristics affect how well the student
would subsequently adjust to the institution. The two models also argue that persistence
is affected by the match between the student and the institution.
Alexander Astin’s (1984) Student Involvement Theory

Astin’s (1984) student involvement theory discusses that how the students
participate or involve themselves with regards to their curriculum and extra-curriculum
activities can create desirable goals for the higher education institutions. The theory
states that the degree of student involvement in the institution in relation to the factors
important to student retention is synonymous student development.

According Astin (1984), student involvement refers to the amount of physical and
psychological energy that the students devote to their studies or experiences in the
academe. In other words, a student who is more involved and makes efforts on his or
her studies, is more likely to spend more time on the campus, being participative on
student’s organization and other extra-curricular activities and is more interactive
towards the faculty members and other students.

The core concept of Astin’s (1984) student involvement theory is divided into
three elements: inputs, environment and outcomes. The first one is “input” which
encompasses the demographics, background and previous experiences of the students.
The second one refers to the “environment” which is the experiences of the students
during their college years. Lastly, there are “outcomes” which involves the
characteristics, beliefs and values that the student have learned or acquired after the
students graduated college.
Astin’s (1984) student involvement theory comprises five basic postulates. In the
first postulate, he argued that involvement needs an investment of a physical and
psychological energy into various objects. These objects may be characterized as
highly-generalized or highly-specific. Secondly, involvement is a continuous concept
and that each concept varies depending on the type of student. In the third postulate, it
is stated that the involvement of the students may be either quantitative (e.g. number of
hours spent on studying) or qualitative (e.g. how the students comprehend the
discussions). Fourthly, the measure of student’s development and learning is directly
proportionate to the quality and quality of the student’s involvement. The last postulate
discusses that the ability to increase the involvement of the students is correlated to the
effectiveness of the educational policies and practices implemented by the institution.

Review of Related Literature

The following studies and articles main purpose is to further support the study
conducted by the researchers. It is to aid and deepen the knowledge of the researcher
about the factors influencing the retention rate of the Bachelor of Science in
Accountancy students of Holy Cross of Davao College.

Maintaining high student retention is vital to the survival of a higher education

institute. According to Cotter (2013), many higher education providers with poor
retention rates are at risk of closing its doors, becoming unprofitable and leaving
students with a less-quality education. Thus, universities and colleges have been
developing strategies, studies and investigations to improve student retention in higher
education. According to the education blog of Sagenmuller (2016), external consultants
and faculties have shown that there are multiple factors that explain this phenomenon,
from economic to psychological issues. But most of them aim to the fact that there isn’t
a single factor that pushes a student to quit from higher education.
Personal/Family Aspect
Students’ personal issues are very complicated subject which requires a careful
and tactful approach. According to an article in “Psychology Today” by Willis (2010),
students often drop out or left college due to apathy or boredom. College students often
report that academic content isn’t interesting and they don’t have a personal connection
with their teachers. Thus, students who aren’t interested in going to college may not see
the value of higher education. Moreover, according to the results of Hanover Research
entitled “Student Retention Survey Analysis” (2016), almost half of the respondents
agreed/indicated that the primary personal/family reason that contributed to their
attrition is home and personal responsibilities interference and of about 22% (ranked 2)
agreed/indicated that they experienced physical or mental health problems which leads
them not to return in their universities. Hence, Kristine Tucker, a curriculum developer
and educator in Seattle posted a blog in 2017 entitled “ What are Problems that Cause
Students to Drop Out of School”, which states a few core problems that can be catalyst
behind the students’ decision as why they dropped out of school. One of those
personal/family reasons is the lack of parental support. According to Tucker (2017),
parents play an important role when it comes to attendance. College dropouts often
have parents who weren’t engaged and concerned with their academic success. If a
parent doesn’t encourage her child to stay in school, communicate with administration
or even pay attention to the child’s welfare, they might not see any reason to follow
through with the coursework. In support of tucker’s findings, according to United Way
(2015), when parents don’t prioritize their child’s high school education, the child may
choose to stop or drop out of school. Furthermore, in the Inside Higher Ed journal
(2016), identifies 12 factors of student quitting to higher education, most of them are
related to personal issues including lack of informal knowledge about being a college
student, wherein a student may believe that the meager amount of studying he did in
high school will be adequate in college, when in fact it is not; and their current school is
not their first choice. Lastly, another personal factor is the lack of interest in courses.
Richard light of Harvard University has found that one of the best predictors of
academic adjustment is taking, during the freshman year, at least one course solely
because it is interesting, regardless of whether it is required. Students who load up too
much on courses that are required but that do not interest them are at greater risk of
dropping out simply because they are bored and find no relief (Sternberg, 2016).

