Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2004. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 88 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-77).

The study was conducted to identify characteristics that are associated with successful transfer to institutions of higher learning from 3 Phi Theta Kappa chapters at a large multi-campus Mississippi community college. The study examined participation rates and transfer rates of Phi Theta Kappa students. The current study also identified student characteristics that predict the successful transfer of Phi Theta Kappa members. A correlational methodological approach was employed. The Phi Theta Kappa chapters in this study have significant differences in membership, yet the factors that predict transfer to a 4-year university or college are few. The factors include age at transfer, cumulative grade point average, type of major, and associate degree completion. The analysis resulted in a model that may be used to predict the probability that a Phi Theta Kappa student will be a successful transfer. The model was able to predict the transfer of these students with significantly higher probabilities than the baseline model.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Instructional Systems, Leadership, and Workforce Development. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Community colleges are in a unique position in the hierarchy of higher education. They provide quality education at an affordable price. They are strategically located in communities to provide educational opportunities for everyone. The latest prediction is that enrollment at two-year institutions is expected to increase from 5.7 million students to 6.3 million students by 2012 (Gerald & Hussar, 2002). However, research indicates that the retention and transfer rates of community college students are low. This is problematic due to the increased calls for accountability on the national education agenda which are linked to student outcomes. This is astounding for a system with a foundational belief in self-development and an unquenchable mission to provide postsecondary access to people who would likely not attend college if such avenues did not exist. Fortunately, there is one aspect of this statistic that brings renewed optimism to the university transfer mission of community colleges. Eightyive percent of Phi Theta Kappa members transfer to a four-year institution. Currently more than 600 colleges and universities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and London offer more than $36 million in transfer scholarships to Phi Theta Kappa members (www.ptk.org). This study examined the experiences of those students who are members of Phi Theta Kappa in an effort to identify ways to recruit and retain students and increase the transfer percentage for community college students. The Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire was used to examine their community college experiences quantitatively. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlations were used to analyze the data. Results of this study indicated that the Phi Theta Kappans were attending their community college to prepare for transfer to a four-year college or university. As anticipated, the Phi Theta Kappans were more involved in activities related to their courses and computer technology. The Quality of Effort scale indicated a low level of engagement in cultural activities. An unexpected finding was that there was no statistical significant difference in student satisfaction based on age, sex, or gender. Additionally, the students were satisfied with their community college environment.

Community college completion rates have remained stagnate over the past decade; therefore, college leaders and policy makers continue to seek institutional factors that positively affect graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTKHS), the nation’s largest and oldest honor society for community college students. The completion rates of PTKHS members and rates of other students were investigated using simple statistical procedures for determining significance of differences in proportions. Data sources included published data from the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System surveys, the National Student Clearinghouse, and Beginning Postsecondary Student Longitudinal Study. Results indicate completion gaps between PTKHS and other community college students were substantially high, so much so in fact, that tests of significance were not needed to assist the audience of this research in determining the definite impact of PTKHS on student success.