The Impact of Full-Time Enrollment in the First Semester on Community College Transfer Rates: New Evidence from Texas with Pre-College Determinants

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (12) ◽  
pp. 1-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby J. Park
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
State Level ◽  
Public High School ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Transfer Rates ◽  
Policy Lever ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

Background/Context Recent developments in state-level policy have begun to require, incentivize, and/or encourage students at community colleges to enroll full time in an effort to increase the likelihood that students will persist and transfer to four-year institution where they will be able to complete their bachelor's degree. Often, these policies are predicated on the idea that full-time status is associated with greater engagement on behalf of the student, a concept that has been widely studied in higher education as it relates to student persistence and degree attainment. Purpose Building upon theory and observational studies, I seek to empirically test whether enrolling full time at a community college has a discernible effect on transferring to a four-year university. Research Design I follow four cohorts of first-time traditionally aged college students who graduated from a public high school in Texas in the years 2000–2003 and employ a propensity score matching procedure designed to reduce sample selection bias. Findings I find that enrolling full time increases overall transfer rates by at least 12%. These results are robust to the inclusion of many pre-college factors as well as to a sensitivity analysis, across four separate cohorts. Conclusions/Recommendations This study provides evidence in support of a key policy lever for increase transfer rates already in place in a handful of states: encouraging incentivizing, or requiring full-time enrollment. The key, however, will be to develop policy that results in more students enrolling full time while also maintaining the open access mission of community colleges. While requiring students to enroll full time may not be appropriate in all contexts, states should seriously consider other ways to incentivize or, at a minimum, support and encourage full-time enrollment, particularly for first-time traditionally aged students.

scholarly journals International Student Experience at US Community Colleges at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Whatley
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
International Students ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
International Student ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
College Leaders ◽  
Residency Status ◽  
The Impact

This study’s purpose is to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students who were studying at US community colleges at the onset of this public health crisis. While previous work has explored the impact of the pandemic on international students generally, we argue that community college international students deserve focused attention due to their potentially marginalized status on their campuses. Using a mixed-methods research approach, we analyze survey and focus group data provided by 17 randomly-selected community college educators. Our results speak to two overarching themes: the supports provided to students at the onset of the pandemic (and educators reasons for providing these specific supports) and the unique impact of the pandemic on community college international students due to their citizenship or residency status. These findings have important implications for community college leaders and international educators as they work with international students during future times of crisis.

How Noncredit Enrollments Distort Community College IPEDS Data: An Eight-State Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Romano ◽  
Mark D’Amico
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
New York ◽  
South Carolina ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
System Level ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Full Time Equivalent ◽  
Education Data ◽  
State Study

A commonly used metric for measuring college costs, drawn from data in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), is expenditure per full-time equivalent (FTE) student. This article discusses an error in this per FTE calculation when using IPEDS data, especially with regard to community colleges. The problem is that expenditures for noncredit courses are reported to IPEDS but enrollments are not. This exclusion inflates any per FTE student figure calculated from IPEDS, in particular expenditures and revenues. A 2021 IPEDS Technical Review Panel (TRP #62) acknowledged this problem and moved campus institutional research offices a step closer to reporting noncredit enrollment data (RTI International, 2021). This article is the first to provide some numbers on the magnitude of this problem. It covers eight states—California, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Data on noncredit community college enrollments were made available from system offices in all states. In addition, discussions were held at both the system level and the campus level to verify the data and assumptions. Figures provided by states were merged with existing IPEDS data at the campus and state levels, and then were adjusted to account for noncredit enrollments. The results provide evidence that calculations using IPEDS data alone overestimate the resources that community colleges have to spend on each student, although distortions vary greatly between states and among colleges in the same state. The results have important implications for research studies and college benchmarking.

Adjusting College Costs for Noncredit Enrollments: An Issue for Data Geeks or Policy Makers?

