First Year STEM Students’ Satisfaction with Peer Mentoring: A Predictor for Student Retention

Peer mentoring is often used as a method to help retain first year STEM students. This study addressed the following research question: Can we predict in semester which first- students will return sophomores and ones not? And if so, what factors were best predictors of returning? An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was employed identified four factors: Academic Skills, Satisfaction with Mentors, Institutional Fit, Relationships). Next binary regression performed, results showed that student satisfaction university (i.e., Fit) most significant greatest contributor for predicting returning their sophomore year, followed by forming Relationships; all result participating program. Gender race not retention; however, further examination study’s effect size found be .4, low moderate, meaning are somewhat important. It recommended replicated smaller sample.