A new study conducted by the College Board and the University of Michigan asserts that there are differences in the academic preparation and outcomes among community colleges, just as with four-year institutions.
The study, published by the National Bureau of Economic research, could have implications for policy makers and college-goers alike. Although based on the limited measure of PSAT scores and 6-year graduation rates, the new report indicates that students may not want just to default to their local community college, but to "carefully weigh it" not only against the four-year options but "even other two-year options” because of differences in outcomes between two-year institutions.
Other findings from the report include:
- Comparably prepared students are less likely to graduate after six years when attending a two-year institution than their peers at a four-year institution.
- There is significant variation in the academic preparedness between students at four and two-year institutions as well as among students at two-year institutions.
- Four-year colleges have graduation rates about 25% higher than two-year colleges among students with the same PSAT score, even when controlling for per-student spending, size, educational intentions and average scores. This indicates that “structural factors” including transfer policies and relocation disruptions are still important to student outcomes.
For further discussion on the topic, check out the Inside Higher Education article here.