A total of 295 first-year students were recruited from multiple campuses of a state-wide university system. Multiple-group path analysis compared parental and peer influences between two student subgroups. First-year students attending 4-year institutions reported higher rates of alcohol use and were more likely to experience alcohol-related…

Student enrollment at community colleges within the U.S. has remained flat or decreased for over a decade (AACC, 2019). Before COVID-19, community colleges had been experiencing a steady decline in enrollment for approximately ten years (Irwin et al., 2021). The purpose was to determine whether demographic, environmental, and academic variables…

Background/Context: The transition from high school to college marks a critical juncture for students planning to pursue higher education, particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds. Unfortunately, many of these students are left to navigate complex financial aid requirements, registration processes, and academic placement with…

Sexually active college students in the United States have alarming rates of unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Varying degrees of sexual health knowledge and attitudes among college students are an outcome of sexuality education in the K-12 school systems with abstinence-only or comprehensive focus. Community college…

Pass rates in community college entry-level math courses are a national crisis. The current study adapted a utility-value intervention from Hulleman and Harackiewicz (2009) to facilitate student success in community college math. In a double-blind experimental study (n = 180), we found a significant effect of the intervention on student pass…

The purpose of this study was to explore 11th- and 12th-grade students' expectations in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) at a high school in the Western United States. Study participants included 92 of 94 high school students currently enrolled in the IB DP. Each participant completed a researcher-created, paper survey with…

As the tenth in the Completing College series, this report updates the six-year college completion rates nationally and by state, by tracking the enrollment and completion outcomes for the fall 2015 cohort of beginning college students through June 2021. The national completion rate measures the performance of the entire higher education system.…

Using the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), this paper analyzes students' baccalaureate attainment and early labor market performance, comparing 2-year college and 4-year institution entrants and exploring the potential heterogeneous treatment effects of initiating one's college experience in a 2-year college by individual…

Using the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), this paper analyzes students' baccalaureate attainment and early labor market performance, comparing 2-year college and 4-year institution entrants and exploring the potential heterogeneous treatment effects of initiating one's college experience in a 2-year college by individual…

In 2019, the United States hosted the largest number of international higher education students worldwide, and many chose to begin their education at a community college. As a result, community college ESL programs face a critical task. This quantitative study explored the effectiveness of ESL coursework on the academic success of international…

Objective: The objective of this study was to understand substance use patterns of alcohol, marijuana, and simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use among 2- and 4-year college students. Participants: Participants were 526 young adults aged 18-23 (n = 355 4-year students; n = 171 2-year students) recruited from February 2015 to January 2016 who…

Many students are being identified as needing remedial reading as they seek a postsecondary education. Most universities are not offering remedial coursework and thus leaving community colleges that offer remedial reading coursework as the only option for underprepared students. The goal of remedial reading instruction is to teach new literacy…

This study presents a quantitative, exploratory analysis of 535 students attending Truckee Meadows Community College in Northern Nevada who were eligible or ineligible for federal student aid and were non-U.S. citizens. Within a snapshot of the Fall 2015 through Fall 2016 semesters, we examined the variables of gender, grade point average (GPA),…

Purpose: The purpose of the first study within this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the extent to which ethnicity/race-based differences were present in Texas community college completion rates specifically within workforce certificate programs. Regarding the second study, the purpose was to determine the extent to which gender…

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect that different North Carolina state legislation had upon overall student engagement and success in dual enrollment Huskins, Learn and Earn Online, and Concurrent enrollment in comparison to the later Career and College Promise (CCP) dual enrollment program within North Carolina community colleges.…