This paper explores the factors contributing to high dropout rates in U.S. education, particularly in higher education, where 40% of students leave before completing their degrees. It examines causes such as financial difficulties, mental health issues, and lack of engagement, and discusses strategies to reduce dropouts. Key approaches include…

Urban universities with a predominantly commuting student population face distinct challenges in fostering social connections. Commuting students spend less time on campus and have fewer opportunities for organized and spontaneous social interactions with other students. The campus experience for commuter students tends to center around the…

In contrast with many European nations, university students in the United Kingdom have traditionally relocated for their higher education (HE). However, with rising fees and diversification of the student body, an increasing number are remaining in their parental or own home whilst they attend a local university or commute to a HE provider. For…

The vast majority of students in the UK experience higher education on a residential basis: they move away from home to study. But, for a significant minority of students, higher education is experienced differently. Around one-quarter of students live at home and commute to study, and in some parts of the country and at some institutions the…

Prior research has found that living off-campus is associated with increased risk of binge drinking among college students. However, no study has included the role of residence type in the therapeutic outcomes of Personalized Normative Feedback (PNF) interventions. Among a sample of college students (N = 241) who received a PNF intervention, the…

This study examines the impact of a situated learning class framework on student learning and sense of belonging in a first-year introductory computer programming course offered at an urban commuter campus. The framework provided students opportunities to engage in hands-on activities embedded in authentic contexts facilitated or led by students…

Many students who begin their education at a community college intend to earn a four-year degree. Yet Engle and Tinto (2008) conclude that "only 5 percent of low-income, first-generation students who started their education at community colleges had acquired bachelor's degrees within six years." For too long, universities have seen…

This article is about improving student retention and success to achieve excellent outcomes for all students. It draws on research undertaken by the author about student engagement and belonging; differential engagement and success, with a particular focus on commuter students, who experience intersectional disadvantage; and the development of a…

This issue of "DataPoints" shows student residence while enrolled at college by institutional category, 2016. These data reflect the fact that community college students are more likely to be nontraditional students who are juggling college, work and taking care of family members while attending college near their home.

Subsidized transit policy is a strategy used to lessen environmental impacts and increase institutional accessibility in higher education. Program funding to support this subsidized transit policy can vary between institutions. This research focuses on the geographic analysis of Eco Pass, a student led initiative implemented in the Foothill De…

Lack of sufficient accommodation in many South African universities has forced many students to reside outside the campus and commute to attend classes as commuter students. Research indicates that living on campus is related to gains in social and personal competence. The level of competence gained may help students living on campus (resident…

This study investigated and analyzed how lateral transfer students who commute to college made sense of their transition and belonging between four-year institutions. Based on student mobility patterns, the lateral transfer population exceeds the number of community college transfers within the landscape of higher education. Colleges need to…

This study highlights a critical case that can serve as a programmatic and conceptual model for institutional partnerships seeking to diversify the early childhood education (ECE) teaching profession with "homegrown" Latinx teachers. The case study explored the experiences of Latinx students in an ECE program at a regional, public 4-year…

Analysis finds that out-of-pocket college costs are unaffordable for low-income Californians, and often more so at the state's community colleges where tuition is low. This analysis is the third in a series, and is the first to look at affordability challenges of students in different living arrangements. [Debbie Cochrane and Oliver Schak made…

The purpose of this study was to determine if dual enrollment credits affected time to completion for commuter community college students in Suffolk County, New York when compared to students from the same geographic area that did not have dual enrollment credits. High school students take dual enrollment courses usually during their junior or…