WWC review of this study

Does Taking a Few Courses at a Community College Improve the Baccalaureate, STEM, and Labor Market Outcomes of Four-Year College Students? CCRC Working Paper No. 122

Liu, Vivian Yuen Ting; Fay, Maggie P. (2020). Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED607017

  • Quasi-Experimental Design
     examining 
    3,950
     Students
    , grade
    PS

Reviewed: October 2021

No statistically significant positive
findings
Meets WWC standards with reservations
College Degree Attainment outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Received a bachelor's degree or higher

Supplemental enrollment vs. Business as usual

5 Years

Full sample;
3,950 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Earned Graduate Degree

Supplemental enrollment vs. Business as usual

5 Years

Full sample;
3,950 students

N/A

N/A

--

--
Earnings outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Annual Earnings

Supplemental enrollment vs. Business as usual

5 Years

Full sample;
3,950 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
Employment outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Full-time Employment

Supplemental enrollment vs. Business as usual

5 Years

Full sample;
3,950 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Work Hours, 2011-2012

Supplemental enrollment vs. Business as usual

5 Years

Full sample;
3,950 students

N/A

N/A

--

--
Postsecondary Academic Achievement outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Four-year GPA

Supplemental enrollment vs. Business as usual

5 Years

Full sample;
3,950 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
Progressing in College outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Total credits earned

Supplemental enrollment vs. Business as usual

5 Years

Full sample;
3,950 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Two-year credits

Supplemental enrollment vs. Business as usual

5 Years

Full sample;
3,950 students

N/A

N/A

--

--

Four-year credits

Supplemental enrollment vs. Business as usual

5 Years

Full sample;
3,950 students

N/A

N/A

--

--


Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.


  • Female: 63%
    Male: 37%

  • Rural, Suburban, Urban
    • B
    • A
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F
    • G
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    • Z
    • Y
    • a
    • h
    • i
    • b
    • d
    • e
    • f
    • c
    • g
    • j
    • k
    • l
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    • o
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    • y

    Midwest, Northeast, South, West
  • Race
    Asian
    14%
    Black
    9%
    Other or unknown
    77%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    8%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    92%

Setting

The study estimated the effect of supplemental enrollment on academic and economic outcomes. Data for this study was drawn from the Education Longitudinal Study (ELS) of 2002, which is a nationally representative dataset of students who were in 10th grade in 2002. Many of these students were enrolled in college in the mid-2000s.

Study sample

Of the overall analytic sample, 63% of students were female. Fifteen percent (15%) of the sample were Asian and 9% were Black. Eight percent (8%) were Hispanic.

Intervention Group

The intervention examined in this study is described as supplemental enrollment. Students who engaged in supplemental enrollment are defined as those begin their first term of college at a four-year college, then at some point over the next three years, earn between one and 10 credits at two-year colleges.

Comparison Group

The comparison group is comprised of students who began at a four-year college, but did not earn any credits at a two-year college.

Support for implementation

No additional information was provided.

 

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