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ERIC Number: ED557995
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Jan
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Recent National Community College Enrollment and Award Completion Data
Juszkiewicz, Jolanta
American Association of Community Colleges
National community college enrollments continue to decrease. Given the importance of these trends to American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) member institutions--understanding that local changes are ultimately what matters--AACC is providing this report to discuss some of the latest data. It also examines the completion rates that were released along with the U.S. Department of Education's (ED) enrollment data, comparing them to the much more accurate data produced by the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC). The NSC studies reveal a much higher rate of community college success than is often perceived. Highlighted in the report is the following information: (1) There is agreement that enrollment at community colleges nationwide declined by more than 3% between fall 2011 and fall 2012; NSC data show similar decline in fall 2013; (2) The decrease in enrollment of students over the age of 24 has been much higher than younger students for the past 3 years, reaching 6% in fall 2013; (3) The NSC completion rate that tracks all students for 6 years across institutions shows that 40% of community college students completed their program--almost double the official graduation rate (21%) used by ED, which measures for the starting institution the percent of full-time, first-time students starting in the fall who completed their program within 3 years; and (4) The NSC graduation rate for full-time students increases to about 58%, or nearly three times the official ED graduation rate.
American Association of Community Colleges. One Dupont Circle NW Suite 410, Washington, DC 20015. Tel: 202-728-0200; Fax: 202-833-2467; Web site: http://www.aacc.nche.edu
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Two Year Colleges; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: American Association of Community Colleges
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A