Students' Variables Predicting Timely Graduation at a Community College

Abstract

Community colleges play a fundamental role in providing access to a college education for students from diverse backgrounds. According to 2006 data, only 28.0% of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking community college students graduate with degrees within 3 years. Fewer than 45.0% of students who enter community college with a goal of achieving degrees or certificates are able to graduate within 6 years and 52.0% of first-time, full-time college students in public community colleges return for their 2nd year. Moreover, only 8.5% of the state’s population aged 25 and older had earned 2-year degrees. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between students' background, financial, academic, and students’ timely graduation from a community college campus in central Florida.

The survey instrument was a questionnaire developed using Tinto’s (1995) student integration model as the conceptual framework. The survey items were designed to capture background, financial, academic variables. The questionnaire was presented on-line and hosted by SurveyMonkey.com.