Patterns of persistence in postsecondary education: new evidence for Ontario

Entering a (first) postsecondary education (PSE) program represents a critical transition in a person's life, but it is just the beginning of a whole new set of dynamics that can take many different forms. Some students continue in their programs until graduation, proceeding at faster or slower rates. Others switch to another program at the same institution, at an institution of the same kind (college or university) or at a different level of study. Still others abandon their studies, some to return at a later date. The general objective of this report is to provide new and unique empirical evidence concerning the patterns of 'persistence' (or what is sometimes alternatively referred to as 'retention,' especially when viewed from the perspective of individual institutions), as well as educational pathways more generally, of PSE students in Ontario. [The authors] present an analysis of the frequency of various trajectories and graduation rates and use both descriptive statistics and econometric modelling to show how pathways and outcomes vary by students' individual characteristics, family background and educational outcomes at the high school and PSE levels. Throughout, the focus is on Ontario, but comparisons are made with the rest of Canada.

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