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-177
Author(s):  
Richard M. Romano ◽  
Rita J. Kirshstein ◽  
Mark D’Amico ◽  
Willard Hom ◽  
Michelle Van Noy
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Full Time Equivalent ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
College Costs ◽  
Education Data ◽  
Project Data ◽  
The Impact

Objective: In the first study of its kind, the impact of excluding noncredit enrollments in calculations of spending in community colleges is explored. Noncredit enrollments are not reported to Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), but expenditures for these efforts are. This study corrects for this omission and provides new estimates of spending on community college students in four states. Method: Data on noncredit enrollments were made available from four states—New York, New Jersey, California, and North Carolina. Interviews with campus and state officials within each state helped us verify the findings. In addition, Delta Cost Project data were analyzed and adjusted to account for noncredit enrollments. Results: Our analysis indicates that the expenditure per full-time equivalent (FTE) student measure, which researchers typically use, seriously overstates the resources that community colleges have to spend on educating students; however, great variations exist within and across states. Conclusion: Community colleges are underfunded to an even greater extent than standard IPEDS analyses indicate.

The Answer Is Yes

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Grubb ◽  
Pamela H. Scott ◽  
Donald W. Good
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
Dual Enrollment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Student Aid ◽  
Fall Semester ◽  
Northeast Tennessee ◽  
The Impact

Objective: The study assesses the impact of dual enrollment participation on remediation and completion for traditional first time, full-time freshmen at a community college in Northeast Tennessee. Method: This study began with the full population of 1,232 students who enrolled between 2008 and 2012 at a community college in northeast Tennessee the fall semester after finishing high school. The population was required to have American College Testing (ACT) scores, completely fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), enroll full-time as a degree-seeking student, and complete the first fall semester. Propensity score matching was utilized to eliminate self-selection bias and enable parametric comparisons using optimal matching of dual enrollment participants and non-participants while controlling for a range of covariates. Results: The analyses showed that community college students who participated in dual enrollment were (a) 9% or nearly 3.4 times less likely to take remediation, (b) 26% or nearly 2.5 times more likely to graduate in 2 years, and (c) 28% or nearly 1.5 times more likely to graduate in 3 years. Contributions: This study contributes to the literature showing that dual enrollment reduces remediation rates and assists in timely completions for community college students. Policy recommendations are to increase equitable participation, normalize dual enrollment for students academically able to do college coursework, align state terminology with the nation, and improve data for future research.

scholarly journals Does College Focus Matter? Explaining Differences in Labor Market Outcomes among Community Colleges

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 189
Author(s):  
Michael Dunn ◽  
Arne L. Kalleberg
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Labor Market ◽  
Junior Colleges ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Remedial Students ◽  
The North ◽  
College System ◽  
Service Areas ◽  
The Impact

The evolution of community colleges from their origins as junior colleges to institutions with dual missions to provide both academic and workforce preparation raises questions about the impact of a college’s mission focus on their students’ labor market success. We examine this question using the 58 colleges in the North Carolina Community College system as case study for community colleges nationally. We find that students from community colleges that specialize or focus on career objectives had higher labor market earnings; about one-fifth of the variation in students’ earnings across community colleges is due to the college’s mission focus. Other community college variables also enhance students’ earnings, such as institution size as well as having single-county service areas and low proportions of remedial students.

The Road to Becoming a Scientist: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Supports and Barriers Experienced by First-Year Community College Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-50
Author(s):  
Xueli Wang ◽  
Kelly Wickersham ◽  
Seo Young Lee ◽  
Na Bedolla Lor ◽  
Ashley Gaskew ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
Interview Data ◽  
Full Time ◽  
The Road ◽  
Stem Programs ◽  
Stem Students