Academic Aspect
The academic performance of the students and their continued enrolment are
one of the concerns of the colleges and the respective departments. (B. Garton, J. Dyer,
B. King, 2001). In the tradition of retention, the academic abilities of the students which
are usually measured and reflected in the Grade Point Average (GPA), standardized
test scores, and class ranking of the students is said to be one of the most acceptable
excuse of the student to depart from the school aside from money (J. Bean, 2005). The
enrolling students of the institutions that have high academic achievements also have
the highest rate of retaining in the institution (Bean, 2005). There are two classifications
of departure from colleges which are involuntary departure and voluntary departure. The
former is a type of departure where the students are dismissed because of low GPA
while the latter is where the students are permitted to stay but chose to leave the
institution (Bean, 2005).

There is no doubt that the faculty plays a vital role in students’ retention. The way
the teaching faculty of an educational institution performs in relation to the quality of
their teaching and their level of involvement with each of the students, greatly affects
the rate at which a student might continue to study in the said institution (L. Lau, 2003).
Faculty members can strengthen or challenge the self-image and self-efficiency of the
students as a person or major outside of the student’s class (Bean, 2005). Aside from
teaching the students from the basic principles, the faculty members must also teach
and nurture the students’ critical thinking, creativity skills and problem-solving.
Moreover, the instructors must help develop the students’ effective oral and
interpersonal skills (L. Lau, 2003). Faculty-student interaction has a positive effect to the
retention and success of the students in the institutions. Faculty Approachability is one
of the aspects that facilitate this relationship which involves the availability and
accessibility of the faculty members either outside or inside the class (N. Baporikar,
2017).

The presence of quality learning facilities which are easily accessible inside the
campus for the students to avail of and use is also a factor that affects student retention
among educational institutions this includes presence of facilities where students can
study such as libraries and student union buildings where a proper environment for in-
depth learning is readily provided to students with minimal hassle and also other
learning tools or materials conducive for learning and providing quality education
services. It is very important to note that these facilities and learning tools should be
readily and easily accessible to students at reasonable times as a lack thereof and the
difficulty of accessing them negatively affects the student retention rate of the
educational institution (Lau, 2003).

A fair and effective grading system is of great influence as to a student’s

probability to continue studying in an educational institution and course of his choice. An
ineffective grading system greatly deters a student’s willingness and determination to
continue studying under their chosen institution (“The effects of grades on students,”
2008.). An ineffective grading system may especially negatively affect the performance
of first year college students who are undergoing changes or adjustments due to the
educational grading system in the institution, which results into high anxiety for the
students, consequently decreasing the ability to think critically, study, integrate, and
recall knowledge acquired during exams and assessment activities which may affect the
retention of the student in the institution (“The effects of grades on students,” 2008.).

Another factor that is of notable importance to a positive retention rate among

students is having a good understanding of the course syllabus. A good course syllabus
should be able to convey to the students, how teachers will be able to achieve their own
teaching responsibilities and how students can learn new content and develop effective
and efficient learning strategies for their course as they learn to value various tools in
that are useful in the academic environment such as inquiry, lifelong learning, respect,
ethical thinking, and citizenship (O’ Brien, Millis, Cohan., 2009). A good course syllabus
should also allow the students to be able to clearly assess and identify the goals they
have within that course and should be able challenge the students to actively shape
their learning strategies and their own responsibility for it (O’ Brien, et al., 2009)

Economic Aspect
Financial complication is often one of the main reasons why a student left a
university. Being unable to pay or to fulfil obligations can still be a major factor, it will not
matter if the student has academic performance if he or she cannot pay the tuition or
other expenses. In the United States, financial assistance is very important in
supporting a student’s admissions to colleges or universities especially for those student
who belonged to middle to lower status of the socio- economic classes.(St. John,
Paulsen and Carter, 2005). For these students, college assistance programs offer the
money needed to enrol in higher education, and without such programs students from
these disadvantaged groups, would not be able to obtain a college education (Dowd
and Coury, 2006;, Mendoza, Horton and Mendez, 2012).

