An Examination of The Relationship Between Students Participating in A College Readiness Course and Success Outcomes at a Community College
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Authors
Speights, Terri
Issue Date
2018-12
Type
Dissertation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Dissertations, Academic--United States , College dropouts--Prevention , Community colleges , College freshmen , Academic achievement , Curriculum evaluation
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Abstract
Historically, Community College has been the gateway to higher education for many students regardless of their background or academic achievement level. Perhaps this may explain why the retention rates at Community Colleges are consistently lower than four-year institutions. Only 29% of full-time degree seeking Community College students graduate within three years of their initial enrollment (McFarland et al., 2017). Although several programs have been implemented to increase retention, few studies have addressed how effective these strategies are at Community College. Using data from Florida Community College, this causal-comparative study examined the effects of a Summer Bridge (SB) course on student success outcomes. Also, this study explored how the effects varied by gender and ethnicity. The sample (N = 1735) was comprised of two groups: a cohort of first-time, full-time degree-seeking students who were enrolled in SB during Summer 2015 and a matched comparison group who enrolled the following term, Fall 2015. Findings revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups on academic integration by gender and ethnicity. Results suggest that participation in Summer Bridge promotes integration into the academic and social system of the college which increases the chance of students persisting to graduation. Although findings revealed a statistically significant difference between the groups on success indicators, no causal link can be established. Further in-depth investigation into the effects of enrolling in a SB course using an experimental design with a qualitative component is warranted.
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This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed.