Desire to finish college: An empirical link between motivation and persistence

A strong desire for achievement may be seen as an important component of student motivation to complete college. This study examined the structural relationships among four constructs: (1) motivational factors, (2) student background factors, (3) academic performance, and (4) persistence. Motivation and background factors were examined to determine their direct and indirect effects on academic performance and persistence for minorities and nonminorities. The study supported utilization of factors external to the students' college experience identified in the retention literature based on Bean's (1980) Student Attrition Model. While it was found that motivation failed to impact academic performance for either racial subgroup, a significant motivational effect on persistence was found for minorities but not for nonminorities in this study. Minority students with high levels of motivation tended to persist to their second year. Policy implications are discussed.