Community college persistence: Achievement, retention, and attainment in a diverse student population

Abstract

Community colleges occupy a distinct position within the field of higher education, especially when prospective students have adopted a College-for-All mentality. Due to widespread open admissions policies, these institutions appeal to diverse student populations that are often unprepared for the rigors of higher education. This dynamic can lead to long-term struggles related to student persistence, retention, and attainment. I apply Bourdieu's notion of habitus at the institutional level as well as Tinto's notion of integration to analyze predictors of academic achievement, institutional departure, and degree attainment at a large community college serving approximately 25,000 students annually in the South West Central region. Using data college by the college's Institutional Research and Assessment department from academic years 2009-2010 to 2018-2019, I employ ordinary least squares regression to examine predictors of academic achievement as well as logistic regression models to estimate retention and attainment. The findings suggest that individual-level variables such as high school GPA as well as participation in institutional programs are reliable predictors for community college persistence. There is some support for applying Bourdieu's notion of habitus at the institutional level. I conclude with a brief discussion of theoretical implications as well as institutional recommendations to benefit the experiences of future students.