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Influences on Community College Students' Educational Plans

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Abstract

This study analyzed data from 285 students attending 5 community colleges to identify the institutional and college experience variables influencing end-of-first-year educational degree plans. Controlling for an extensive array of important confounding influences, the estimated average precollege degree plans of students at the community college one attended had significant, positive total and direct effects on an individual student's end-of-first-year overall educational degree plans and plans to obtain at least a bachelor's degree. In the prediction of end-of-first-year overall educational degree plans, there were significant conditional effects involving sex, race, and precollege degree plans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Education Policy & Leadership Studies, The University of Iowa, N491 Lindquist Center, Iowa City, IA, 52242

    Ernest T. Pascarella

  2. The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

    Gregory C. Wolniak & Christopher T. Pierson

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  1. Ernest T. Pascarella
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  2. Gregory C. Wolniak
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  3. Christopher T. Pierson
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Correspondence to Ernest T. Pascarella.

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Pascarella, E.T., Wolniak, G.C. & Pierson, C.T. Influences on Community College Students' Educational Plans. Research in Higher Education 44, 301–314 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023025715036

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023025715036

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