Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine the degree to which participation in dual credit and Advanced Placement (AP) programs during a student's high school years affects completion and success rates of community college graduates in Los Angeles County.Methodology. A quantitative ex post facto research design was used to analyze sample data from a single community college district with an ethnic breakdown closely resembling Los Angeles County, consisting of 5,793 de-identified community college students encompassing 455 students previously enrolled in dual credit, 821 students who participated in the AP program, and the remaining 4,517 students who neither participated in dual credit nor AP. Data analyses featured the use of multiple linear regression when examining success and time to completion and binary logistic regression when testing for completion.Findings. After controlling for gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and high school GPA, when comparing to students who neither completed dual credit nor AP programs, it was found that dual credit students experienced higher cumulative community college GPAs. Participation in dual credit also resulted in completion rates nearly double the rates of nonparticipants along with reduced time to completion. Similar results were found for AP students.Conclusions. Compared to students that neither participated in dual credit nor AP programs, exposure to dual credit and AP while in high school positively predicted community college success, greater degree completion or transfer, and decreased time to degree completion or time to transfer when controlling for gender, ethnicity, SES, and high school GPA. These results aligned with similar studies conducted by 4-year colleges and universities.Recommendations. Future studies should feature a larger sample size emphasizing underrepresented groups, a comparison of students engaged in dual enrollment versus concurrent enrollment, and distinguish between part-time versus full-time student participation. Behavioral attributes related to student motivation and social development impacting success and completion should also be examined. Additional research analyzing how outside-of-class support provided through supplemental instruction and supplemental learning is needed. Finally, accounting for qualitative perspectives from students, teachers, and college professors should be addressed.