The Impact of Sociability on College Academic Performance and Retention of Native Americans

Abstract:Colleges and universities have devoted considerable effort toward keeping students in school until graduation. Researchers accordingly have studied various factors that shape these retention rates, including integration into the school's culture and involvement in school activities as well as innate academic ability. Yet more studies need to specifically examine the complex mix of positive and negative influences on Native American student retention. This article evaluates some of those influences by investigating whether a strong desire for social interaction can encourage these students to succeed academically and remain in school until graduation. At one predominantly White institution lacking Native American organizations, we find that increased receptivity to social interactions by Native American students has a positive impact on grades but a negative influence on retention. We propose that schools should adopt a mix of general and culture-specific activities to encourage better Native American graduation rates.