ERIC Number: EJ1091032
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Mar
Pages: 33
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0361-0365
EISSN: N/A
Should Community College Students Earn an Associate Degree before Transferring to a 4-Year Institution?
Kopko, Elizabeth M.; Crosta, Peter M.
Research in Higher Education, v57 n2 p190-222 Mar 2016
Using data on over 41,000 students in one state who entered community college before transferring to a 4-year institution, this study examines the following question: Are community college students who earn an associate degree before transferring to a 4-year college more likely to earn a bachelor's degree? Due to the causal nature surrounding this question we employ several strategies to minimize selection bias, including the use of propensity score matching. Analysis reveals large, positive apparent impacts of earning the transfer-oriented associate degrees (i.e., Associate in Arts and Associate in Science) on the probability of earning a bachelor's degree within 6 years. We do not find any apparent impacts associated with earning one of the workforce-oriented degrees (i.e., Associate in Applied Science) that are awarded by programs typically designed for direct labor market entry. This is an important distinction, as all associate degrees are not equal in their potential impacts on future baccalaureate completion.
Descriptors: Two Year College Students, Community Colleges, Associate Degrees, College Transfer Students, Bachelors Degrees, Probability, Correlation, Labor Market, Job Skills, Academic Degrees
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Two Year Colleges; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A