Largely because it puts higher education within reach for all people, the community college is thought to play a vital role in the democratic functioning of American society. Partly driven by an ethos of American egalitarianism, low-cost and open access community colleges enroll, train, and educate nearly anyone who aspires to higher education.…

This study examined the factors that lead to student completion for part-time, post-traditional community college students (PTS). Research identified the environmental experiences and common characteristics of the student population using a sequential, exploratory research design. The qualitative segment of the study utilized a holistic,…

In 2014, developmental education became optional for many college students in Florida, regardless of prior academic preparation. This study investigated first-semester math course enrollment patterns for underprepared first-time-in-college (FTIC) students who would have previously been required to take developmental math and the passing rates for…

Over the last several years, Achieving the Dream (ATD) has engaged in a number of initiatives to help community colleges build their capacity to ensure that more students can reach their education and career goals. During the course of that work, ATD has come to see clearly that enhancing and integrating student support services is central to…

Community college leaders have spent years trying to improve success rates for students in developmental mathematics (DM) courses, but with little progress. This quantitative study, using a pre-experimental static-group research design, examined if a change in a community college district's policy and practices for student placement into DM…

A nationwide trend of decreased enrollment in community colleges is leading to a greater focus on retention rates of current students. Academic success (ACA) courses are one area of this focus. This study reviews the impact of changes made to one ACA course on student performance and retention. Changes include a decrease in credit hours, reduction…

The purpose of this study was to examine how the college support programs, services, and activities offered to Hispanic students at Forsyth Technical Community College influence college performance, retention and graduation rates, and overall satisfaction with the college experience. The underlying goal was to raise awareness, across the college,…

This research is a collection of essays that examine various aspects of a performance-based scholarship program designed to build social capital among first-generation community college students located in a large mid-Atlantic city in the United States. First-generation community college students, those whose parents did not attend college make up…

Objective: Despite the availability of high-paying, high-demand careers, few women and students from underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities enter undergraduate programs understanding what the geosciences are and associated available career opportunities. This problem is compounded for students from backgrounds underrepresented in the United…

Objective: The goal was to examine associations between body mass index (BMI) and lifestyle factors in African American community college students. Methods: Young adults, 18-25, who identified as African American were eligible to participate from 3/17 to 11/17. BMI, body image, discrimination, social roles, emotional and informational support,…

Employers report struggles to find work-ready candidates who possess a desired combination of job-specific technical, general math and reading, and social and behavioral skills. Community colleges are ideally situated to address these shortages, delivering a trained local labor force and often collaborating directly with employers and regional…

This report provides an annual look at the summer 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021 term's enrollment in categories such as student enrollment status, location and demographics of the community college student population. The content and format of this report have been developed through a collaborative effort between the Wyoming Community College…

Until recently, many colleges provided academic support to students by requiring students to complete one or more developmental education courses in a subject area before they could enroll in college-level coursework. Now colleges have been experimenting with new approaches that accelerate students into college courses, including corequisite…

This chapter examines the use of technology and other structural changes to encourage comprehensive advising reforms.

Students often lose interest in critical foundational courses that act as a gateway to successive courses and careers. Utility value (UV) writing interventions have been designed to help students find the personal relevance and value of course material in order to promote interest and performance. However, little is known about how best to…