“ONE‐STOP OR STOP‐OUT?” A FIVE‐YEAR LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE ATTENDANCE

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined a cohort group of 3,159 students’ community college attendance patterns over a five‐year period. The cohort was a group of students enrolled in credit courses for the first time in a public two‐year community college. The analysis revealed that approximately 30% of the students attended one semester, 50% attended intermittently and 13% obtained credentials. Analysis of demographic variables between the groups did not reveal significant differences. Limitations in the research and implications for practice are discussed.