The effect of school classification and a Veteran-friendly rating on U.S. Veteran graduation rates

Abstract: U.S. colleges, universities, or trade schools enroll and graduate several veterans each year and receive extensive federal funding for doing so. Currently, there is little research on the difference between educational outcomes of veterans that attend publicly supported and private educational institutions or the potential impact of a veteran-friendly rating system. Grounded in Vincent Tinto's theory of retention, the purpose of this quantitative non-experimental study was to examine the effect of school classification and a veteran-friendly rating on veteran graduation rates among colleges and universities using descriptive statistics. The initial study design featured the gathering of archival data from the State of Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency to answer the study’s three research questions; however, the sample size was inadequate. Subsequently, the study was expanded to include samples from throughout the United States, and the research methodology was changed from a 2x2 factorial analysis of variance to a Kruskal-Wallis H test. Although not statistically significant, the results of the Kruskal-Wallis H test suggest that gold-rated public and private institutions tend to yield slightly higher graduation rates than silver rated institutions. The findings concur with the existing literature regarding the critical role of institutional support in shaping the U.S. veteran. Despite limitations such as reliance on archival data and a small response sample, the research offers insight on the importance of tailored support services for veteran students. Educational leaders can foster positive societal change by improving institutional support and aiding veterans' transition to civilian life and careers.

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