Community colleges have become a major focus of post-secondary education since President Obama made them one of his top focus areas over the first two years of his administration. Last year, the first national community college survey was conducted to determine what impact community colleges might have on adults and industries nationwide. The Pearson Foundation's data share insight into who attends community college today and some of the major challenges these institutions and their students face.
Who is Attending Community College?
One part of the survey looked at the types of students community colleges frequently see today, and the results were reported in the Washington Post. This information can help colleges determine the best courses, faculty, and schedules to accommodate their student body demographics. The Pearson Foundation study found:
- One-third of the student population at community colleges enrolled right after graduating from high school.
- One-third were returning to college from the workforce, presumably to get additional training for their current jobs or the education necessary to switch careers.
- One-third were taking community college courses for self-improvement or enjoyment purposes.
- Half the students surveyed were age 26 or older.
- About 60 percent were planning to transfer to a four-year university after completing their community college degree program (the actual transfer rates are much lower).
Most community college students are much older than those attending a four-year university. In addition, many community college students have already been in the workforce; many are married and have families. This changes the needs of the student populations, and community colleges must respond accordingly to keep their student bodies robust.
Getting Classes at a Community College
At this point, community colleges are not at a loss for students to take their courses. Many students in the Pearson Foundation survey reported that they could not get into the classes they needed to complete their degree programs, and a significant number had considered dropping out of college entirely because of it.
According to the Pearson Foundation website, the survey found:
- About 20 percent of the student population surveyed said that enrolling in the courses they needed to take during the fall semester last year was difficult.
- Of the students who took placement tests to determine the courses they should take, more than one-fourth reported they could not enroll in the necessary courses after taking the placement test.
- Around one-third of community college students said they could not enroll in one or more classes during the semester when the survey was conducted because the courses were full.
The current economic downturn has sent many students back to community college to get the education they need to land a recession-proof job. The influx of students, combined with cutbacks in most state budgets, has left the majority of community colleges around the country scrambling to accommodate as many students as possible. At this time, this trend doesn’t appear to show any signs of easing.
While most students remained in school and tried to get the necessary courses, the survey showed that many community college students either considered dropping out before completing their coursework – or left the program. During the survey semester, 15 percent of students seriously considered dropping out due to struggles with getting courses or balancing work and family issues. Almost three-fourths of those who did drop out did so without consulting with an advisor or faculty member first.
The Popularity of Online Education
The Pearson Foundation survey also found that most community college students today see the Internet as a significant tool in their post-secondary education. More than 70 percent of students said high-speed Internet access is important for college education. Many even thought that Internet access is more essential than access to advisors or relationships with faculty. Students also believe they can benefit from online textbooks and tutorials, and most who had considered dropping out thought they could do better if they spent more time using online tutorials.
Some of the specific findings about online learning include:
- About 60 percent of community college students have taken at least one course online.
- More than 40 percent of students surveyed took at least one course online.
- Students who consider dropping out at some point during their community college career are more likely to take online courses.
- These same students believe that online education is "highly important" – presumably because of online classes' flexibility.
- Even students who did not take courses online were likely to use sources or take quizzes through the Internet.
About Pearson Foundation
According to its website, the Pearson Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to make a difference in the world of education by providing innovative programs to local schools and communities. Harris Interactive conducted this national Community College Survey online, involving 1,434 U.S. community college students (ages 18-59) across the country. Harris Interactive is one of the leading custom market research companies in the United States today and is widely known for its Harris Poll. This community college survey was conducted between September and November 2010.
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