Attrition Risk and Resilience Among Sexual Minority College Students

Abstract

Retention is one of the most frequently studied issues regarding college students. Most of this research has focused on majority college students, e.g., White, middle-class. More recently, retention literature has expanded to look at reasons why minority (e.g., non-White, disabled) college students decide to stay at or leave a university. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, however, remain an under-acknowledged and little-studied group in retention literature. This article seeks to demonstrate how sexual minority students are at high risk of attrition and why this group deserves research devoted to reducing this risk. This article also discusses how changes to college policy can improve the campus climate and quality of life for LGBT students.