Geography of opportunity research has identified places with few or no college options: so-called "education deserts." This study extends this geography of opportunity research, exploring how geographical constraints affect students' choices, particularly the choice to attend a for-profit college. Using the Education Longitudinal Study…

This guide presents what Minnesota has to offer for higher education. With two-year and four-year public and private institutions as well as accredited cosmetology and specialized trade schools, the profiles found in the beginning of the guide get right to the facts on tuition, fees, class sizes and required exams. The program grid, found in the…

The concern for increasing future student enrollment in a central Texas community college was examined to determine specific strategies to proactively address this problem of professional practice during the ongoing 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic recurrence. The purpose of this research study was to consider the factors, as identified by…

Community colleges, known for their open access and inclusion, have seen consistent enrollment declines for several years. At Outward Flats Community College, the research setting in this study, student enrollment has consistently declined and a widening admission yield gap between students of color and white students occurred. The researcher…

This chapter presents results from a study exploring the experiences of rural high school graduates and the influences on their reasons for attending postsecondary education. In particular, the results presented here are a compilation of several rural students who intentionally chose to attend a local community college.

The California Community Colleges (CCC) College Attendance Survey was designed to understand the factors influencing prospective and previously enrolled community college students' decisions to attend a California community college in fall of 2023. This report summarizes the second administration of this survey in late summer/early fall 2023 and…

This study examined the relationship of a medium-sized coastal community college with African American males' choices concerning college transfer or career and technical education. The studied college serves two counties, forming a diverse community located in a southeastern North Carolina city. The combined population of both counties was nearly…

Community colleges have seen decreases in enrollment since their peak enrollment in 2010. One principle source of new students attending community colleges is high school graduates continuing on to community colleges upon graduation. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicate that the actual and projected number of high school…

Objectives: What are some of the key reasons Asian American students enroll in community colleges? Method: We utilized qualitative methods, conducting 49 interviews in Southern California with current Asian American community college and transfer students at three institutions. Results: We identified five key reasons why Asian American…

This study explored the college choice decisions for students who undermatched to a community college during their college choice process. Specifically, this project utilized a qualitative multi-site case study design to understand the college choice process for students who were admitted into a four-year institution but chose to enroll in a…

This qualitative study examined the process whereby international college students from various countries choose their country of study, type of institution, specific college, and program. It identified and explored the relative importance of each decision-making factor. Fifty-five international students attending four Greater Toronto Area (GTA)…

Recent efforts to increase college access and completion concentrate on reducing tuition rates at community colleges, but researchers and policy makers alike have expressed concern that such reductions may not lead to long-term gains in college completion. In this paper, I use detailed data on students' college enrollment and completion outcomes…

Institutions of higher learning today rely on tuition dollars to function. During a time when the pool of high school graduates is shrinking, colleges and universities must look to alternative target markets to meet enrollment goals, including those transferring from community college. Community college transfers have unique attributes that…

As more students begin their higher education trajectory in community colleges in the US, there are few studies investigating the choice process for community college transfer students. This study draws on models of college choice to examine community college student transfer decisions. Using longitudinal administrative data, we examine…

This research study attempted to understand the implications of a last-dollar, free community college program, otherwise known as a College Promise Program, and its ability to provide educational access, academic success, and degree attainment for the neediest of students. Three research questions focused on the relationship between eligibility…