Moreover, Nakajima, Dembo and Mossler (2012) and Vieira (2012) stated that college
fees are a very important factor impacting both attrition and retention rates. Their
research found that some students leave school to seek employment to earn money,
and then they re-enrol to continue their studies. However, in some cases they do not go
back to college to continue their studies. This finding is supported by other researchers
such as Bynum (2010), who noted how students who receive financial support are more
likely to stay in college to complete their degree. Similarly, Clark et al. (2012). It was
also stated that entering into a full time employment while attending college has a
significant impact as to the student’s decision to stay or to leave, because many
scholars stated that getting a job while studying can lead to their decision as to drop out
to school.
Funding for college education is important for many people. Many sources of
funding exist, personal loans, self or parental fund, and scholarship. The fact is that, the
school must bring their students to their choice of university in order to continue to
function. Scholarships are financial aid to help students who are not capable enough to
provide for college. It has been used to recruit students into the institution. A study
conducted at Rutgers university showed that 60 % felt that scholarship have deided to
continue in attending the iniversity. (kanerek, 1986).

In order to evaluate the short-term impact of receiving a scholarship, the retention

rates of students who did and did not receive a first-time scholarship at several time
points after the semester in which they applied were examined. While the retention
rates for these groups of high-performing and motivated students are generally high,
there were noticeable, considerable differences. Students who received a scholarship
were still enrolled in higher numbers afteryears.The awarding of scholarships is
resulting in higher retention rates for equally qualified students.

The impact of receiving vs. not-receiving the institutional scholarship is pronounced

and systematic, both with respect to retention and graduation of BMCC students. As two
groups of students considered in this study were very similar, the principal difference
being that the scholarship funds were available only for some, it can be concluded with
a high degree of confidence that the students who did not receive the scholarship –
three-quarters of first-time applicants – would have benefitted in a similar way in terms
of their retention and graduation prospects (The role of scholarships in student retention
and success, 2011).

Social Aspect
Social integration is a critical piece to college student's retention and it also
includes institutional factors. Being able to adapt socially can lead the students in
improving the quality of their college life which may reside less in academics or
economics, and more with social acclimation. Studies show that students often drop out
of college because they don’t feel socially integrated or can’t adapt as rapidly as other
students. (Coleen Kulkin, 2018).Furthermore, according to Wilcox, et al. (2018) students
who feel more socially integrated are less likely to think about leaving university since
friends provide direct emotional support, equivalent to that provided by family
relationships or influenced by them.

The study of Vincent Tinto (2008) also paved the way for a sociological analysis of
retention, which has been popular for several decades. His research and that of his
followers may be credited with expanding the debate on the causes of attrition by calling
attention to institutional factors that affect retention, namely the importance of academic
and social integration in lessening dropout rates. Initially building on Emile Durkheim’s
(2008) treatise on the social roots of social deviation and William Spady’s (2008)
application of anomie theory (i.e., the effect of relative normlessness on human
behavior) to explain dropping out. Tinto’s model focuses largely on academic integration
(i.e., sharing academic values) and social integration (i.e., developing student and
faculty friendships) to account for variations in attrition rates. However, in subsequent
renditions of his theory, he places more emphasis on social integration which pertains to
the interaction between individual and institutional factors and adds other theoretical
perspectives, such as Van Gennep’s (2008) rites of passage theory, suggesting that
integration may be facilitated by successful separation from family and high school
associates. (p.8)

Another study of Braxton, Sullivan, & Johnson (2001, p.57) that Social integration
positively influences subsequent institutional commitment (commitment formed after
enrollment) and in turn, positively affects persistence in college. Given that two-thirds or
more tests of these relationships receive affirmation and these relationships coupled
with knowledge of factors that foster or impede social integration provide a robust,
empirically grounded foundation for the development of institutional programs and
practices designed to reduce student departure. Accordingly, there are some
institutional practices that spring from empirically grounded forces that influence social
integration and retention. More specifically describe each such as policies, programs,
and practices include academic advising and administrative policies and practices. In
academic advising constitutes a major domain of institutional practice. It may be
performed by faculty members, professional advisors, and students. A basic
responsibility of academic advisors is assisting the students. Some advisors may
suggest or advice students based on their formal or informal knowledge of the teaching
prowess of faculty members. The thrust of our recommendation is that academic
advisors should use items on student course rating instruments to recommend courses
to their advisees. More specifically, academic advisors should urge their advisees to
take courses from faculty members who receive high course ratings on organization and
preparation and instructional skill and clarity (Braxton, Bray, & Berger, 2001, p.58).
Research demonstrates that these two faculty-teaching behaviors positively influence
social integration and indirectly influence persistence in a positive manner (Braxton,
Bray, & Berger, 2001).In academic policies and practices pertains to the development
and implementation of policies and procedures necessary for the functioning of a
college or university constitute one role of the administration of colleges and
universities. Research shows that keeping students well informed of rules and
regulations exerts a positive influence on social integration and on persistence (Berger
& Braxton, 2001; Braxton & Brier, 2001, p.59). An abiding concern of academic and
student affairs officers should be that rules and regulations pertinent to the academic
and social concerns of students (e.g., academic rules, social rules, grading policies, and
the awarding of scholarships) should be enforced in a fair way. Put differently, the
actions of administrators charged with the enforcement of such rules and regulations
must be perceived by students as fair in such matters. Chief academic and student
affairs officers should be prepared to reprimand administrators who fail to enforce such
rules and regulations in a fair and consistent manner for all students. Research
indicates that if students perceive that rules and regulations are enforced fairly then
their social integration is fostered (Berger & Braxton, 2001, p.59).

