In Kentucky, the number of high school students participating in dual credit programs is on the rise, increasing the need for research to explore the effects of dual credit on postsecondary academic outcomes. This research brief focuses on two areas: second-year persistence and first-year grade point average (GPA) in college. The study shows that…

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in the bachelor's degree graduation rates of three groups of undergraduate students at a regional, public university in Kentucky. The three groups consisted of those registered with disability services, those registered with disability services…

This research brief examines the impact of dual credit participation on second-year persistence and first-year GPA, broken down by gender. It also explores whether dual credit courses can help narrow the gap in outcomes between female and male students. The first brief in this series (ED611821) already revealed a gap in dual credit participation…

This research brief examines the impact of dual credit participation on second-year persistence and first-year GPA among low-income and underrepresented minority (URM) students. The brief also explores whether dual credit opportunities help close outcome gaps affecting these student groups. Low-income is defined by a student's federal Pell grant…

This research brief examines the effect of dual credit participation on second-year persistence and first-year GPA at Kentucky public four-year universities, broken down by income. It is the fifth of six research briefs exploring the effects of dual credit on postsecondary outcomes.

This brief examines the varied effects of dual credit on second-year persistence and first-year GPA for underrepresented minority undergraduate students (URM), compared to white or Asian, non-Hispanic undergraduate students. The first brief (ED611821) showed a substantial gap in dual credit between URM and non-URM students, and this brief provides…

A growing number of postsecondary students transfer from a two-year to a four-year institution. The joint admissions program between Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) and Western Kentucky University-Owensboro (WKU-O) is a unique example of such a transfer relationship. Research is needed to understand the nature of the joint…

The purpose of the studies reported here was to test the hypothesis that college students from cultures that emphasize strong family ties experience familial tethering or a pull to remain connected to home, which then has negative consequences on the student's ability to connect to and succeed at the university. In Study 1, it was found that…

This study connects library user surveys, a common library assessment technique, to institutional data to demonstrate the value an academic library brings to student learning and student outcomes. Using regression techniques, the study identifies multiple significant correlations, both positive and negative, between student use of the library and…

This study seeks to examine the relationship between the long-term use of academic support services such as tutoring, learning assistance, and supplemental instruction and retention to graduation. Little research has been devoted to the relationship between academic support and retention to graduation in both the literatures on retention and…

The purpose of this study was to develop a way to measure students' abilities to think critically about concepts covered during academic support sessions. Tutors trained in a College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA)-certified program at the University of Louisville used a rubric based on the Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Model in order to…

This study considers the effect of a state merit-based aid program for undergraduate students on subsequent enrollment in graduate school. It uses student unit record data to analyze the impact of the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES). Price theory is used as a framework for understanding the incentives provided by KEES. Using a…