In late September, a report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center released enrollment information which revealed that community college enrollments have dropped by an alarming average of 7.5 percent so far this fall. Some colleges are seeing enrollment increases, though. Lee College is one of the few colleges in Texas that, despite the pandemic, […]
Completion Articles
Designing the path to a bachelor’s degree through community college
Justin Smock had started along a well-trodden path. Like many others, he graduated from high school and went straight to community college to earn an associate degree. He felt a tug toward sign language interpretation and went back to school to earn a Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf certification. While he thought about pursuing […]
Personal guidance for student parents
As many parents struggle to balance work or look for jobs while helping their children with online learning, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is offering solutions free of charge with its new Parent Teacher Assistant Toolbox, a free, self-paced course that includes resources and professional coaching. The course was developed specifically by the college’s R3 (ReFocus, ReTrain, […]
Report roundup
Here are three reports to check out this month. A new report from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center shows big enrollment drops this fall. Community college enrollments have dropped by an alarming average of 7.5 percent so far this fall. That’s a far higher rate than the 2.5 percent national average decrease for […]
Taking a moment to reflect
The coronavirus postponed the announcement of the recipients of the 2020 AACC Awards of Excellence, which was to be held at the association’s 100th annual convention in April. But given all that has happened nationally since this spring, the categories, finalists and selected recipients named on September 17 during a live online broadcast were especially […]
Building pathways for neurodiverse students
BridgeValley Community and Technical College is expanding services to neurodivergent students with a new pilot program, Neurodiversity Pathfinders. The program is designed according to the social justice and intersectionality models of disability, said a press release from the college, and it’s the first of its kind in West Virginia. The program provides neurodivergent students with […]
Adding up the successes
Bristol Community College in Massachusetts is saving students time and money while increasing success rates with its Corequisite Models of Developmental Math Education initiative. Bristol began a developmental math corequisite study in Spring 2014 by offering two sections of fundamental statistics, each paired with a section of introductory algebra. In 2016, the college offered a […]
Opening doors with OER
For many students, textbooks are a considerable cost of higher education, right up there with tuition and fees. At Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) in Nevada, both students and faculty are working on a solution to make higher education more affordable — and therefore, accessible — for everybody. Last year, former Student Government Association (SGA) […]
Success for student parents
Single mothers make up an increasing part of the college student population in the United States. Their educational success can forge a path for economic mobility and success for themselves and their families. Eight community colleges will expand their efforts to help single mother students through the College Success for Single Mothers Project. The participating […]
Mapping a future
Community colleges have been creating, adapting and using Guided Pathways models for several years to help students navigate college. In California, program maps are giving students a semester-by-semester path from program entry to completion. They also help faculty and staff with the task of clarifying complex catalog and transfer information. A few years ago, Bakersfield […]