Student persistence and retention in community colleges concern scholars, policymakers, and academics in higher education at large. Previous literature suggests that a strong sense of belonging in higher education and at the institution the student is attending may be one significant factor that impacts persistence and retention. However,…

This study investigates the efficacy of cooperative quizzes in reducing test anxiety and improving course success rates among community college students. Test anxiety was measured using a mini-SPIN survey provided by the RECAPER project. Twenty students completed pre-semester and post-semester surveys. Statistical analyses revealed no significant…

As Critical Race and Ethnic Studies Scholars, we understand that community colleges can be sites where harm and pain are reproduced for Students of Color. Racial microaggressions, a form of systemic everyday racism, adversely impact the academic experiences of community college Students of Color, producing high pushout and low completion rates.…

New Jersey's oldest community college faced a decade-long enrollment decline, struggling to differentiate itself in a competitive regional and national higher education market. Enrollment only began to turn around after the institution adopted strategic enrollment management (SEM) planning as a central planning framework.

Microaggressions have been studied in higher-education institutions, professional work environments, and ordinary life. However, most research studies on microaggressions in higher education focus on the experiences of college students at four-year institutions, exposing a gap in the literature on microaggressions in two-year community colleges.…

Student hunger directly impacts persistence rates and academic outcomes, ultimately yielding significant returns on investment through increased graduation rates, lifetime earnings, and state revenues. This article examines the critical issue of food insecurity among college students, with particular focus on community colleges where approximately…

The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of Belizean junior college students who are on or have experienced academic probation at junior colleges in Belize. A qualitative narrative inquiry research design was implemented to carry out this study. To understand the experiences of students who are or have overcome academic…

Learning styles and learning strategies are the ways participants take in, process, and apply information. Everyone has unique learning styles and learning strategies. The problem that was addressed through this study was that academic achievement could be negatively impacted when community college participants were unaware of their learning…

Objective: Among two-year college students, alcohol and marijuana use, related consequences, and risk factors for use are not well understood. We examined differences between two- and four-year students in alcohol and marijuana use, consequences, and perceived descriptive norms, and explored whether two-year status moderated associations between…

As employers struggle to fill 9.5 million vacant positions with only 6.5 million workers available across the United States, the role of community colleges becomes critical in educating workers. Open-door access and lower-tuition costs make community college an essential resource for people to access higher education; however, research shows the…

Research Questions: While community college transfer (i.e., upward transfer) represents an important mechanism for advancing equity across STEM fields, existing studies of gender and women's participation within computer science have largely excluded the perspectives of upward transfer students. We address this gap in the literature by exploring…

The problem investigated in this study was the trend of decreasing student retention of first-year, degree-seeking college students at an independent community college located in northeastern New Mexico. The purpose of the study was to examine the association between student retention and program utilization. The research question was to determine…

Prior to the Guided Pathways movement, a litany of research in community colleges showed that course placement was inaccurate and ineffective. This article argues that placement might be redesigned, addressing erroneous assumptions about student success in service of pathways. This new placement would integrate three main areas of student success…

A critical function of community colleges is student transfer into baccalaureate degree-granting institutions. While over 80% of community college entrants indicate a desire to transfer, few students successfully do so and achieve their goal of graduating with a bachelor's degree. In particular, transfer and completion rates for Black and Latinx…

Obtaining a degree from a community college is a strong pathway to numerous career opportunities for students from low-income backgrounds. Unfortunately, graduation rates from community colleges are often very low, so many students do not reap the benefits of a degree. With the goal of increasing graduation rates, three community colleges in…