A longitudinal analysis of factors related to persistence of academically underprepared community college students

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence the progress of academically underprepared first-time, full-time community college students enrolled in associate-degree-level, prebaccalaureate programs of study. This study focused on 5 critical factors that were identified as factors of interest and possible influences on the matriculation of students through their academic programs. These factors included the number of required developmental education courses, ethnicity, gender, income level, and age.;Data were collected through multiple database sorts and searches conducted on the institution's management information system from the fall 2001 semester through the spring 2004 semester. The data were analyzed through the use of logistic regression to identify best predictors of a student's completing 60 degree creditable hours toward an associate degree.;Through the use of univariate logistic regression, the independent variables levels of academic preparedness, age, ethnicity, and income were found to be statistically significant predictors of completion; gender was not found to be significant, in predicting completion. The findings of the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that levels of academic preparedness, gender, and income had a statistically significant impact on the rate of persistence to completion.