IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/reihed/v64y2023i5d10.1007_s11162-022-09713-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reducing the Loss of Community College Students who Demonstrate Potential in STEM

Author

Listed:
  • Peter Riley Bahr

    (University of Michigan)

  • Jon McNaughtan

    (Texas Tech University)

  • Grant R. Jackson

    (Texas Tech University)

Abstract

Community colleges serve nearly half of all undergraduates, including a disproportionate share of African American and Hispanic students, and are a key point of access to higher education for students who face socioeconomic disadvantages or other obstacles to participation in higher education. Community colleges stand to play a pivotal role in strengthening the nation’s workforce and increasing opportunity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. However, a troublingly large fraction of community college students who complete advanced STEM courses ultimately leave college without postsecondary credentials. Utilizing data from the California Community College system, we investigated four hypothesized explanations for why students who have demonstrated potential to succeed in STEM fields by completing an advanced course in math, chemistry, or physics did not complete college. We found that students who left college tended to enter the STEM curriculum at lower levels of skills, struggled in non-STEM coursework, and did not take or were unable to pass STEM courses in other fields. They also were more likely to be White and more likely to be male. We conclude with recommendations for institutional policy and practice and for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Riley Bahr & Jon McNaughtan & Grant R. Jackson, 2023. "Reducing the Loss of Community College Students who Demonstrate Potential in STEM," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 64(5), pages 675-704, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reihed:v:64:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1007_s11162-022-09713-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11162-022-09713-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11162-022-09713-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11162-022-09713-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xueli Wang, 2012. "Factors Contributing to the Upward Transfer of Baccalaureate Aspirants Beginning at Community Colleges," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 83(6), pages 851-875, November.
    2. Paco Martorell & Isaac McFarlin, 2011. "Help or Hindrance? The Effects of College Remediation on Academic and Labor Market Outcomes," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 93(2), pages 436-454, May.
    3. Xueli Wang, 2016. "Course-Taking Patterns of Community College Students Beginning in STEM: Using Data Mining Techniques to Reveal Viable STEM Transfer Pathways," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 57(5), pages 544-569, August.
    4. Yi Leaf Zhang & Maria Adamuti-Trache & John Connolly, 2019. "From Community College Attendants to Baccalaureate Recipients: A Planned Behavior Model for Transfer Students in STEM Fields of Study," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 90(3), pages 373-401, May.
    5. Ralph Stinebrickner & Todd Stinebrickner, 2014. "Academic Performance and College Dropout: Using Longitudinal Expectations Data to Estimate a Learning Model," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 32(3), pages 601-644.
    6. Hsun-Yu Chan & Xueli Wang, 2018. "Momentum Through Course-Completion Patterns Among 2-Year College Students Beginning in STEM: Variations and Contributing Factors," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 59(6), pages 704-743, September.
    7. Peter Riley Bahr & Grant Jackson & Jon McNaughtan & Meghan Oster & Jillian Gross, 2017. "Unrealized Potential: Community College Pathways to STEM Baccalaureate Degrees," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 88(3), pages 430-478, May.
    8. Jason M. Lindo & Nicholas J. Sanders & Philip Oreopoulos, 2010. "Ability, Gender, and Performance Standards: Evidence from Academic Probation," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(2), pages 95-117, April.
    9. Rask, Kevin, 2010. "Attrition in STEM fields at a liberal arts college: The importance of grades and pre-collegiate preferences," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 892-900, December.
    10. Xueli Wang & Yen Lee & Kelly Wickersham, 2019. "Exploring the Relationship Between Longitudinal Course-Taking Patterns and In-State Transfer Into STEM Fields of Study," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 90(2), pages 272-297, March.
    11. Lara Perez-Felkner & Kirby Thomas & Samantha Nix & Jordan Hopkins & Mitchell D’Sa, 2019. "Are 2-Year Colleges the Key? Institutional Variation and the Gender Gap in Undergraduate STEM Degrees," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 90(2), pages 181-209, March.