Strayhorn (2018) viewed sense of belonging as relational to social integration

and explained how important it is to all human beings using Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs. An explanation of Maslow that aside from food and shelter as part of human
need, there is also self-actualization to fulfill. He explained that all people share a strong
need to belong. So if goals of the middle motivations, like sense of belonging are not
met, the higher-order needs such as self-actualization, which is the ultimate goal of
higher education, cannot be met. In which Strayhorn argued that sense of belonging is a
basic human need and, is also a basic need for college students. Belonging is critical to
a sense of self and crucial for meeting the higher-order needs like knowledge,
understanding, and self-actualization. Students cannot experience higher-order needs
until the need for sense of belonging has been met. In certain contexts, sense of
belonging becomes very important when one is “a newcomer to an otherwise
established group” (Strayhorn, 2018, p. 20). It is quite challenging for newcomers to
become fully accepted and integrated into an established group because it is human
nature to be clannish and tribal and view others as outsiders. Sense of belonging is also
important at “late adolescence when individuals begin to consider who they are (or wish
to be), with whom they belong, and where they intend to invest their time and energies”
(Strayhorn, 2018, p. 20). Strayhorn (2018) also argued that although a sense of
belonging is universal and all human beings have a need and desire to belong,
individuals experience belonging in new and different ways based on their social identity
as college students. “Social identities such as race/ethnicity, gender, class, sexual
orientation, religion …intersect and often simultaneously affect college students’ sense
of belonging.” Individuals may have to negotiate multiple dimensions of these identities
(Asian male who is gay; Black woman who is from a working-class family). Each identity
may send conflicting messages which must be negotiated for a successful outcome.
However, there are some obvious benefits to satisfying the need for a sense of
belonging. It leads to positive and pro-social outcomes such as engagement,
achievement, wellbeing, happiness, and optimal functioning. Research has shown that
sense of belonging in college influences persistence intentions (Hausmann, Schofield, &
Woods, 2007). Strayhorn (2018) urged higher-education institutions to create campus
environments that foster sense of belonging so students feel connected with other
students on campus. He believes once students establish a positive relationship with
others on campus, it will be difficult for them to break such a relationship, and as such
they may choose to continue their college career for the sake of the relationship.
According to Strayhorn (2018) college students stress the importance of social
acceptance, support, community connections, and respect to their own identity, well-
being and academic success. Therefore, sense of belonging is so important that it is
literally a matter of life and death for some students.

Moreover, a study of Schlossberg (2018) defines sense of belonging as “feeling

that one matters, is valued or appreciated by others.” Rosenberg and McCullough
(2018) identified five dimensions of mattering a) attention (noticed in positive ways,
commands interest), b) importance (cared about, special, object of another’s concern)
c) dependence (feeling needed, reciprocity), d) appreciated (feeling respected), e) ego
extension (believing others share in one’s success).

