An overview is provided of the enrollment patterns and academic progress of the fall 1986 new student cohort at St. Louis Community College (SLCC), the first cohort included in the college's longitudinal tracking system. The report highlights the following findings about the 5,993 students who were tracked through spring 1991: (1) 57.6% of the…

A profile of graduation rates and time-to-degree was generated for undergraduates entering California State University in fall 1978 or fall 1979, as first-time freshmen (n=53,445) and community college transfer students (n=44,992). The profile analyzes: (1) the proportion of new students who ultimately graduate; (2) the distribution of degrees…

In spring 1987, a study was conducted at Monroe Community College (MCC) to determine the factors which influence attrition and retention, with particular focus on the reasons why students who have not graduated fail to return for succeeding semesters. Questionnaires were mailed to 452 former students, requesting information on students' rankings…

As the entering-college population dwindles and competition to attract this population increases among colleges, student retention has become a primary concern for community colleges. Assessing the extent of the dropout problem is particularly problematic for community colleges, as they are institutions geared to the facilitation of ease of…

A process was developed to intensively and intrusively counsel students who were readmitted to the College of Charleston with academic deficiencies. The process included counseling to assess the students' attitudes toward returning followed by a contract to be signed by the students. (MLW)

Student service programs act as key resources to help students persist in school until graduation. However, some critics question whether service programs aimed at specific ethnic populations contribute sufficiently toward their persistence. Tinto (1975) argues that the stronger one is integrated into the institution, the more likely he/she will…

The growth of multi-institutional attendance and discontinuous enrollment poses a challenge to linear approaches to college retention and subsequent graduation rates. Linear methodologies have a level of failure built in and cannot fully measure community college institutional effectiveness. This article analyzes student entry and subsequent…

In spring 1995, Westchester Community College (WCC), in New York, surveyed all 1,208 students who attended WCC for the first time in fall 1993 but did not return the following spring semester to determine their reasons for not returning. Study findings, based on an analysis of responses from 241 (20%) of the students and demographic…

A study was conducted at a medium-sized California community college to identify the characteristics of students who had previously dropped out of college and then returned to the community college and the influences on their decision to re-enroll for college credit. Surveys were mailed to 396 stopouts, asking them to rate the significance of…

Nontraditional styles of postsecondary enrollment were assessed: delaying postsecondary enrollment for a year or more beyond high school graduation, enrolling part-time, or entering non-degree-granting programs. Part-time attendance was defined as pursuing a courseload below half-time. The sample consisted of 8,464 recent U.S. high school…

Each year, 14,500 to 16,500 students begin at a Washington technical or community college with the goal of completing a degree at that college. The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges has developed a longitudinal reporting system to track the progress of these students. In the system, students are tracked even if they stop out and…

Examines the dropout/stopout patterns of community college developmental education students. Finds that student success is associated with enrollment patterns, initial skill deficiencies, and age, and that community college students who enrolled for consecutive semesters outperformed students with other types of enrollment patterns. (Contains 26…

It is recognised that getting a good education is one of the most important determinants of a child's future, but missing at least some education remains a common occurrence for many children and young people in the United Kingdom. Over recent years, education has been placed high on the political agenda in the UK. Among other things, a wide range…

A research project investigated 2,313 persons who attended Del Mar College (Texas) during fall 1990 but did not enroll for spring 1991. Four sets of data were collected: (1) limited demographic information on the total student body; (2) demographic information drawn from school records to describe all nonreturnees; (3) demographic information…

A study was conducted at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) to examine student enrollment and retention patterns; quarter-to-quarter retention; retention rates by full-time/part-time status, sex, race, and age; cumulative graduation rates; and the relationship between first-quarter academic performance and subsequent quarter enrollment.…