    12. Peter Riley Bahr, 2019. "The Labor Market Returns to a Community College Education for Noncompleting Students," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 90(2), pages 210-243, March.
    13. Yingyi Ma & Yan Liu, 2017. "Entry and Degree Attainment in STEM: The Intersection of Gender and Race/Ethnicity," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-17, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nicholas A. Wright & Puneet Arora & Jesse Wright, 2024. "I Promise to Work Hard: The Impact of a Non-Binding Commitment Pledge on Academic Performance," Working Papers 2411, Florida International University, Department of Economics.
    2. Yu Chen & Xiaodan Hu, 2021. "The Nudge to Finish Up: A National Study of Community College Near-Completion Students," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 62(5), pages 651-679, August.
    3. Aaron Albert & Nathan Wozny, 2024. "The Impact of Academic Probation: Do Intensive Interventions Help?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 59(3), pages 852-878.
    4. Elizabeth S. Park & Federick Ngo & Tatiana Melguizo, 2021. "The Role of Math Misalignment in the Community College STEM Pathway," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 62(4), pages 403-447, June.
    5. Yifan Gong & Lance Lochner & Ralph Stinebrickner & Todd R. Stinebrickner, 2019. "The Consumption Value of College," NBER Working Papers 26335, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Paco Martorell & Isaac McFarlin, Jr. & Yu Xue, 2014. "Does Failing a Placement Exam Discourage Underprepared Students from Going to College?," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 10(1), pages 46-80, November.
    7. Roy Y. Chan, 2022. "Do Credit Momentum Policies Through the 15 to Finish Improve Academic Progression and Completion of Low-Income, First-Generation Students? Evidence from a College Promise Program," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 63(8), pages 1394-1426, December.
    8. Lester Lusher, 2016. "College Better: Parimutuel Betting Markets as a Commitment Device and Monetary Incentive," Natural Field Experiments 00561, The Field Experiments Website.
    9. Brade, Raphael, 2021. "Social Information and Educational Investment – Nudging Remedial Math Course Participation," VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics 242393, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    10. Pugatch, Todd & Wilson, Nicholas, 2018. "Nudging study habits: A field experiment on peer tutoring in higher education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 151-161.
    11. Abdulmumini Baba Alfa & Abdulmumini Baba Alfa & Mohd Zaini Abd Karim, 2016. "Student Enthusiasm as a Key Determinant of their Performance," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 6(2), pages 237-245.
    12. Lea Cassar & Mira Fischer & Vanessa Valero, 2022. "Keep Calm and Carry On: Immediate-vs. Six-Month Effects of Mindfulness Training on Academic Performance," CESifo Working Paper Series 10099, CESifo.
    13. Ralph Stinebrickner & Todd R. Stinebrickner, 2014. "A Major in Science? Initial Beliefs and Final Outcomes for College Major and Dropout," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 81(1), pages 426-472.
    14. Scott Carrell & Bruce Sacerdote, 2017. "Why Do College-Going Interventions Work?," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 9(3), pages 124-151, July.
    15. Ibrahim Bicak & Lauren Schudde & Kristina Flores, 2023. "Predictors and Consequences of Math Course Repetition: The Role of Horizontal and Vertical Repetition in Success Among Community College Transfer Students," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 64(2), pages 260-299, March.
    16. De Paola, Maria & Scoppa, Vincenzo, 2015. "Procrastination, academic success and the effectiveness of a remedial program," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 217-236.
    17. Pia M. Orrenius & Madeline Zavodny, 2015. "Does Immigration Affect Whether US Natives Major in Science and Engineering?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 33(S1), pages 79-108.
    18. Lisa Barrow & Cecilia Elena Rouse, 2018. "Financial Incentives and Educational Investment: The Impact of Performance-based Scholarships on Student Time Use," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 13(4), pages 419-448, Fall.
    19. Patrick Bennett, 2021. "The Work-To-School Transition: Job Displacement and Skill Upgrading among Young High School Dropouts," CESifo Working Paper Series 9417, CESifo.
    20. Pedros Silos & Eric Smith, 2015. "Human Capital Portfolios," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 18(3), pages 635-652, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:reihed:v:64:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1007_s11162-022-09713-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.