August 22, 2007

Persistence, Not Access, Is Problem for 2-Year Students, Report Says

Most high-school graduates who enter California’s community colleges intending to transfer eventually to a four-year institution either drop out or no longer consider transferring a primary goal after just one semester, according to a report released this week by Policy Analysis for California Education, an independent research center based at the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University.

The report, “Beyond Access: How the First Semester Matters for Community-College Students’ Aspirations and Persistence,” is based on a study that followed students ages 17 to 20 who enrolled at a California community college for the first time in the fall of 1998. Of all of those students, less than one-third transferred to a four-year institution during the six years following their enrollment in the community-college system.

Of students who earned high-school diplomas and cited transferring to a four-year college to earn a bachelor’s degree as a primary goal, 41.3 percent ultimately transferred within six years, the study found. One-quarter of those students did not return to their community college for a second semester, in the spring of 1999. Of those who did return, only four in 10 still said transferring was a primary goal.

Authors of the report said their findings suggested that students needed more preparation to be able to make the transition from high school to college, and to persist in their studies. —Sara Hebel

Comments

1. Money is another cause. A lot of those entering 2 year do it because they could not afford to enter 4 year colleges directly.
   Along the way, lack of finances becomes a hindrance for them to complete their ivory tower education.

   — K    Aug 22, 03:50 PM    #

2. The problem with the assumption about finances is that California has one of the lowest cost community college systems in the entire country (as low as $20 per unit)

   — CGA    Aug 22, 04:13 PM    #

3. I disagree that there is a “problem with the assumption about finances.” The cost of living, and the cost of wages lost while in school are real financial barriers to low income students at community colleges.

   — dmm    Aug 22, 04:53 PM    #

4. Community college is the default option for the majority of students graduating from high school in California. Some of those kids have thought a great deal about the financial benefits of attending a 2-year college and then transferring. Most, however, are unprepared for the rigor and freedom of college and simply can’t cut it.

   — Patrick    Aug 22, 06:28 PM    #

5. Cost to the student is an urban legend, particularly in California. The colleges have the funding problem in this issue.

   — BBF    Aug 22, 06:33 PM    #

6. California has an excellent community college system. Officials are continually monitoring the system to make it even better. Most students benefit substantially when they transfer to a four-year college or university.

   William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
   Professor
   PhD Program in Educational Leadership
   Prairie View A&M University
   The Texas A&M University System

   — William Allan Kritsonis, PhD    Aug 22, 07:40 PM    #

7. The cost is often a personal one. I have found in my research that a major deterrent is not merely a preparation lacking but a lack of making the students feel as if they belong and should be there. We have foudn that 72% of students quit because of poor customer service.Too many schools do not make students feel as if they are truly important by providing them personalized academic customer service. Students want to go to Cheers University and we give them Louie DePalma College.We need to also start realizing that we need to make the students we recruit their best and not worry that we are not recruiting the best. Start with orientation and use that not to do dog and pony but to start providing them the time management, financial management, study skills and success focus they will not be coming to the college with. We cannot allow such huge attrition numbers. Not only because it costs the college millions of lost dollars but because it costs too many students lost chances. Start with investing in academic customer service which does not mean pandering but providing real service to help students succeed.
   NealR@Greatservicematters.com

   — Neal Raisman    Aug 22, 08:34 PM    #

8. The problem may be support-related; support from the home front, as well as the need to earn money. A student needs money to attend school, but also needs money to live and sometimes is a support system for family. A student needs the strong desire to continue higher education — to see the value in it and know that there will be a better life at the end of a long tunnel.

   — Mother of 2 College Kids    Aug 25, 02:08 PM    #

9. As a junior college graduate (and now PT college instructor) who went on to obtain a Masters while being a single, working mother, I believe “where there’s a will there’s a way.” Persistance is the key. Unfortunately, some young adults will give up their oppotunity for an education before they’d give up their cell phones. Persistance in this situtaion often means sacrifice, and those choices, I feel, determine whether a student gives up or goes on.

   — P. Youga, PT Community College Graduate and Instructor    Sep 3, 10:54 AM    #

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