New transfer data from the U.S. Education Department (ED) illustrate that most community college students who transfer to a four-year institution don’t attain a baccalaureate even within an eight-year window. Only 13% of Title IV students who start at community colleges ultimately earn bachelor’s degrees within eight years, according to the data released during an ED transfer Read More »
DataPoints: Multiple goals
Community college students often have multiple goals. In fact, more than half (55%) of recent two-year college students had at least two goals, and one-third (33%) had three or more goals, according to recent findings by the Strada Education Foundation. Strada polled students who attended a community college within the past 10 years and are not currently Read More »
DataPoints: The growth of credentials
The number of credentials being offered continues to increase, surpassing 1 million (1,076,358, to be exact), according to a new report. That’s 10% more than the nonprofit Credential Engine counted last year. The swath of credentials includes degrees, certificates, diplomas, micro-credentials, badges, course completion certificates, licenses and apprenticeships and others. And the credentials are being offered Read More »
DataPoints: Associate attainment in Appalachia
Appalachia has a higher percentage of working-age adults with an associate degree but no bachelor’s degree than the national average, according to a new federal report that examines trends in the Appalachia region. In 2016-20, 10.2% of adults ages 25 to 64 in Appalachia had an associate degree but not a baccalaureate, compared to 9.3% nationally, shows Read More »
DataPoints: Student supports in recruiting, enrolling and retaining
Increasing enrollment (87%) and retention rates (78%) remain top-tier concerns for community college leaders, according to a new report based on a fall 2021 survey of two-year college officials. Increasing graduation rates (59%) was third, followed by reducing equity gaps (57%) and re-engaging lapsed students (52%). Seven in 10 survey participants said that holistic student support was Read More »
DataPoints: Responsibilities increase for student affairs
A new survey indicates that many student affairs professionals expect to see their responsibilities increase over the next five years in areas such as equity, diversity and inclusion, online student communications and crisis management for students, among others. The survey by NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education released in March shows that nearly all of the Read More »
DataPoints: The community college baccalaureate landscape
Nearly half of all states (24) have authorized at least some community colleges to confer bachelor’s degrees, according to a recent analysis by New America. The heaviest concentration of those states are in the West, with 15 of the states located west of the Mississippi River. Early adopters such as Georgia, Washington and Florida have Read More »
DataPoints: Promising completion rates
The average completion rate* for students who first enrolled in public community colleges in fall 2016 rose to a record high of 33.7% – up from 30.1% the prior year – based on new data from the U.S. Education Department. The rate is 46.6% when students who transferred prior to earning a credential (complete or transfer rate) are added. Read More »
DataPoints: Outcomes for Asian students
Nearly half of Asian students who started at public two-year institutions in 2012 completed college within six years. Read the full PDF.
DataPoints: Finishing with little debt
Nearly 60 percent of public two-year college students who earn an associate degree are not saddled with student loan debt. Read the full PDF.