The Development of an SVIB Scale for Predicting Disenrollment from the NROTC (Regular) Program
Abstract
In the past few years, the NROTC (Regular) midshipmen have been voluntarily disenrolling from the program in increasing numbers. The increasing disenrollment rate results in fewer midshipmen receiving commissions and reduces the pool of potential career officers. This, coupled with the substantial monetary loss when a midshipman disenrolls, requires the selection of those applicants most likely to remain in training and elect a naval career. Since 1964, the Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) has been routinely administered to all applicants for an NROTC (Regular) scholarship as a means of identifying those who are career motivated. The success of this effort suggested possible use of the SVIB AS A MEANS OF PREDICTING COMPLETION OF NROTC college training. Using data from the entering classes for the years 1964-1967, several scales were constructed by contrasting the SVIB responses of midshipmen remaining in the program with those disenrolling for various reasons (motivational, academic, etc.). These scales were evaluated on a similarly constituted holdout sample. A cross-validated biserial validity coefficient of . 20 was obtained for the best empirical scale between disenrollment for any reason and remaining in the program. Under favorable conditions, this scale could eliminate 80 potential disenrollees from a starting class of 1,350 midshipmen. Such a decrease in attrition could produce a monetary saving of approximately $300,000 per year.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0719898
Entities
People
- Idell Neumann
- Norman M. Abrahams
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory