The College Student Inventory (CSI) is part of the Noel-Levitz Retention Management System (RMS) designed to increase student success, improve student retention, and enhance advising effectiveness in postsecondary institutions. The CSI is to be administered during orientation or within the first few weeks of classes to help identify those students who may be at high risk of withdrawing.

The most distinguishing feature of the RMS is the summary of academic motivation which includes an assessment of a student's dropout proneness, predicated academic difficulty, educational stress and receptivity to institutional help. In theory the CSI identifies the leading academic and affective indicators that may lead to attrition which allows for earlier intervention in more specific ways to get students started on the right path in college.

Data were collected from the CSI and compared to the actual performance of the students over a three-year period. The results will explore the usefulness of this type of retention tool on students enrolled in a college of agriculture and human environmental sciences.