This paper aims to illustrate the extent to which structural changes and institutional modifications within the higher education landscape influenced the rates of completion, dropout, and changes in the subject of study of Swiss university students between 1975 and 2018. Using administrative data, our results indicate that the completion rate and…

STEM preparation--especially high school math course-taking--is a key predictor of college entrance. Previous research suggests that high school English learners (ELs) not only take fewer advanced math courses but also enroll in college at much lower rates than non-ELs--a group that includes former ELs. In the present study, we alter the analytic…

The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) has been reviewing state report cards for the past seven years. They continue to examine the landscape of state report cards because they believe states must increase transparency and build trust by sharing information. But after many years, it was time to look at state report cards with fresh eyes. In addition to…

While students have enrolled in college at increased rates since 1996, graduation rates have remained mostly stagnant (NCES, 2022). First-generation Appalachian students, specifically, had lower college completion rates but higher college enrollment rates than their peers (ARC, 2018). Since 2007, researchers have supported the use of non-cognitive…

This brief analyzes 4-year graduation rates among students ever classified as English learners (ever-ELs) and those never classified as English learners (never-ELs) at the intersections of gender, race/ethnicity, and neighborhood income. We follow two cohorts of New York City students who entered ninth grade in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 (N =…

This brief analyzes 4-year graduation rates among students ever classified as English learners (ever-ELs) and those never classified as English learners (never-ELs) at the intersections of gender, race/ethnicity, and neighborhood income. We follow two cohorts of New York City students who entered ninth grade in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 (N =…

Certain introductory engineering courses have been termed gateway courses, due to high failure rates resulting in many students leaving engineering altogether. In one such course, thermodynamics, instructors intentionally formed peer-led study groups (PLSGs) with an undergraduate teaching aide (UGTA) playing a supportive facilitator role instead…

The academic achievement gap among students educated under similar resources and learning environments has been a critical issue over the past century. Exploring and identifying potential solutions to narrow these gaps is imperative, considering the profound influence these disparities have on a student's prospects. Decades of research have…

This study was to create an understanding of students that were placed on academic probation to assess their shared characteristics in relation to their rate of graduation. To do this, the study group selected was a cohort of students from a ten-year time span who were placed on academic probation at a small university in northwest New Jersey.…

Dual credit instruction allows academically prepared high school students to simultaneously earn credits that count toward a high school diploma and a college degree. Dual credit instruction delivers a "win-win" arrangement for all parties: students gain access to challenging college-level coursework to make their junior and senior years…

Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Summer Bridge Programs (SBP)across the California State University (CSU) system vary in design and delivery. This mixed-methods study investigated six CSU SBP designs, delivery, and 4-year graduation rates of SBP participants during the 2015 through 2019 years. The qualitative portion of this study consisted…

Despite evidence for the academic and psychological benefits of racial/ethnic minority (REM) students enrolling in minority-serving institutions, REM college students' graduation rates have been consistently lower for White students across institutions. The current study examined REM graduation rates and associated risk factors in a campus with…

This research explores the many faces of course completion and non-completion in vocational education and training. By tracking student enrolments via the unique student identifier in the National VET Provider Collection, we gain a greater understanding of how individuals mix and match training types and their movement through VET, enabling…

This document provides technical detail and supporting data for the research findings discussed in 'The student journey in VET: the many faces of completion and non-completion'. The analysis in this technical paper explores: (1) an approach to identifying VET subject enrolment activity that serves a compliance or regulatory purpose; (2)…

First-generation students possess a set of unique characteristics that can make persisting in college more challenging than it is for their continuing-generation counterparts. Because many first-generation students are also low-income, community college is an affordable option to access their postsecondary goals. Each year, one-third of all Pell…