Loyalty
University students’ loyalty is a key factor that contributes to the long term growth
and survival of a university and a critical measure in the achievement of higher
education organizations aimed at maintaining and attracting learners back to
graduation. Loyalty includes a process in which the cognition, impact, conation and
conduct of the students takes place (Oliver, 1999).
Student loyalty is influenced by increased student mobility, which gives the
process of attracting students a new dimension. (Helgesen and Nesset, 2007)
School loyalty must be the school's commitment to bringing the best in each
student; hence, all should pave methods for learners to develop devotion favorably that
will eventually lead them to individual growth.
In a study conducted bySkallerud (2011), he highlighted that there are some
dimensions of loyalty. School reputation and its relations to parents’ satisfaction and
loyalty are explored by Skallerud (2011). Among others, her findings include: support
for a four-dimensional scale for assessment of parent-based school reputation was
found, using the following dimensions: parent orientation, learning quality, safe
environment and good teachers.
According to the study of Goolamally and Latif (2014), it is seen clearly that
customers’ satisfaction plays the role of mediator in the effects of service quality on
student loyalty. Acquiring the satisfaction of learners through quality services, building
confidence and emotional engagement are therefore important elements in ensuring the
allegiance of learners. The research results support the literature that the quality of
service is the background to student satisfaction and the student loyalty implications.
The study creates a student loyalty structural model and demonstrates that the main
determinants of student loyalty are quality of instructional service, satisfaction, trust, and
emotional engagement. It also contributes to the increasing body of information related
to schooling, marketing and enhancing student allegiance and retention in organizations
of open and distance learning.
Perseverance
Perseverance to a baccalaureate degree is fundamental in measuring a student’s
success at a 4-year college or university. Perseverance is a necessary trait which is
possessed by all successful students. Perseverance speaks to a refusal to give up the
pursuit of a goal despite attendant difficulties.
According to Angela Duckworth (2019), it is perseverance and persistence that
determine a person’s success, not one’s intellect. The three Clemson University School
of Accountancy researchers took Duckworth's statement, “Grit: The Power of Passion
and Perseverance.” and determine whether the achievement of College of Business
Students was motivated by grit and they found out from their assessment is that factors,
other than inherent traits tied to grit, played a bigger role in a student’s short- and long-
term academic success such as perseverance and persistence. (Vinson, McMillan and
Schleifer, 2019

Related Studies

The following findings from different studies and surveys provided by prominent
researchers suggest evidences about the significant factors affecting student retention
to a certain state colleges and universities.
A study from the University of Stirling entitled “A study of the factors affecting
student retention at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia”, shows a comparison between
those students who persisted and those who dropped out using constructs from Tinto’s
theory. In relation to students’ levels of goal and institutional commitment, it was found
that persisted students appeared to be more motivated and to have higher levels of goal
commitment than non-persisted students. Similarly, persisted students appeared to
have higher levels of institutional commitment than non-persisted students, in part it is
suggested, due to the fact that the majority of persisted students had been able to
select their desired majors whereas the majority of non-persisted students had not
(Abdullah, 2008).Thus, this study used a mixed methods approach. On their first phase,
they utilized a qualitative approach wherein the respondents were all asked to indicate
what they perceived to be the major factors affecting student retention and it shows that
the most important factors were, academic integration (difficulty of major subjects,
unreasonable syllabus and unsatisfactory for learning facilities), social
integration/institutional (lack of academic advice and guidance, difficulties finding a job
after graduating and their majors having no career path, not socially integrated and lack
of self belongingness), personal issues (boredom or lack of interest in pursuing the
degree, experienced health problems and current school is not the first choice), financial
problems, difficulties adjusting to university climate and a lack of knowledge about the
university system. And on the second phase, they used the quantitative approach
wherein the data were analyzed using a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique.
The results of the SEM indicated three variables that directly affect the retention. The
largest direct effect on retention was accounted for by initial goal and institutional
commitment or loyalty, followed by later goal and institutional commitment, and lastly,
the pre-college schooling as measured by high school scores.
Furthermore, a study conducted by University of the West Indies, Mona (March,
2011) entitled “Student Retention Survey”, found that the major reason for the downfall
of a university’s retention rate includes financial issues such as students are unable to
pay the university tuition and they encountered unexpected expenses. Thus, they have
asked the respondents to provide their comments on how the university could provide a
better educational experience, their findings show that at 55% of the students suggests
that financial support in terms of scholarships, financial aid and subsidized housing
could greatly help them retain from their current university.
Moreover, findings from the study entitled “Institutional factors affecting student
retention” by Dr. Linda Lau (2003), shows an effective measures for student retention
that must be implemented in order to increase the retention of qualified students at
institutions of higher learning. This paper also suggests that institutional administrators,
faculty and students play a vital role in improving student retention. For instance,
institutional administrators can help students stay in school by providing them with the
appropriate funding, academic support services, and the availability of physical facilities,
in addition to the effective management of multiculturalism and diversity on campus.
Faculty members can help to maintain a positive learning environment for students by
using multimedia technology and innovative instructional techniques such as
cooperative and collaborative learning in the classroom.
Ultimately, the success of college retention depends on the students themselves
and students must also be motivated to participate actively in their own learning
process. (Gaff, 2017).

