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,…

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…

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…

College completion is an important focus for policy and practice and is impacted by student academic and non-academic factors. Participation in non-classroom activities is well documented to extend positive intellectual, social, and psychosocial outcomes associated with college completion, yet this association is understudied for community college…

Purpose: Data literacy empowers college students, equipping them with essential skills necessary for their personal lives and careers in today's data-driven world. This study aims to explore how community college students evaluate their data literacy and further examine demographic and educational/career advancement disparities in their…

Since 2011, the Ontario provincial government has made significant investments into improving the efficiency of vertical transfer--from community colleges to university--within its post-secondary education system. During this period, local policy analysts have repeatedly emphasized the need to account for geography when developing strategies to…

The study aimed to assess the effects of year in college on students' perceptions of the cooperative learning process. Ninety-six college students completed 5 open-ended questions that asked students about their preferences for cooperative learning activities. Forty-nine first-year students and 47 second-year students participated in the study. A…

This quantitative comparative study was conducted to examine if, and to what extent, differences in health and functioning and quality of life exist for community college students who complete an academic mindfulness course. Surveyed student responses were captured by the Quality of Life Index (QLI) (Ferrans and Powers, 1985), dependent variables…

Previous studies identified student-specific and institutional factors that impact community college student retention. However, few studies have examined associations between commodity prices and community college student retention. Guided by rational choice theory, we examine the relationship between annual, state-level gasoline prices and…

For too many community college students, transferring to a four-year institution for a bachelor's degree (i.e., vertical transfer) remains an unrealized aspiration. Prior research suggests that forms of capital can assist students in realizing their goals. Therefore, we sought to explore how relationships both within and outside of their…

Current research shows community college students face numerous obstacles that limit their success in developmental mathematics courses. This study surveyed students to determine whether flipped learning produced differences in student engagement or factors related to passing rates compared to that of traditional teaching for different…

Stress experienced by community college students is increasing and can jeopardize health and performance. Sources of stress felt by students are not well understood because they typically confide in peers. This article reviews the literature on the scope, signs, and effects of stress. A study is described that identifies gender differences in…

Community colleges often employ measures to determine student course placement. Though much research has examined the predictive validity of placement measures such as ACT or high-school GPA, little research examines the effects of students' traditional and non-traditional status. Using data from a rural state community college, we examined the…

This study describes course withdrawal behaviors in the Texas public higher education institutions and examines the predictors of course withdrawal by using statewide administrative datasets. The findings showed that two-thirds of the college students in the sample withdrew from at least one course, highlighting course withdrawal as a prevalent…

Tutoring can be an effective high-impact practice (HIP) to support diverse students across academic majors. Using 2017-2019 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) data, Zilvinskis (2021) found participating in tutoring was significantly related to the engagement measures of Academic Challenge, Support for Learners, and…