Expanding advocacy for community college success

2021 ◽  
Vol 2022 (197) ◽  
pp. 13-28
Author(s):  
Andrea Mayfield ◽  
Carol Cutler White ◽  
Tom Downs ◽  
Dawn Erlandson
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
College Success

scholarly journals “They Never Told Me What to Expect, So I Didn't Know What to Do”: Defining and Clarifying the Role of a Community College Student

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-40
Author(s):  
Melinda M. Karp ◽  
Rachel H. Bork
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
College Student ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
Role Theory ◽  
College Success ◽  
College Persistence ◽  
Community College Student ◽  
Student Role

Background Low community college completion rates are an area of concern for policymakers and practitioners. Although many students require developmental education upon entry, research suggests that even students who are deemed “college-ready” by virtue of their placement test scores or completion of developmental coursework may not earn a credential, suggesting that college readiness encompasses more than academic skill. Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide an empirically grounded description of the role of the community college student. Drawing on sociological role theory, we articulate the largely unspoken expectations, behaviors, and attitudes to which students must adhere if they are to be successful. In doing so, we begin to clarify a piece of the college success puzzle that has heretofore been underexamined. We also extend current literature on college persistence by integrating theories of psychosocial identity, social roles, and college persistence. Research Design The study uses qualitative data from semistructured interviews conducted with community college students (n = 97) and faculty and staff (n = 72) from a study of student success courses in three community colleges in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). We examined a subset of interview questions investigating the expectations that staff and faculty hold of community college students. We used analytic induction to categorize disparate expectations into discrete components of the community college student role. Findings Relying on sociological conceptions of the role, we find that the demands and expectations placed on community college students are different from other social positions with which individuals are familiar, particularly with regard to the level of fluidity and demands for self-awareness. We also identify four distinct components of the role of community college student: academic habits, cultural know-how, balancing multiple demands, and help seeking. Conclusions Our data clarify the nonacademic components of college success that contribute to academic readiness. We also find agreement between our data and other college persistence literature focused on other student populations. Our findings extend current understandings of the psychosocial transition to college by paying attention to the cultural elements of the community college student role. This paper concludes with suggestions for future research.

Exploring Sources and Infuences of Social Capital on Community College Students’ First-Year Success: Does Age Make a Difference?

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (10) ◽  
pp. 1-46
Author(s):  
Xueli Wang ◽  
Kelly Wickersham ◽  
Yen Lee ◽  
Hsun-Yu Chan
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Student Success ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
College Success ◽  
Community College Student ◽  
First Year ◽  
College Student Success ◽  
Different Sources

Background/Context Although numerous studies have emerged shedding light on community college student success, the enduring role of social capital is often overlooked. Furthermore, when conceptualizing social capital in the community college context and its diverse student population, age represents a unique form of diversity in these institutions that warrants further exploration. Purpose This research identifies the sources of social capital and the relationships between different sources of social capital and community college success, taking into account how the identified sources and relationships may vary based on age through the following questions: First, what are the major sources of social capital among first-year community college students, and how do sources of social capital vary based on age of students? Second, how do different sources of social capital influence first-year community college success? Third, how do influences of social capital on first-year community college success vary based on the age of students? Research Design Our study drew on Coleman's conceptualization of social capital, along with survey, administrative, and transcript data from three 2-year colleges in a midwestern state. We performed factor analysis with invariance tests to investigate the sources of social capital among community college students and how the identified factor structure may vary by age. We further conducted a logistic regression to examine the relationship between social capital and community college student success across age. Findings Our findings indicate that social capital needs to be conceptualized differently for community college students across age because they indeed drew on multiple forms of social capital differently, and the sources of social capital that emerged in turn were related to student success in varied ways. Students under the age of 24 relied on institutional agents and academic interaction as dominant forms of social capital, whereas those over the age of 24 relied on significant other's support. Students under the age of 24 were more likely to succeed if they frequently visited advisors for academic reasons. A low or high level of support for schoolwork was related to a higher chance of success for students between 24 and 29 years of age. For the students who were over 30 years old, a moderate level of engagement in their learning network and discussions with academic advisors was related to the lowest level of dropping out. Conclusions This study extends the social capital model by illuminating the varying types of social capital that students of different age groups engage with, particularly in the community college context, and pushes the boundaries of the knowledge base on how social capital functions in relation to student success in postsecondary education. The findings also elucidate new directions for research, policy, and practice in regard to cultivating and maximizing networks and information for community college students of all ages.

Community College Geography: A Question of Place

1996 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-31
Author(s):  
John J. Hickey
Keyword(s):  
Community College

Prediction of Multiple Aspects of the Community College Experience

1970 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 234-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford E. Lunneborg ◽  
Patricia W. Lunneborg ◽  
Renny Greenmun
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
College Experience

Review of The Psychology of College Success.

1969 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 517-517
Author(s):  
Alpert S. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
College Success

Documentation status and psychological distress among New York City community college students.

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Alif ◽  
Bryan S. Nelson ◽  
Ana Stefancic ◽  
Riya Ahmed ◽  
Sumie Okazaki
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
York City ◽  
City Community ◽  
Documentation Status
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