Institutions of higher education continue to struggle with issues related to student retention. One in three college students leaves their institution after the first year (Barefoot, 2000; Kinzie, 2009) frustrating administrators as they attempt to ascertain the reasons for lack of persistence and low retention levels. Disengagement of students and lack of academic preparation heavily add to factors putting students at high-risk for attrition (Braxton, 2000, Chickering & Gamson, 1987, 1991; Kuh, 2007; MaCabe, 2000; Marklein, 2005; Tinto 1993, 2004). Exponential growth has occurred in on-line learning and at on-line institutions nation-wide. Massive growth in enrollment at both non-profit and for-profit colleges offering distance learning has focused a spotlight on the practices of these categories of institutions, yet students at all institutional types can suffer and struggle academically. Research concerning retention and best practices at fully on-line institutions, particularly those with a large majority of non-traditional (i.e. adult) and active military learners, is greatly needed. Examination of information obtained from the internal data collection of a fully on-line university provides rich details. Such information can assist in determining the relationship between end of course Grade Point Average (GPA) with any specific student demographic characteristics. The investigation of such data may allow for researchers, institutions, and policy makers to better understand the impact of student characteristics on student achievement and success. As the institution from which the data was obtained includes a very large majority of non-traditional as well as active military learners, investigation into the data may provide information yet to be fully reported in the literature and assist educational leaders in decision making. Archival data collected internally by a large national fully on-line for-profit institution of higher education from the academic sessions (i.e. semesters) of January through September of 2009 were utilized for the purposes of this study. Approximately 15,000 cases from the on-line university were utilized and only students enrolled in the Top 20 undergraduate courses, based on registration, constituted the sample population. Variables analyzed for this study from the information provided by the on-line university for the sessions beginning between January 2009 through September 2009 sample were gender, male students and female students; ethnic membership; age, traditional age students and non-traditional age students; and military status, active military and non-military. Additionally, the variable for end of course grade, GPA, was provided in numeric form as student course grade from the data by the university as reported by the individual course instructor and recorded in a grade reporting system. As final course sessions have yet to complete with end of course grade information entered into the system, demographic counts are yet to be determined. Descriptive statistics offer information of a fairly unique student population. The sizable majority of students enrolled in the Top 20 undergraduate courses at a large national fully on-line university are non-traditional in age and are active military. Additionally, quite different from what has become the norm in higher education, the greater part of the student body at this institution are male. Further, descriptive statistics providing overall course GPA per class indicates a differentiation between courses, as expected across the curriculum. To ascertain whether relationships in end of course grade and student demographic variables were present, multivariate regressions were conducted. Follow-up regression modeling was used to illuminate the variances in the variables. Conclusions of the analysis impart information useful to educational practitioners and decision makers alike. Student success is of vital importance to the student as well as the success of the institution itself. Connections, if any, between student achievement in courses, especially the most highly enrolled courses, and student demographic characteristics may assist in adding one more piece to the retention puzzle colleges struggle to fit together (Miller & Garcia, 2004; Nelson Laird, Bridges, Holmes, Morelon, & Williams, 2004). Additionally, study of the student population of a large fully on-line institution of higher education, with an uncommon study body, may add to the body of literature. The results of this study are intended to raise the awareness of educational professionals and policy makers to any connection of student academic success and student characteristics (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Awareness of such connections and overall demographic information can allow for more informed proactive decision making, better creation and applications of innovations, and, most importantly, higher rates of matriculation.
