A Chance for a Change

Do Community Colleges Provide a Viable Pathway to a Baccalaureate Degree?

“…Although we focused on students in Ohio, our results have external validity. The percentage of Ohio public school students who graduate from high school and enter college the following fall is near the national average (Mortenson, 2002), and the higher education system, demographics, and diverse labor markets within Ohio are similar to those of many neighboring states and to national conditions. Moreover, Ohio plays a prominent role in higher education, with the fifth largest public higher education system in the United States (after California, Florida, New York, and Texas; National Center for Education Statistics, 2000).…”

“…This study also sheds light on a previously unstudied, important context: the fifth largest public higher education system in the country. Although the external validity of our results is limited by our focus on a particular state, the higher education system, population demographics, and diverse labor markets within Ohio are similar to larger national trends and those of many neighboring states (Mortenson, 2002), so our results could be used to reflect on issues facing many other states. It is worth noting, however, that because our study and many others on this topic focused on traditional-age college students, we can say little about the many older students who attend community colleges.…”