DYNAMICS OF ENROLLMENT AND PROGRAM CHOICE IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Abstract

Because community colleges offer an alternative track in postsecondary education, the dynamics of enrollment and success for its students do not necessarily follow the patterns for those in other forms of higher education. Unfortunately, much of the criticism of community colleges focuses on the class effects of enrollment in these institutions but does not consider as well the concomitant effects of age, gender, and program of study. To understand community colleges, therefore, researchers should focus on the characteristics that make these students unique. Following this premise, our investigation explores the reality of today's community colleges for all its students, not just those of traditional college age, nor those enrolled only in transfer programs. Although gender and socioeconomic status have a significant effect on determining a student's program of study, our findings also demonstrate the importance that age plays in explaining the dynamics of program enrollment. Furthermore, this study shows...