Community college is often touted as an affordable start for students who want to earn bachelor’s degrees. Yet only 13% of community college students actually go on to earn degrees from four-year institutions within eight years, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Education in 2023
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With their open enrollment policies and low tuition, community colleges offer crucial access to higher education. They educate 41% of all U.S. undergraduates, according to the Community College Research Center. And when those students enroll, 83% plan to transfer to four-year schools, according to the Center for Community College Student Engagement.
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Two-thirds of community college students take classes part time. And they often juggle jobs, caregiving and other obligations that can disrupt their education.
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Research suggests statewide policies to make transferring easier can help students earn bachelor’s degrees and avoid taking unnecessary classes.
The article implies that only 13% of community college students actually go on to earn degrees from four-year institutions within eight years specifically because of transfer woes. I am suggesting that the reason may instead be that students are wising up to only needing an Associate’s for many good jobs. Hope that clears up the confusion.
I hope that’s the case and not that they’re giving up because it sucks ass having to juggle everything and then getting stuck with extra costs and classes which is what i received from the article. I wouldn’t consider “leaving empty handed” to mean they got an associates degree. I struggle with it and i don’t even have a family.
“Two-thirds of community college students take classes part time. And they often juggle jobs, caregiving and other obligations that can disrupt their education.”
‘"You could have the best designed programs,” Baber said, “but that gets rendered meaningless if somebody needs to stop out because they need to take a job to pay the bills of their household.”’