A Low-Level Career Testing and Interpretation Intervention. Research Report 18-97.

This study examined the effects of career testing and interpretation intervention on the retention and academic standing of first-year college students. A total of 78 mostly first-year students enrolled in 5 sections of an orientation course at the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) during the fall 1994 semester completed the Strong Interest Inventory with in-class feedback; 71 students enrolled in 5 comparable sections of the same course were identified as the nontreatment comparison group. It was found that while there were no marked differences in retention rates between the treatment and comparison groups for their second semester at UMCP, there were such differences for the following semester, with retention rates of 90 percent for the treatment group and 79 percent for the comparison group. In addition, there were marked differences between the 2 groups in regard to retention in good academic standing for 3 semesters following the intervention, with retention in good academic standing rates of 80 percent for the treatment group and 62 percent for the comparison group. The findings support the belief that students should be encouraged to begin the career exploration process early in their undergraduate years. (MDM)