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.

Thesis (Ed. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 8, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 318-334).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 205-210). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.A. in education)--Washington State University, May 2010. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on June 23, 2010). "College of Education." Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-57).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 205-210).

The problem of this study was to compare freshmen students in a selected multicampus junior college district with respect to attitudes, activities, vocational, and educational plans.

Thesis advisor: Stephanie Greene / Thesis advisor: Richard McGowan / The competition among American colleges and universities for top students is now more fierce than ever. As the population of U.S. high school seniors has grown in recent years and the Common Application has facilitated the college application process, American institutions of higher education have scrambled to find new ways to encourage prospective students to apply and compel admitted students to matriculate. Among other factors that influence prospective students’ decisions during the college search and selection process, the existence of intercollegiate athletic programs may have a significant impact on students’ decisions to apply to or enroll at a particular university. However, many high-ranking officials within the realm of higher education seem to support the notion that athletics detract from academic prestige. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test these two claims. An analysis of the data from U.S. News and World Report’s rankings of America’s Best National Universities for the past five years revealed that athletics did not detract from academic prestige, as there was no relationship discovered between existence of big-time intercollegiate athletic programs at an institution and that institution’s peer assessment score. A survey of 173 undergraduate students at Boston College supported the claim that the existence of intercollegiate athletic programs significantly impacted students’ decisions to apply to or enroll at Boston College. Furthermore, these survey results suggested that application numbers and yield at Boston College would decline if its big-time intercollegiate athletic programs were eliminated. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. Carroll School of Management. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 1999

This phenomenological study explores what it means to teach part-time in community colleges in the United States. The increasing use of part-time faculty in community colleges and the concomitant emergence of a two-tiered faculty are discussed. The study examines the nature of part-time work in the United States, thus providing insight into practices in higher education. A discussion of challenges women continue to face in the workplace in general, and academia in particular, provide a background for understanding issues raised by study participants. Through the voices of six women, the study moves behind current statistical data to reveal the experiences, disappointments, joys, and motivations of part-time faculty. The findings illuminate current practices, highlight the importance of the department chair in affecting part-time faculty members' experiences, and challenge us to consider working conditions and relationships in our own academic communities. / Graduation date: 2002