Tinto’s Interactionalist Theory (1975), state that student departure has been the
standard among theoretical view on college student attrition and retention. Tinto (1975)
study used Durkheim’s Theory of Suicide that if individuals are not integrated into
society they are more likely to commit suicide and that explain the college student
departure. And also explained that if student have insufficient interactions with others in
the college and their goals and values are not aligned with those of the college, the
result will be leaving the institution instead. This shows that the theory of Tinto
explained that there is a very significant role between the interactions of students and
the institution, both academic and social, as to students departing decision. Tinto’s first
theory considers the student’s individual attributes, pre-college educational experiences,
and family backgrounds upon they enter college. These factors influence the next
elements of Tinto’s theory – the student’s initial commitment to the goal (purpose for
attending) and commitment to the particular institution. Then split into two system of
interaction, student interaction with academics (grades, intellectual development) and
social interaction (peer interactions, interactions with faculty and staff) contexts during
college experience. And results to students become integrated to both academic and
social, however, if lack of these two or one increases the possibility of students to
depart from the institution.

However, Braxton, Milem, and Sullivan (2000), believed that Tinto’s study lack
some aspects and to fill the gap they conducted a study which elaborates and further
the discussion of Tinto’s theory. Their study focuses mostly on academic integration, but
also explained that when students are actively integrated in their learning they are also
more likely to have time to become socially integrated. The research shows the impact
of active learning on the academic integration of the students. The results from the
research added to Tinto’s work that even though the degree of commitment that a
student brings to college can influence his/her social integration, the other member of
this relationship, the school and its faculty, can also play a role in fostering academic
integration which leads to higher rates of student persistence. The study pertains that if
students have good social relationship to the people around the school and its faculty,
therefore, the higher possibility of retention because of student persistence in terms
academically and well encouraged. Also, students who are active in learning could
possibly interact with others since they want to explore more.

Burgess (2008) identified that external factors that relates to student outside lives
can be used as predictors of student dropout rates. Some of these factors are: financial
issues, jobs, family problems, physical or emotional challenges, and motivational
characteristics. This study is more on psychological aspect since it focuses on the
individuals’ reason to depart from the institution. According to Nakajima, Dembo and
Mossler (2012) and Vieira (2012) that college fees are a very important factor impacting
both attrition and retention rates. Their research found that some students end up
dropping their studies to seek employment that earns them money, and then if they can
sustain to continue possibly will re-enrol to the institution to pursue what they have left.
However, in some cases they do not go back to college to continue their studies. This
finding is supported by other researchers such as Bynum (2010), who noted that those
students who receive financial support are more likely to stay in college to complete
their degree. Similarly, Clark et al. (2012) and Bharath (2009) found that being forced to
pay for college was the number one factor that leads college students to dropout.

According to Nakajima, Dembo and Mossler (2012) added that engaging in full
time employment while attending college full time has a significant influence on college
student dropout rates. Being a full time employees college/university students are
unlikely to succeed in finishing college/ university than students who do not have a job
(King and Bannon, 2002; Salisbury et al. 2012). Furthermore, Cuccaro-Alamin (1997)
and Riggert et al. (2006) stated that students employed full time are less likely to attain
a college or university degree than other students; this because the job takes most of
the time for these students.

According to Ge (2011) who notes that marriage, de factor and committed

relationships also play a major role in females’ decisions to attend college. Marital
status is a factor impacting student’s attrition, especially for female students (Millar,
2010). According to Millar (2010), college students (two-year) tend to have extra family
and marriage responsibilities, compared to four-year college (i.e. university type)
students. This can lead to their withdrawal from college. This argument is supported by
Tinto, (1993), Stratton, O’Toole and Wetzel (2008) and Urwin et al. (2010). Other
scholars also noted that the marriage factor is positively associated with attrition (Bean
and Metzner, 1985). This suggests that female’s students are more concern about
family responsibilities than male’s students which may impact their decision to drop out
from college.

Spady (1970, 1971) presented and revised his model of the undergraduate
dropout process that has since became the foundation for recent developments in the
student retention field. This model was the first student retention model to link the
process of student attrition to Durkheim’s Suicide Theory concept of social integration.
This idea has gone on to be widely adopted in student retention studies and models,
including the most cited and tested model of Tinto (Berger et al., 2012; Durkheim, 1951;
Tinto, 1975, 1993).