Background Although a long line of research has been devoted to transfer pathways in general, there remains limited work on the capacity for community colleges to cultivate STEM baccalaureate transfer. In particular, both quantitative and qualitative evidence is extremely sparse on how STEM-aspiring students beginning at community colleges experience supports and barriers on their journey to pursue a STEM baccalaureate. Purpose This mixed-methods study addresses the question: What salient factors are associated with beginning community college STEM students’ decisions to transfer into baccalaureate STEM programs, and how do students describe the supports and barriers they experienced specifically pertaining to these factors? Research Design Guided by the STEM Transfer model, we carried out this research using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. We incorporated survey, administrative, and interview data from three large two-year institutions in a Midwestern state. We applied Artificial Neural Network (ANN) techniques to identify factors associated with beginning community college STEM students’ decisions to transfer into baccalaureate STEM programs. Based on the factors that emerged from ANN, we analyzed the interview data to give meaning to the identified factors using students’ rich descriptions of their experiences. Findings Results from the ANN revealed that students’ initial attitudes toward science was the most salient factor related to transfer in STEM. Following that, GPA, students’ initial attitudes toward math, transfer capital, being employed full time, major declaration, science preparation in high school, income levels above middle level, and transfer efficacy also turned out to be important variables shaping students’ transfer in STEM. Qualitative results further illustrated how the factors from the ANN exerted their impact. Conclusions This mixed-methods research illuminated significant factors shaping the road to becoming a scientist, as well as how those factors manifested their influences within the contexts of students’ educational journeys. Through this approach, we were able to establish the significance of influential factors without presuming directionality and leverage the interview data to disentangle how these factors functioned independently and together in sophisticated and nuanced ways. Our study brings forth a deeper understanding of community college students’ STEM pathways, including the many plot twists and processes involved to overcome challenges and maintain progress.

scholarly journals The Community College: Educating Students at the Margin Between College and Work

1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J Kane ◽  
Cecilia Elena Rouse
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
The United States ◽  
Financing Structure ◽  
Education Financing ◽  
Public Subsidies ◽  
Higher Education Financing ◽  
Training Institutions ◽  
The Impact

The authors provide background on the history and development of community colleges in the United States in the last half century and survey available evidence on the impacts of community colleges on educational attainment and earnings. They also weigh the evidence on the impact of public subsidies on enrollment at community colleges and explore some weaknesses in the current higher-education financing structure. Finally, the authors reflect on how students who have been responding to the rise in payoff to education are to be absorbed by our postsecondary training institutions.

scholarly journals Quantifying the Impact of Student Enrollment Patterns on Academic Success Using a Hidden Markov Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 6453
Author(s):  
Shahab Boumi ◽  
Adan Ernesto Vela
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Transfer Students ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Enrollment Patterns ◽  
Part Time Students ◽  
Part Time ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

Simplified classifications have often led to college students being labeled as full-time or part-time students. However, student enrollment patterns can be much more complicated at many universities, as it is common for students to switch between full-time and part-time enrollment each semester based on finances, scheduling, or family needs. While previous studies have identified part-time enrollment as a risk factor to students’ academic success, limited research has examined the impact of enrollment patterns or strategies on academic performance. Unlike traditional methods that use a single-period model to classify students into full-time and part-time categories, in this study, we apply an advanced multi-period dynamic approach using a Hidden Markov Model to distinguish and cluster students’ enrollment strategies into three categories: full-time, part-time, and mixed. We then investigate and compare the academic performance outcomes of each group based on their enrollment strategies while taking into account student type (i.e., first-time-in-college students and transfer students). Analysis of undergraduate student records data collected at the University of Central Florida from 2008 to 2017 shows that the academic performance of first-time-in-college students who apply a mixed enrollment strategy is closer to that of full-time students, as compared to part-time students. Moreover, during their part-time semesters, mixed-enrollment students significantly outperform part-time students. Similarly, analysis of transfer students shows that a mixed-enrollment strategy is correlated with similar graduation rates as the full-time enrollment strategy and more than double the graduation rate associated with part-time enrollment. This finding suggests that part-time students can achieve better overall outcomes by increased engagement through occasional full-time enrollments.

scholarly journals The Community College Presidency Demystified: Creating a Pipeline of Latino Leaders

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Editorial Board
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
College Leadership ◽  
National Network ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

Community colleges are designed to serve populations largely drawn from a local base. In an increasing number of cases, the student populations are diverse, while both the administration and faculty, particularly in positions of leadership, are overwhelmingly white. Because of changing demographics, many community colleges serve predominately Latino communities. The present article describes the impact of a national culturally tailored leadership development program for Latino administrators in community colleges. Using data from extensive, semi-structured interviews, this qualitative research study demonstrates that participants in the leadership fellows program found their experience empowering and transformational. Research findings indicate that as a direct result of their participation in a culturally relevant leadership program, participants felt increased confidence and sought out executive community college leadership positions. Additionally, participants benefitted from a national network of peers and mentors. 

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