The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine if differences exist in academic achievement based on student SES as measured by grade point average (GPA), credit hours earned, and completion of the academic year for rural community college students enrolled during the 2018-19 academic year. The study used existing data from a…

Although Pennsylvania legislation promoted dual enrollment as a pathway to postsecondary credits, from 2017 to 2021, postsecondary enrollments declined and dual enrollment (DE) participation rates remain understudied. The purpose of this ex post facto, correlational study was to discover and examine the relationship between student demographics…

High schoolers have opportunities to jump-start postsecondary education and save money on college by participating in dual enrollment or Advanced Placement coursework. Students and families in a large Maryland district need to decide which pathway offers the most financial gains given academic and demographic characteristics when offered both…

A decrease in West Virginia in-state college-going and graduation rates and a need for additional postsecondary degrees in the workforce in the state by 2020 require the support and implementation of an evidence-based intervention to ameliorate the pressing issue. This study considers the outcomes in regard to persistence and completion of West…

The Advanced Placement (AP) Program has become ubiquitous in terms of earning college credit during high school. Since the College Board incorporated it in 1956, the AP Program has grown to include 38 courses across seven subjects/categories. Recently, approximately half the states have passed legislation guaranteeing credit towards an…

Misconceptions on affordability remain a barrier to postsecondary access for millions of potential students. When students recognize financial aid availability during secondary school years, they gain the capability to better establish a curricular path that aligns with postsecondary aspirations. This dissertation assesses the use of…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the predictors of community college transfer student success. Through exploring student demographics and background characteristics (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, first-generation student status, socioeconomic status, number of transfer credit hours, attempted/completed credits), significant predictors of…

California community colleges are under pressure to increase core student attainment outcomes such as graduation rates, transfer rates, and certificate completion rates. This study examined whether, or how, the allocation of institutional expenditures for instructional, student support, administrative, and total educational and general activities…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the impact of the number of college credits earned in Technical College Preparation (Tech Prep) and Dual Credit (College Now) programs as a predictor of continued success after high school, as measured by first-year college GPA at a Midwest Community College. This study looked at how the…

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of background characteristics, initial interaction with the environment, and first-year experiences at a public, research extensive University on the racial identity and racial attitudes of African American/Black first-time, first-year University students. This study is concerned with the changes…

Adults who immigrate to the United States recognize the value of fluency in the dominant language as a bridge to social mobility in their new homeland. In California, many of them invest time and energy in noncredit English as a Second Language (ESL) programs offered within the community college system to gain communicative competence and enhance…