A comparison of two definitions of success for community colleges

This study examined community college students’ educational goals at the time of first enrollment in college and the status of attainment of those goals two and four years later. A comparison of the traditional definition of success for community college students - on time graduation or transfer to a four-year institution - and a definition reflecting Southern Association for Colleges and Schools criteria for institutional effectiveness was conducted to determine what effect changing success criteria would have numbers of students who are considered successful. Between 1985 and 1989, 11,553 student attending community colleges in southwestern Virginia were tracked to determine the degree to which they attained entry level educational goals. Students who enrolled for the purpose of attaining a credential were more likely to graduate and to exceed their educational goals than their non-degree-seeking counterparts. Non-degree-seekers were more likely to attain their educational goals exactly and then discontinue their community college enrollment. Differences among demographic groups are discussed and suggestions for policymakers are given.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Research and Evaluation

Department dc:contributor.department

Educational Research and Evaluation

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1992

Author dc:creator

• Williams, Jean Myers

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Impara, James C.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Cross, Lawrence H.
• Culver, Steven M.
• Fortune, Jimmie C.
• Vogler, Daniel E.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-10102005-131604

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39722