After reviewing the literature of what he called “college dropout”, Spady (1970)
claimed that with regards with the relationship between attrition and family background,
ability, or academic performance, it lacks theoretical and empirical coherence,
conceptual clarity, methodological rigor, complexity of design, breadth, and analytic
sophistication and definite theoretical basis. He further asserted that the absence of
what he called an analytical-explanatory category is “unfortunate and glaring”. To fill the
gap in the student retention literature, Spady started to explain the dropout process by
investigating the quality of the interaction between the students and the environment of
their academic institutions. This interaction is the result of the exposure of individual
students’ attributes such as dispositions, interests, attitudes and skills to the influences,
expectations and demands of the different components of their institutions including
courses, faculty members, administrators and peers.

Spady’s main assumption was that the outcome of this interaction determines the
level of students’ integration within the academic and social systems of their institutions
and subsequently their persistence. According to Spady, a student’s decision to stay or
depart from his or her academic institution is influenced by two main factors in each of
two systems: grades and intellectual development in the academic system, and
normative congruence and friendship support in the social system. In his later work,
Spady (1971) tested these assumptions in a longitudinal study on a sample of 683 new
students who entered the University of Chicago in 1965. The statistical analysis of the
study variables resulted in a modification on the initial theoretical model.

Pascarella and Terenzini (1991) discusses about retention of a student. Unlike

other current research, they focus on the qualities of the institution that affects the
decision of a student to stay, than on the social aspect. They view the inherent qualities
and the perceived reputation of the institution as a factor affecting the retention of
students. According to these authors, private institutions are more likely to display
higher rates of retention. Private institutions also often carry a reputation of providing a
higher quality education. The perception of private institutions having a better quality
often attracts students to complete their degree in that institution.
Another institutional quality which affects retention is the size of the campus
population. The size of the institution is an important factor in understanding why
smaller colleges and universities are more likely to retain students. In these smaller
institutions, the student to faculty ratio is generally small allowing students to have a
greater level of interaction with their instructors (Pascarella&Terenzini, 1991). Further,
students are more likely to interact with peers as they are in smaller classes. Race and
gender of the student population also influence the ability to retain students. If a student
attends an institution with a large population of same race and/or gender students, he
will be more likely to stay.

Pascarella and Terenzini (1991) also view adaptation as related to retention.

Students who live on campus, which is a requirement of some institutions, display a
higher rate of retention as students are more likely to become involved in social
activities. Success in academics is also a likely goal of resident students as they are
more likely to interact with classmates outside the class. The authors support the view
that the influence of peers is a positive influence for students. If an individual student is
considering to transfer to other university, he will be likely to reevaluate this choice if
they are involved in activities because they will not want to leave the peer group.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Student Factors
Retention rate
 Personal Aspect
 Academic Aspect  Loyalty
 Economic Aspect  perseverance
 Social Aspect
 Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Presented in Figure 1 is the conceptual framework of the study. As seen on the

figure, the independent variable in the student factors with the following indicators:
personal aspect, academic aspect, economic aspect and social aspect. On the other
hand, the dependent variable is the student’s retention rate with the following indicators:
loyalty and perseverance. The arrow connecting the independent variable and
dependent variable shows a perceived relationship of the two variables.

Statement of the Problem

The study will determine the factors affecting the retention of accountancy
students. Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is the level of student factors in terms of:

1.1 personal aspect;
1.2 academic aspect;
1.3 economic aspect; and
1.4 social aspect?

2. What is the level of retention in terms of:

2.1 loyalty; and
2.2 perseverance?

3. Which of the indicators of student’s factors significantly influence the retention of

Accountancy students?

Definition of Terms

The following terms are used in this study:

 Retention - it refers to students who enrolled and stayed at a certain school
until eventually they graduated.
Social Integration– it refers to the level of congruency between the individual
student and the social system of a certain university (Tinto, 1975).
Academic Integration– consists of structural and normative dimensions.
Structural integration involves the meeting of explicit standards of the university,
whereas normative integration relates to an individual’s identification with the normative
structure of the academic system (Tinto, 1975, p.104).
Personal Aspect- it refers to the relationship with the parts that makes up who a
person is.
Academic Aspect- it refers to the main features of the academic process. The
academic aspects for a college course includes the types of tests, quizzes, the quality
of instructions being used
Economic Aspect- it refers to the determination of status of individual as an
important function in education.
Social Aspect - it refers to the set of social factors that leaves an impact on the
students. It can be measured by finances, responsibilities at home, attitude towards
learning, cultural values, family and the influence brought by the other people

CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents how the researcher will gather the necessary data and
information that will be used in the entire study. It describe who will be the respondents
and focus of the research. This also shows the procedure of data collection and
instruments used; these chapter also discuss the type of research, research method,
and the research locale where the study will be conducted.

