Pearson survey shows course enrollment difficulties hinder success in community college
4/14/2011
As rising demand and declining budgets continue to strain community college systems across the country, the results of a new survey underscore the economy’s impact on students who are finding fewer courses available at their local community college, even as they are competing with greater numbers of their peers to attend them. The Pearson Foundation Community College Student Survey was conducted online during fall 2010 by Harris Interactive. In the first national survey of its kind, 32 percent of students--and 55 percent of Hispanic students--said they were unable to enroll in a class of their choice because the class roster was already full.
The survey was commissioned to better understand the keys to success for community college students. The main survey findings show that around one in six students was at immediate risk of discontinuing his or her studies within the first few weeks of enrollment: 15 percent reported that they had either dropped out or seriously considered dropping out within the first few weeks of the semester, generally because of their struggles with courses or because of their difficulty in balancing continued academic study with family and work obligations.
The survey also uncovered that, despite these difficulties, a significant number of community college students fail to seek or obtain the help they need to succeed in their studies. Twenty-five percent of students who have considered dropping out said they were struggling with their courses but did not seek help. Nearly 20 percent of students who have considered dropping out and were struggling reported being unable to get the help that they needed. And the vast majority (74 percent) of those who did drop out did not discuss their intentions with instructors or advisors.
In addition to these key findings, the survey also underscored the growing demand among students for online learning: 61 percent of the community college students surveyed reported having taken at least one course online, and 44 percent said they would like to take all of their courses online. Responses also revealed that the students most at risk of dropping out of community college studies were more likely to be male, employed full-time, enrolled part-time and enrolled in remedial math or English courses.
Other key findings include:
- Nearly three out of 10 students surveyed (28 percent) who took a math or English placement test were unable to enroll in all of the recommended courses.
- More than 70 percent of students surveyed believe high-speed Internet access is important for success in community college.
- External factors, such as family and work obligations and financial concerns, were reported as the top reasons for dropping out or considering it.
The survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the Pearson Foundation between September 27 and November 4, 2010, among 1,434 U.S. residents between the ages of 18 and 59 who were enrolled in a U.S. community college, pursuing at least one course for college credit, at any point between August 1, 2010, and the time the survey was taken. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available upon request.
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