Examination of 3-year rates of persistence included comparisons of students by institution type and academic background, comparisons of Pell Grant recipients by receipt of other financial aid or parental support, and a multivariate analysis taking into account several variables associated with persistence.

The 3-year persistence rates of Pell Grant recipients initially enrolled at 4-year institutions and those enrolled at less-than-4-year institutions were examined separately to account for differences in the academic preparation and educational goals of students at different types of institutions. Because Pell Grant recipients were less well prepared academically and reported more persistence risk factors than nonrecipients, it might be expected that Pell Grant recipients would have lower rates of persistence and attainment than nonrecipients. However, with a few exceptions this appeared in large part not to be observed in this study.