Research Design

For this study, the researcher will use the quantitative research design.
According to Muijs (2011), quantitative method helps researchers in explaining
phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematical
equations.

Respondents of the study

The respondents will compose students from Holy Cross of Davao College,
specifically those enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Accounting
Technology in the academic year 2015 up to present. For the sample size, the
researcher will acquire data from the school registrar. The study will be conducted at
Holy Cross of Davao College.

Research Instrument

The researcher utilize an adapted questionnaires from various studies. The

primary data will employ in the study through the use of a survey questionnaire. The first
part of the questionnaire contains the demographic profile of the respondents such as
name which is optional, age, gender, course and year and civil status. The second part
contains the question about the Student Factors with the following indicators;

1. Personal aspect

2. Academic aspect

3. Economic aspect

4. Social aspect.
 The third part contains the questions about retention with the following indicators;

1. Loyalty.
2. Perseverance.

Which are adapted from various authors. The instrument will be a self-administer
survey questionnaire subject to validation by experts to achieve the main objective of
the study. The questionnaire is structure using likert type scale with a four-point
response scale. According to Rensis (1932), likert is a rating scale with agreement or
disagreement in the subject. Below are the answerable in four-point likert type scale.

Rating scale Verbal Intepratation Range

4 Strongly Agree 3.50 - 4.00

3 Agree 2.50 - 3.49
2 Disagree 1.50 - 2.49
1 Strongly Disagree 0.00 -1.49

Data collection and Analysis

In conducting the study, the following procedures to be taken by the researchers:

First, the researcher will ask the permission from the school registrar to use the
records of the Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Accounting Technology.Second,
the questionnaire will be subjected by expert and will eventually be validated. Third, the
researcher will disseminate the survey questionnaire to the respondents with attach a
formal letter asking for participation. Lastly the survey questionnaire will retrieve from
the respondents after they answer.After gathering of data, the researcher will tally the
data and the results will be retrieved to a statistician. Thus, the researcher will interpret
the data given and give relevant conclusion and recommendation.

Statistical tools
The following statistical instrument to be used:

1. Frequencies and percentages will be used to determine and describe the

demographic profile of respondents.
2. Mean score will employ to determine the level of student factors and level of
retention of the respondents.
3. Regression analysis will be used to evaluate the four independent variables as to
which of these variables would predict the dependent variable significantly.

Dear Respondents,

Greetings!

We are students of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, 5th year. We are currently

conducting our Synthesis with a title, “STUDENT FACTORS AFFECTING THE
RETENTION RATE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ECCOUNTANCY” As part of
our research, we would like to request that may you answer honestly the following
necessary questions:

Name (Optional): ______________________

Age: _______
Course&Yr: ____________
Gender: _______
Civil Status: ________

Strongly Agree Dis- Strongly Dis-

Agree
Agree agree
Personal or Family Aspect
1. My personal and home responsibilities
do not interfere with my attendance or
completion
2. I did not experienced mental or physical
health problems
3. My parents are concerned with my
academic success, encouraged me to
stay in school, pays attention on my
welfare and provides emotional support.
4. My Current school is my first choice for
studying.
5. I am interested in pursuing the degree
Academic Aspect
1. The grading system is effective.
2. I am satisfied with the learning facilities
and materials provided by the
school/program.
3. I have high academic performance.
4. I find the syllabus straightforward and
reasonable.
5. The faculty members are competent
and do not intimidate me.
Economic Aspect
1. Tuition and other school fees are within
my financial capability
2. I can pay unexpected expenses
3. My financial aid is adequate
4. I am a scholar student in this
school/program
5. I did not receive scholarship offer from
another institution
Social Aspect
1. I was influenced by my family
2. I received direct support from my friends
3. I have good relationship with my faculty
members.
4. I can easily adapt to the changes of my
environment and can easily socialize
with other people.
5. I can feel a sense of belongingness to a
certain group.
Loyalty
1. This institution/course is my first choice.
2. I will remain in this institution until I
finished my degree.
3. I will recommend the institution to other
people.
4. I consider returning in the institution to
study for the next years or to get my
second degree, if any.
5. I will encourage other people to enroll in
the institution.
Perseverance/Persistence
1. I am satisfied with the academic
progress and services of the program.
2. My interpersonal relationship has an
impact on my personal growth, values
and attitude as a student.
3. The institution meets my academic
expectations.
4. There are academic services being
offered.
5. I gained intellectual growth and interest
in ideas.
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