The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between high school campus accountability ratings, college readiness indicators, and the percent of students who achieved first year college success. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship between the variables. Data was analyzed for two-year and four-year postsecondary educational institutions which were divided by eight school district types. Regression analysis of the relationship between high school campus accountability ratings and the percent of students who achieved first year college success for four- year post secondary educational institutions revealed statistically significant results ranging from R2 =.179 to R2 = .220. Similar results were found for two-year post secondary educational institutions with statistically significant results ranging from R2 = .049 to R2 = .218. The results indicated negligible to small relationships between the variables. Regression results of the analysis for the relationship between college readiness indicators and the percent of students who achieved first year college success revealed statistically significant results for 2 - year post secondary educational institutions ranging from R2 = .077 to R2 = .596 and for 4 -year post secondary educational institutions ranging from R2 = .048 to R2 = .304. These results indicated small to moderate relationships between college readiness indicators and the percent of students who achieve first year college success.

The Middle College program, developed by the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), allows high school dropouts (herein referred to as "out of school youth"), ages 18 to 24, to increase their income and employability by pursuing a General Educational Development certificate (GED®), community college certificate or degree, and a workforce credential within a college campus environment (VCCS, 2010). The investigation presented herein analyzes selected factors related to community college success of Virginia Middle College completers who earned the GED® via the Middle College program at eight Virginia community colleges from 2006-2013. Initial foundational information was provided by the Virginia Community College Student Information System (VCCSIS) dataset. Quantitative research methods including contingency table and logistic regression were used to analyze selected factors leading to Virginia Middle College program completion and subsequent community college success, including attainment of a community college career studies certificate, a community college applied sciences degree, a community college transfer degree to a four-year college or university, and a workplace credential such as the Virginia Career Readiness Certificate (CRC). Virginia Middle College completers who achieved community college success in 2006-2013 were then administered a survey instrument to investigate the completers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the community college support services offered within the respective community college. Results indicate that age played an important role in GED completion within the Middle College program and that the younger aged participants were more likely to complete GED on time (within one year of enrollment in Middle College). A greater number of Middle College completers earned a community college career studies certificate than any other credential earned and different community colleges have statistically significant different proportions of earned degrees and certificates. With Middle College participants closely connected with staff in the program, the results of this study also suggested that coaching and mentoring further promoted success and completion of postsecondary pathways. Another finding was that attendance on college campuses apparently motivated students to complete their GED and transition to and complete a postsecondary certificate or degree. / Ed. D. / The Virginia’s Middle College program allows high school dropouts, ages 18 to 24, to increase their income and employability by pursuing a General Educational Development certificate (GED®), community college certificate or degree, and a workforce credential within a college campus environment (VCCS, 2010). This study analyzes selected factors related to community college success of Virginia Middle College completers who earned the GED® via the Middle College program at eight Virginia community colleges from 2006-2013. Initial information was provided by the Virginia Community College Student Information System (VCCSIS) dataset. Virginia Middle College completers who achieved community college success in 2006-2013 were then administered a survey instrument to investigate the completers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the community college support services. Results indicate that age played an important role in GED completion within the Middle College program and that the younger aged participants were more likely to complete GED on time (within one year of enrollment in Middle College). A greater number of Middle College completers earned a community college career studies certificate than any other credential earned and different community colleges have statistically significant different proportions of earned degrees and certificates. With Middle College participants closely connected with staff in the program, the results of this study also suggested that coaching and mentoring further promoted success and completion of postsecondary pathways. Another finding was that attendance on college campuses apparently motivated students to complete their GED and transition to and complete a postsecondary certificate or degree.

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This investigation examines college success in freshman and sophomore level biology courses for students with biology AP credit by addressing the following questions: One, Does AP biology experience increase academic performance in freshman biology? Do AP students with scores of 3 significantly outperform non-AP students? Do AP students with scores of 5 significantly outperform non-AP students in sophomore level biology courses? Two groups of college freshman and sophomores, those with AP biology scores and those without, were matched in regards to gender and SAT scores and instructor of record. Results suggest that students with biology AP scores of 3 may not, as suggested by the College Board, be adequately prepared to enroll directly into sophomore level biology courses. Results from this dissertation suggest the following implications: (a) AP students with final AP exam scores of 1 and 2 have derived little if any benefit from their yearlong AP biology course and the AP final exam in regards to Freshman Biology I; (b) AP biology students with scores of 3 and 4 on their end-of-the-year biology AP exam appear to be well prepared to be successful, based on mean final grades, in Freshman Biology I; (c) There is no supporting evidence that suggests AP students with AP final exam scores of 3 or 4 are adequately prepared to enroll directly into sophomore level biology courses and be successful; and (d) AP students with scores of 5 who have enrolled directly into sophomore level biology courses did not significantly outperform, based on mean final grades, non-AP students who have taken the two semester sequence of freshman biology courses. Further research needs to be done at each college and university participating in the Advanced Placement program to set appropriate cut off scores for the end-of-the-year AP exam score in regards to awarding college credit. Moreover, a considerable amount of research carried out thus far fails to capture many of the variables known to be associated with college success. Therefore, further research done in this area needs to control for these other variables. / Ed. D.

