ERIC Number: EJ1446746
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Dec
Pages: 33
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0361-0365
EISSN: EISSN-1573-188X
Less Is More, or Is It? Age and Gender Differences in How Students Build Momentum toward College Graduation
Peter Riley Bahr; Claire A. Boeck; Yiran Chen; Paula Clasing-Manquian
Research in Higher Education, v65 n8 p1771-1803 2024
Do older community college students build momentum toward graduation differently than their younger peers? One-third of students in community colleges are 25 years of age or older, and these students tend to have lower rates of graduation than their younger peers. Yet, we know little about how the factors that influence college graduation differ across the wide range of ages found among community college students. Using multilevel statistical models to analyze data for Ohio's community colleges, we investigate how the relationships between early academic momentum and the likelihood of completing a postsecondary credential vary by age. We disaggregate results by gender in light of prior evidence of differences in the educational experiences and outcomes of adult men and women. The measures of momentum, all observed in the first year in community college, include credits earned, credit success rate, enrollment continuity, passing college-level math, and passing college-level English. The college graduation outcomes, observed over six years, include earning a postsecondary certificate, earning an associate degree from a community college, and earning a baccalaureate degree from a four-year institution. We find some differences and some similarities in how older and younger students build momentum toward a postsecondary credential, and how these patterns differ for men and women, revealing fruitful opportunities to strengthen the outcomes of older students.
Descriptors: Age, Gender Differences, Differences, Time to Degree, Graduation, Community College Students, Graduation Rate, Correlation, Young Adults, Adults, Educational Experience, Outcomes of Education, Certification, Associate Degrees, Bachelors Degrees
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2123/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ohio
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A