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Abstract:
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Nationally , nearly 40 % of full -time community college students drop out before the second year , and drop -out rates for part -time students are even more astounding . In 2008 , nearly 60 % of part -time community college students dropped out before year two . As community colleges embrace President Obama’s call for a 50 % increase in completion by 2020 , it is imperative that community college leaders find ways to retain and graduate students . A number of community and technical colleges utilize the Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE ) to quantitatively measure early campus connections . Building on the institutional early connection benchmark score , this study qualitatively describes first -year , persisting , full - and part -time students’ perceptions of early campus experiences and the role that early connections play in their decision to persist . The study employs a qualitative research approach via a single case study . Twenty -four , first -year , second semester , consecutively enrolled , full - and part -time students , who mirrored the college’s population participated in semi -structured interviews and focus groups . Findings indicate that early connections , as defined by the SENSE were not instrumental in persistence ; however , a number of other factors were impactful : academic support ; social influences ; family support ; and academic success . This study may provide information that will enhance the understanding of community college student perceptions related to factors that encourage persistence , and it may provide community colleges that operate within similar conditions , resources , and constraints with useful information as they design early connection strategies . |