Undeclared Versus Declared: Who Is More Likely to Graduate?

Abstract

Increasing graduation rates continues to be a high priority for administrators at many institutions of higher education. With longitudinal data from a large research university in the Western United States, the purpose of this study was to examine the potential relationship between matriculating with or without a major declared and degree completion. There exists a perception that an early decision about a major is an integral step in ensuring students graduate. Previous research about undeclared students and degree completion, however, is lacking and dated. Conceptually framed within Astin’s ( 1993 ) input–environment–output model, logistic regression analyses were conducted using institutional records for the Fall 2010 cohort of 4,489 full-time enrolled, first time in college students. Matriculating as undeclared versus declared was not found to increase, or decrease, the likelihood of graduating in 4 years. With 6-year rates, however, undeclared students were more likely to graduate.