The Educational Outcomes of Occupational Sub-Baccalaureate Students: Evidence from the 1990s.
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| Title: | The Educational Outcomes of Occupational Sub-Baccalaureate Students: Evidence from the 1990s. |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Alfonso, Mariana, Bailey, Thomas R., Scott, Marc, Columbia Univ., New York, NY. Community Coll. Research Center., New York Univ., NY. School of Education. |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 58 |
| Publication Date: | 2003 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Department of Education, Washington, DC. |
| Contract Number: | ED-00-CO-0023 |
| Document Type: | Information Analyses Reports - Research Speeches/Meeting Papers |
| Descriptors: | Academic Degrees, Community Colleges, Job Training, Labor Force Development, Outcomes of Education, School Holding Power, Two Year College Students, Two Year Colleges, Vocational Education |
| Geographic Terms: | U.S.; New York |
| Abstract: | This study asks if occupational education bestows advantages or disadvantages on the students who pursue it, and how the educational experiences of occupational students compare to the experiences of students in academic programs. The authors used the Beginning Postsecondary Student Longitudinal Study of 1989-94 and 1995-98 to analyze educational outcomes of sub-baccalaureate occupational students. The findings suggest that occupational students pursuing an associate degree complete their degree goals less often than their academic counterparts. The gap remains after controlling for factors such as students characteristics and expectations. The authors conclude that the community college has yet to figure out and implement the optimal approach to providing direct occupational preparation within an institutional structure that rests on an academically oriented foundation. Findings indicate that the 3-year persistence rate for all students in the 1995-98 study was 55.9%, compared to 52.0% for occupational students, and 58.2% for academic students. Persistence includes academic students who are still enrolled, those who earned an AA or AS degree, and those who transfer to a four-year institution. Students who are still enrolled after 5 years are in an ambiguous category, having neither achieved their goals nor abandoned them. The authors conclude that failure to complete a degree or certificate program within 5 years is an indication of a problem. Attached are the PowerPoint print-outs for the presentation. (Contains 32 references and 6 tables.) (NB) |
| Notes: | Paper prepared the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (Chicago, IL, April 21-25, 2003). |
| Journal Code: | RIEMAY2004 |
| Entry Date: | 2004 |
| Accession Number: | ED481031 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This study asks if occupational education bestows advantages or disadvantages on the students who pursue it, and how the educational experiences of occupational students compare to the experiences of students in academic programs. The authors used the Beginning Postsecondary Student Longitudinal Study of 1989-94 and 1995-98 to analyze educational outcomes of sub-baccalaureate occupational students. The findings suggest that occupational students pursuing an associate degree complete their degree goals less often than their academic counterparts. The gap remains after controlling for factors such as students characteristics and expectations. The authors conclude that the community college has yet to figure out and implement the optimal approach to providing direct occupational preparation within an institutional structure that rests on an academically oriented foundation. Findings indicate that the 3-year persistence rate for all students in the 1995-98 study was 55.9%, compared to 52.0% for occupational students, and 58.2% for academic students. Persistence includes academic students who are still enrolled, those who earned an AA or AS degree, and those who transfer to a four-year institution. Students who are still enrolled after 5 years are in an ambiguous category, having neither achieved their goals nor abandoned them. The authors conclude that failure to complete a degree or certificate program within 5 years is an indication of a problem. Attached are the PowerPoint print-outs for the presentation. (Contains 32 references and 6 tables.) (NB) |
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