Focusing on the controversy over whether community colleges aid or hinder their students' socioeconomic attainment, this paper aims to definitively determine the effects of these institutions and to explore how they produce those effects. The first section critically synthesizes research comparing the community college and other postsecondary…

Data from the postsecondary transcripts of high school seniors included in the High School and Beyond (HS&B) study of the class of 1980 and the National Longitudinal Study (NLS) of the Senior Class of 1972 were analyzed to investigate the participation of students in two-year postsecondary programs. The analyses focused mainly on the…

This report examines key questions related to the provision of educational opportunities by community colleges to those who are able to benefit from the experience. Chapter I discusses the different meanings of educational access and explains how different implications for public policy stem from various definitions and standards. Chapter II…

This report documents student attendance in California's community colleges. It begins by outlining the requirements for academic calendars as they relate to student attendance. It then defines who is admissible to community colleges in California and classifies all of the possible enrollment statuses one may take. The first chapter defines which…

Describes the characteristics and needs of first-generation college students at Miami-Dade Community College and the applicability of an academic support program at Wolfson Campus for recruiting and retaining African-American and Hispanic students who may be the first in their families to attend college. (DMM)

Presents a study of low educational interest and participation area. Quoting from ethnographic interviews, discusses the influences of family, schools, and community on educational decisions. Describes plans to increase public awareness, and develop new curricula and intervention strategies. (DMM)

This report presents data on the student composition of California higher education in graphs and text. The information focuses on the period from 1989 to 1993 though trends going back to 1980 are also displayed. The data are from a variety of sources including the Educational Testing Service, the California Postsecondary Education Commission, the…

This paper describes the results of a collaboration between three local community colleges in Oregon, Clackamas Community College, Portland Community College, and Mount Hood Community College with Portland State University, to study student transfers among the institutions. Using a random sample of 504 students who had completed at least three…

The goals of this study of student outcomes were to find ways to better manage enrollments, husband teaching and administrative resources, reduce attrition, and better understand the needs and expectations of students. The study examined data for 2,262 first-time, associate degree-seeking students entering a mid-sized rural college in the…

In 1988, a retrospective study was conducted at the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) of the enrollment patterns of 1,521 students who graduated from the district in spring 1987. The study was designed to determine the length of time it took a sample of CCC graduates to receive a two-year degree. Data for the study were drawn from computerized and…

A study was conducted using enrollment and program completion data for fiscal years (FY's) 1984 through 1987 to analyze female student participation at the Illinois public community colleges. Study findings included the following: (1) female students comprised 57.7% of the colleges' enrollments over the 4 years of the study, representing 51% of…

The accessibility of higher education to women and minorities was studied, with a focus on the University of California, Berkeley. Information was also obtained on the University of California system, the California State University system, and the community college system. In order to provide comparative information for Quebec, Canada, access of…

An advertisement for higher education, and specifically for the City University of New York (CUNY), presents data to support arguments in favor of college education. The benefits described include: preparation for a career, increased job opportunities, occupational mobility, and personal fulfillment. Also listed are numerous occupations and the…

This report analyzes patterns of undergraduate transfer behavior of students who entered postsecondary education during the academic year 1989-90. Data were derived from the spring 1994 follow-up of the 1990 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study. The report notes that attendance at multiple institutions is widespread: at 4-year…

This report examines the trends in Black undergraduate enrollments at Pennsylvania colleges and universities and postsecondary education participation rates for Pennsylvania's Black high school graduating classes for the 1980s. Enrollment trends for all undergraduates, full-time undergraduates, first-time undergraduates and for part-time…