Student Success Courses in the Community College

This study examines student success courses in two urban community colleges. Through analysis of student interview data, we find that such courses are an essential resource for students, in large part because the various benefits reinforce one another and magnify their influence. These benefits include learning about the college, classes, and study skills. In addition, students build important relationships with professors and peers.

[1]  L. Watson,et al.  African-American Retention within a Community College: Differences in Orientation Course Enrollment , 2006 .

[2]  Vincent Tinto,et al.  Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition. , 1988 .

[3]  Stephen Provasnik,et al.  The Condition of Education 2004. NCES 2004-077. , 2004 .

[4]  Mariana Alfonso,et al.  Paths to Persistence: An Analysis of Research on Program Effectiveness at Community Colleges , 2005 .

[5]  J. Coleman,et al.  Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital , 1988, American Journal of Sociology.

[6]  Thomas R. Bailey,et al.  Is Student Success Labeled Institutional Failure? Student Goals and Graduation Rates in the Accountability Debate at Community Colleges. CCRC Working Paper No. 1. , 2005 .

[7]  Tracy C. Davis How College Affects Students (Vol. 2): A Third Decade of Research (review) , 2006 .

[8]  Kay M. McClenney Research Update: The Community College Survey of Student Engagement , 2007 .

[9]  Jeffrey D. Kromrey,et al.  A longitudinal study of the retention and academic performance of participants in freshmen orientation course. , 1994 .

[10]  Ernest T. Pascarella,et al.  How College Affects Students: A Third Decade of Research. Volume 2. , 2005 .

[11]  William J. Hussar,et al.  The Condition of Education , 2010 .

[12]  Dustin C. Derby,et al.  Predicting Degree Completion: Examining the Interaction between Orientation Course Participation and Ethnic Background , 2007 .

[13]  Thomas M. Smith,et al.  The Condition of education , 1975 .

[14]  Carolyn A. Schnell,et al.  First Year Seminars Produce Long-Term Impact , 2003 .

[15]  S. Schwartz,et al.  Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition , 1987 .

[16]  Vincent Tinto,et al.  Classrooms as Communities: Exploring the Educational Character of Student Persistence. , 1997 .

[17]  S. Blank,et al.  Support Success. Services That May Help Low-Income Students Succeed in Community College. Opening Doors. , 2004 .

[18]  Barbara S. Metzner Perceived Quality of Academic Advising: The Effect on Freshman Attrition , 1989 .

[19]  Davis Jenkins,et al.  Do Student Success Courses Actually Help Community College Students Succeed? CCRC Brief. Number 36. , 2007 .

[20]  Ernest T. Pascarella,et al.  A third decade of research , 2005 .