A Descriptive Research Study of a Developmental Plan for Recruitment and Retention of Minority Students.

The purpose of this study is to describe and investigate how 50 black special admission students in Wayne State University feel about 20 influence sources and the extent to which these influence sources determine the students' attendance and retention in college. Students responded to a questionnaire at the end of both freshman and sophomore years. The study revealed the following: (1) the students' own career plans, the mother, the academic advisor, the Project 50 counselor, and the Higher Educational Opportunities Committee (H.E.O.C.) in that order, seemed to have the strongest influence on Project 50 students to continue their education, (2) the Supportive Services Constellation of Sources of Influence (college instructor, academic advisor, financial aid counselor, Project 50 social science tutor, Project 50 mathematics and physical science tutors, and H.E.O.C.) was acknowledged by Project 50 students as having a significant influence in their remaining in college and (3) the direct financial assistance to students in the program depended on the financial aids package they received after a needs analysis was taken. (Author/AM)