abstract: The purpose of this action research study was to determine the effectiveness of two online college success courses: CPD 150 (College Success, 3 credits) and CPD 115 (Success Strategies, 1 credit), at Rio Salado College, a Maricopa Community College in Arizona. The goal of these courses is to prepare students to be college-ready by examining college readiness and learning skills. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire measured students' perceptions of their own college readiness in a pre-test/post-test format. Understanding students' perceptions of their own college readiness is the college's first step in understanding the effectiveness of these courses. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to compare the pre- and post-tests to determine whether the average student scores changed after completion of the college success course. Paired samples t-tests (or repeated-measures test) were conducted on 2 scales consisting of 13 subscales of the MSLQ of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Data analysis revealed that students reported that they had better study skills after the course than before completing the course. Particularly, learning strategies, test anxiety, self-efficacy, effort regulation (self-management), control of learning beliefs, study skills, and time and study environment stand out as showing substantial improvement for the students.   / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Higher and Postsecondary Education 2012

This study investigates the influence of family structure during adolescent on college entry and success using the more recently available Postsecondary Education Transcript Study (PETS) data of the High School and Beyond (HS&B) sophomore cohort to predict college entry, baccalaureate degree completion, and persistence in the science, math, technology, and engineering pipeline at the collegiate level. I propose that family structure not only influences adolescents' preparation for higher education, but also their ability to commit to and persevere within higher education. While traditional studies of student achievement and persistence have focused on socioeconomic status or academic ability, I explore family dynamics in attempting to explain the disadvantage adolescents from non-intact families experience within higher education. While controlling for family income and parents education, this study specifically explores parental involvement, parent's educational aspirations, and family disruption as potential mechanisms that might account for the disadvantage adolescents from non-intact families experience in terms of higher education. The findings in this study indicate that single parent families and stepparent families should be analyzed as distinct groups for greater accuracy and understanding. Moreover, parental involvement, turbulence, and parental expectations as measured in high school influence the life course of young adults in their postsecondary pursuits. The present study contributes significantly to our understanding of families, family processes and higher education conceptually, and its findings have implications for education policy. / text

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College success, as defined by adjustment to college and academic performance, is a multidetermined with a number of contributing influences, including academic factors, personality variables, family characteristics, and environmental factors. This study attempted to provide an organizing model of the college success literature that was based on previous research (e.g., Aspinwall & Taylor, 1994) and current stress-coping theory (Moos & Swindle, 1990). Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that the hypothesized model did not fit the data well. However, subsequent regression analyses did validate the view that college success is multidetermined. Specifically, academic performance was predicted by a combination of academic factors (SAT score and class rank) and academic adjustment. In turn, academic adjustment was predicted by locus of control, perceived social support, and high school class rank. Personal adjustment was predicted by coping strategies employed, parents who fostered autonomy, locus of control, self-esteem, and high school class rank. Finally, social adjustment was predicted by optimism, coping strategies employed, and locus of control. Treatment implications as well as directions for future research were discussed.

Not all college “stayers” and “leavers” stay or leave for the same reason or with the same experience. However, traditional measures and studies of academic success have limited their scope to either performance or persistence as individual variables. This study explored whether a more nuanced definition of success as a composite of both performance and persistence (GPA and retention) produced different results than when using the variables separately. The influence of academic self-efficacy on student success served as the context for this exploration. The study used an existing incoming student survey dataset from a small private liberal arts college. Subjects were grouped into one of five categories based on academic performance and persistence after two terms: Good Performing Leavers, Good Performing Stayers, Bad Performing Leavers, Bad Performing Stayers, and Early Leavers. The relationship between academic self-efficacy and student success, using the individual and composite outcome variables, were explored. The results of the study were inconclusive with the composite measure resulting in only a slight increase in the number of significant relationship with self-efficacy items. Post hoc exploratory analysis that controlled for high school GPA and removed subjects who did not appear to have engaged in the survey resulted in some support for the original hypothesis. These and other suggestions are made for future investigations of this question.