A recent study by ACT Inc. finds retention rates continue to be substantially lower at two-year pubic institutions than four-year private institutions overall, but the gap between them has narrowed in recent years.

ACT Inc. is a nonprofit organization providing assessment and research in education. The data was gathered in ACT’s annual survey of more than 2,500 two-year and baccalaureate colleges and universities across the nation, over the course of 27 years of research. The data shows college retention rates, or the percentage of first-year, full-time students who return to the same school for their second year of college, remain relatively stable overall.

The percentage of two-year college students who returned to the same institution for their second year of school has been trending up, from 53 percent in 2005 to a record-high 56 percent currently, according to ACT.

The organization also found the retention rate at four-year colleges, in contrast, has been trending down from 75 percent in 2005 to 72 percent currently.

The exact reasons behind the changes in retention rates are difficult to pin down, but a major factor is the current economic climate, said Ed Colby, a spokesman for ACT Media Relations.

“College attendance tends to increase in poor economic times, as fewer jobs are available and more people are out of work,” Colby said.

He added less expensive colleges are more likely to have higher retention rates, as fewer students may be able to afford to stay for a second year at more expensive institutions.

Although Amanda Davis, a freshman in the College of Communication, always knew she wanted to attend a four-year private college, she did consider the benefits of attending a two-year school, even if only for the short-term.

“Once I got to Marquette, I started thinking it would be more cost-efficient to do Gen Ed programs at a two-year school and then transfer to a four-year school,” she said.

At Marquette, retention rates have not been significantly impacted by the economy, said Anne Deahl, associate vice provost for Academic Support Programs and Retention.

According to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment website, Marquette’s retention rates have hovered near the 89 percent mark. While its rates are significantly higher than the 72 percent average cited in the ACT release, data from the office’s website reveals the retention rate at Marquette has gone down over the last five years.

Colleges nationwide are using a variety of methods to keep students in classrooms. Colby said the most common are learning assistance measures, such as tutors and remedial courses, which help students find more success in college courses.

The same holds true on Marquette’s campus, Deahl said.

“Student retention and success have always been a priority here, and they continue to be,” she said. “There are several enrollment groups currently reviewing our student support services in our ongoing efforts to enhance these services and ensure our students have the support they need to become successful Marquette graduates.”

Although research of college retention will continue, it is difficult to tell how the rates will trend in the future, Colby said.

“We would certainly guess that an increasing percentage of high school graduates will be pursuing some type of post-secondary education in the future, as more and more jobs require it,” Colby said. “However, whether more students will be attending two-year schools over four-year colleges is difficult to know at this point.”