Is timing everything? the impact of early, standard, and late orientation and registration on the retention of community college students

Abstract

Born on the eve of the Civil War, community colleges were designed to provide access to higher education for the masses. Community colleges, also referred to as "the people's college," were a radical departure from the traditional institutions of higher education. One significant difference, compared to other institutions of higher education, is that community colleges enroll a more diverse student population. However, the very students community colleges were designed to benefit, students from low socio-economic backgrounds, minorities, and non-traditional students, are faring the worst. There is mounting evidence that the gap between access and completion continues to grow. The rate of students enrolling in community college has outpaced students enrolling in fouryear institutions over the past half-century; however, the rate of students graduating with associate degrees and/or transferring-out to four-year institutions has steadily declined.This study explored timing of new student orientation as a potential factor that has contributed to this phenomenon and discussed how the very structure and policies designed to make higher education accessible to the masses may be the primary contributing factor to the low retention rate. The admissions records of 461 first-time, first-year students attending a community college located in New England, were examined. Using orientation attendance as an independent variable, the date of orientation attendance was categorized into three phases; early, standard, and late.