High School to Community College Transition Group

2020 ◽  
pp. 004208592090891
Author(s):  
Federick J. Ngo ◽  
David Velasquez

Examining linked academic transcripts from urban community colleges and their feeder high schools, we identify math course-taking patterns that span sectors. We highlight stifled mobility and chronic repetition of math coursework in the transition to college, and we identify “math traps” from which students do not escape. Math mobility was limited, math repetition was rampant, and nearly half of students found themselves in math traps. All else equal, being trapped in math was significantly linked to race/ethnicity, suggesting that these forms of chronic math tracking across sectors expose previously undocumented forms of inequality in educational experiences.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-251
Author(s):  
Colleen A. Evans ◽  
Rong Chen ◽  
Ryan P. Hudes

Objective: This study explored how high school and postsecondary academic parameters may relate to the choice of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major for students beginning their postsecondary education at community colleges. Our study incorporated these two clusters of factors into a statistical model to examine STEM major choice in community colleges. In particular, our study was one of the first to examine the direction and magnitude of the relationship between earned college credits in science laboratories and advanced mathematics and STEM college major selection. Method: We analyzed national data from the Education Longitudinal Study (2002) for students who were in 10th grade in 2002, entered community college as their first postsecondary institution, and declared a college major by 2006. A comprehensive integrated model was analyzed through binary logistic regression with the outcome variable of choice of STEM major or not. Results: We found math self-efficacy in high school, postsecondary introductory science laboratory courses, and postsecondary advanced mathematics courses were each positively associated with the choice of STEM major among community college students. Gender continues to be influential, with women less likely to pursue STEM than men. Contributions: Our study highlights the opportunities the science laboratory holds for engaging beginning community college students interested in STEM fields. The linchpin role of mathematics and science for students aspiring to study STEM is underscored by the findings of this study.


2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Y. Alverson ◽  
Lauren E. Lindstrom ◽  
Kara A. Hirano

Youth with disabilities are less likely to enroll and complete postsecondary education than their nondisabled peers. Using a qualitative, cross-case design, we investigated the high school to college transition experiences of young adults diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS). Data sources included a family questionnaire, review of special education records, and multiple individual interviews ( N = 27) with young adults with AS, family members, teachers, and rehabilitation counselors. Social skills, communication, and executive functioning challenges in high school continued into postsecondary education settings. Across cases, five reoccurring themes seemed to influence the transition from high school to postsecondary education: (a) motivation to attend college, (b) high levels of disability awareness, (c) intentional family supports, (d) coordinated transition planning, and (e) clear postschool goals.


1986 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
pp. 402-403
Author(s):  
John T. Gordon

Developmental-studies mathematics is the set of skills that students must possess if they are to be sucessful in beginning college-level mathematics. In most colleges and universities, elementary algebra from the secondary school curriculum is a major part of developmental-studies mathematics. Some arithmetic, or some intermediate algebra, or some of both is also commonly included. Although this content is studied by most college-bound students before they enter their last two years of high school, over 60 percent of all students nationally who enter a community college are required to take developmental-studies mathematics (Griffin 1981). Similarly, in many of the larger universities, this statistic is over 50 percent (Whitesitt 1982).


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