Despite an increase in the number of first-generation college (FGC) students enrolling in four-year colleges and universities, there continues to be a decrease in the number of FGC students who are graduating with undergraduate degrees. While 59% of all students who enroll in four-year colleges and universities graduate, 89% percent of low-income…

Two-year colleges enroll many students every year that are not prepared for college level work. The purpose of this study was to determine what factors contribute to students needing to take remediation as well as what factors lead to successfully exiting developmental education. This study looked at students who began postsecondary education in…

Despite the need, persistence in remediation hovers at 50% (NCES, 2002) while nearly one third of community college enrollees arrive under-prepared (Hess, 2009). Persistence is correlated with academic preparation (Nash & Kallenbach, 2009), and barriers to persistence include a number of demographic barriers (Education, 2006; Labaree, 2006).…

The United States workplace requires increased levels of postsecondary education to support workforce development for an economy driven by technology, automation and global competition. By 2018, 63 % of new jobs created will require postsecondary education (Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl, 2010). Currently, one in four graduates earns a bachelor's…

Research shows that too many students are graduating from high school ill-prepared to be successful in the postsecondary environment. This study examined the high school experiences of dual-enrollment students who participated in an Early College High School, and how the students perceived their high school experiences in preparing them for…