Retaining Students through Social Interaction: Special Assignment Residence Halls

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Abstract

First year residence hall experience has been strongly linked to increased retention rates, however, insufficient attention has been given to the social processes involved. We argue that social processes are fundamental to student persistence and academic success, but they are so natural to social life that they are often taken for granted. If college educators had greater awareness and understanding of how and why their programs work, they could increase the possibility of student success. Using two types of special assignment residence halls as examples, we apply classic sociological and social psychological concepts and findings to show how and why such university …