Students who arrive on campuses unprepared for college-level work find that it costs them potentially extra time and money to complete developmental courses they would not have needed had they arrived fully prepared in all subjects. Institutions of higher education face their own costs and capacity challenges when trying to teach students the…

This research study examined the 2006 cohort of First-Time-in-College students from all 23 community colleges in Virginia. The goal was to examine fall-to-fall persistence and success in the first college-level mathematics course. Predictor variables used were developmental status, age, gender, and race and ethnicity of the student. Interaction…

Developmental education courses in college--defined as classes taken in college that are below college level (Bautsch, 2013)--have come under increased scrutiny in recent years. Concerns focus on the large number of students enrolled in developmental education courses, the high cost of providing them, and the low success rates among students who…

The Student Transitions Project (STP) has focused its research since 2005 on the achievements of British Columbia (B.C.) grade 12 graduates who enrolled in post-secondary education. Some students who do not graduate from Grade 12 also enroll at post-secondary institutions in a variety of programs, but little has been reported on these…

This research study examined the 2006 cohort of First-Time-in-College students from all 23 community colleges in Virginia. The goal was to examine the persistence of these students to the fall 2007 semester and the success of these students in their first college-level mathematics course. The main predictor variable was whether the first…

Certain attributes are predictors of student success, including: regular class attendance; completion of all assigned readings and work; being attentive in class and participating in class discussions; setting definable goals; and scheduling an adequate amount of study time. However, other student characteristics, including demographics such as…

Attrition is a major issue facing nearly all institutions of higher learning. The loss of students affects colleges and universities on many levels and can have a negative impact on students. Community colleges often experience greater attrition than other types of institutions and have an increased need to curb the outflow of students. This study…

In recent years, community colleges have come into the spotlight nationally in terms of their potential to assist in the revitalization of the economy. This has resulted in an increased need for community colleges to understand more fully the factors that influence student persistence. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to…

This descriptive study entitled: College Students' Perceptions of the Impact of Developmental Courses on Their Academic Performance and Persistence investigated the perceptions of college students and their responses to developmental courses. The population included students enrolled in the first semester of summer school 2010, at a selected urban…

Student retention is a topic at the forefront for all post secondary education institutions. Supporting students in their studies, providing the resources to empower them to complete their education is a critical component in the quality and success of colleges. It is also a fiscal concern for colleges. While first year programs abound, community…

The Houston Community College (HCC) 2011-2012 Fact Book provides statistical information about the college district. It is important for the reader to be aware that data presented in this publication may differ slightly from statistics found in other district reports. Such variances may result from differences methodology including the source of…

The purpose of "Focus" is to provide coverage of poverty-related research, events, and issues, and to acquaint a large audience with the work of the Institute for Research on Poverty by means of short essays on selected pieces of research. This issue contains the following articles: (1) The new global labor market (Richard B. Freeman);…

The Houston Community College (HCC) 2008-2009 Fact Book provides statistical information about the college district. It is important for the reader to be aware that data presented in this publication may differ slightly from statistics found in other district reports. Such variances may result from differences in the source of information used…