Higher education has been touted as critical to social mobility, even greater longevity; however, these benefits accrue with degree completion, and many students who begin college never earn a degree. Using the most recent Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), we sought to understand variation in college completion rates and test…

This dissertation measures and describes the factors that impact doctoral student persistence. Using a mixed methods cases study design, I analyzed institutional student record data, survey data on caregiving responsibilities, and data from semi-structured interviews with PhD students at a STEM-focused, public research university in the American…

This quantitative study examined the comparative factors of academic success between ECHS students (ECHS) and non-ECHS traditional college students, and utilized secondary data from National Student Clearinghouse and an East Texas community college. The enrollment of students in ECHS and non-ECHS traditional college students guided the study. The…

This study addresses an underexplored aspect of diversity at four-year research universities: the impact of international students on their domestic peers. I explore the peer effects of international students, assessing how their presence influences domestic students' academic outcomes. Using the classroom setting as a natural experimental…

While students have enrolled in college at increased rates since 1996, graduation rates have remained mostly stagnant (NCES, 2022). First-generation Appalachian students, specifically, had lower college completion rates but higher college enrollment rates than their peers (ARC, 2018). Since 2007, researchers have supported the use of non-cognitive…

This study was to create an understanding of students that were placed on academic probation to assess their shared characteristics in relation to their rate of graduation. To do this, the study group selected was a cohort of students from a ten-year time span who were placed on academic probation at a small university in northwest New Jersey.…

This research explores the many faces of course completion and non-completion in vocational education and training. By tracking student enrolments via the unique student identifier in the National VET Provider Collection, we gain a greater understanding of how individuals mix and match training types and their movement through VET, enabling…

This document provides technical detail and supporting data for the research findings discussed in 'The student journey in VET: the many faces of completion and non-completion'. The analysis in this technical paper explores: (1) an approach to identifying VET subject enrolment activity that serves a compliance or regulatory purpose; (2)…

First-generation students possess a set of unique characteristics that can make persisting in college more challenging than it is for their continuing-generation counterparts. Because many first-generation students are also low-income, community college is an affordable option to access their postsecondary goals. Each year, one-third of all Pell…

This correlational study utilized secondary, longitudinal data to examine the extent to which student-influenced and institution-influenced factors predict the academic success and degree completion of engineering transfer students at public four-year institutions in North Carolina. The sample included students who transferred from community…

Across Tennessee, more than 595,000 working-age adults have earned college credit but do not have a postsecondary credential. In response to the growing economic demands over the past decade, many states launched efforts to re-engage students with some college but no degree (SCND). In 2018, Tennessee launched "Tennessee Reconnect," a…

Enrollment in master level programs, particularly online, have been increasing nationwide. Students enrolled in online master's programs tend to be older and more ethnically diverse, and are likely to be balancing work, finances, and family responsibilities with their educational pursuits. These challenges have resulted in higher attrition rates…

Research has shown that undergraduate research experiences can have substantive effects on retaining students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). However, it is impossible to provide individual research experiences for every undergraduate student, especially at large universities. Course-based undergraduate research…

The future of the workforce requires post-secondary education and the ability to effectively use technology. Technology has become an integral part of education, business, and daily life. Yet, there remains a digital divide for many individuals. Increasingly, community colleges are using technology in the classroom and as part of the processes…

Purpose: This research examine participation in a dual enrollment program and a student's race and socioeconomic status. In addition to examining the college retention and graduation rates (student success) of dual and non-dual enrolled students, this study looked at potential race and socioeconomic disparities. Design/methodology/approach: A…