Get with the Program: Accelerating Community College Students' Entry into and Completion of Programs of Study. CCRC Working Paper No. 32.

Most students who enter higher education through a community college fail to earn a postsecondary credential. One reason for this is that many students do not enter a college-level program of study. This paper presents a practical method for measuring rates of program entry and completion using data on students’ actual course-taking behaviors rather than declared major or intent. This method is used to track the progress and outcomes of first-time college students over five years using data from an anonymous sample of community colleges. The analysis shows that students must enter a program of study as soon as possible. Students who do not enter a program within a year of enrollment are far less likely to ever enter a program and therefore less likely to earn a credential. The paper suggests ways community colleges can rethink their practices at key stages of students’ experience to substantially increase rates of student completion.