Compared with admissions test scores, why are high school grades better at predicting college graduation? We argue that success in college requires not only cognitive ability but also self-regulatory competencies that are better indexed by high school grades. In a national sample of 47,303 students who applied to college for the 2009/2010 academic…

This study compared the postsecondary outcomes of students who enrolled in remedial (sometimes called "developmental") courses in college and their peers who did not. The analysis examined the relationship between postsecondary remediation and the odds of achieving 3 postsecondary outcomes and explored how these relationships varied…

Data from the National Student Clearinghouse shows that an estimated 36 million students in the United States previously attended a college or university but never earned a degree. Research shows that many students transfer from a community college to a university before earning an associate's degree, and that many transfer students never make it…

In this pre-registered study, we analyze the effects of need-based financial aid grant offers on the educational outcomes of low-income college students based on a large-scale randomized experiment (n=48,804). We find evidence that the grant offers increase two-year persistence by 1.7 percentage points among four-year college students. The…

In this article, I utilize a regression discontinuity design to estimate the effects of Tulsa Achieves--a prevalent and understudied type of tuition-free college program. In contrast to concerns regarding tuition-free community college suppressing bachelor's degree attainment, I find that Tulsa Achieves increased the likelihood of transferring to…

While college education is a key to upward mobility, low-income students are substantially less likely to earn bachelor's degrees than their more economically advantaged peers. Prior higher education literature illuminates various factors contributing to student success, but few studies consider the role of family support after students enter…

This phenomenological research study investigated the lived experiences of students who did not succeed in completing a 4-year baccalaureate nursing school (BSN) program. The sample for this study included students who failed to completed baccalaureate nursing programs within the last ten years. The geographical area of the sample included…

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…

Many students who start at the community college with the intention of transferring and earning a baccalaureate degree fail to accomplish this goal. This study, using IPA methodology, explored the experiences of seven community college transfer students currently enrolled at a public 4-year institution to identify how community college transfer…

Math is an integral subject in nearly all STEM disciplines, and early exposure to advanced math coursework may encourage high school students to enter and persist in STEM fields in college. This report examines whether taking college algebra through dual enrollment affects high school graduation, college enrollment, and early STEM outcomes. I use…

Since June 22, 1944, when the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, more commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights, was signed into law, colleges and universities in the United States have been asked to open their doors to military veterans. Today there is interest by policy makers and veteran groups in better understanding this special subset of college…

This set of Web Tables is the fourth in a series of four that together provide key information about 2011-12 first-time postsecondary students' characteristics and their 6-year retention, persistence, attainment, withdrawal, stopout, and transfer rates. The series draws on data collected for the 2012/17 Beginning Postsecondary Students…

A college degree is increasingly necessary in today's economy. Federal policy makers have attempted to encourage college attendance and degree attainment through financial aid provided to students. However, this aid has generally been unsuccessful in raising degree attainment rates, which remain quite low and have not risen for the past 20 years.…

Nursing student attrition is of ongoing concern to programs of nursing and healthcare employers given the persistent shortage of nurses. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions of ten graduates from two cohorts of a Pre-Licensure Program of Nursing regarding the impact of program-level and college-wide practices…

International students are increasingly enrolling in U.S community colleges as a starting point to their higher education. However, limited research examines the factors contributing to their successful transfer to a 4-year institution and bachelor degree attainment. Utilizing longitudinal transcript data from a large community college district in…