| Attending college is associated with many positive outcomes, including economic, social, and societal benefits. The California community college system is the largest college system in the world, serving approximately 2.5 million students and over 70% of California's higher education enrollment (Community College League of California, 2012, 1993; Sengupta & Jepsen, 2006). While California community colleges have been very successful at providing access to higher education, the colleges have been less successful at ensuring students reach their educational goals, and there have been increasing calls to improve persistence and transfer rates at these institutions.;The purpose of this study was to explore persistence patterns and information usage by students at Sierra College, a community college located in Rocklin, California. The study utilized a descriptive, case study design to analyze how failure in a popular introductory accounting class impacted the persistence of declared business administration majors. The study also examined what information community college students use when they register for classes and make their course selection decisions.;Persistence data for a cohort of 177 declared majors were analyzed over a two-year period to determine success and failure rates, repetition patterns, major change rates and persistence patterns. A survey was also administered to 270 students enrolled in business classes. Results indicate that failing the BUS 1-Financial Accounting I course is negatively associated with student persistence and most business administration majors who fail this required course do not make a subsequent attempt to pass the course. Moreover, students who fail the course on their first attempt typically do not change their major and persist at Sierra College.;When students at Sierra College register for courses and execute their educational plan, they are using a variety of information sources when they select their classes. These include: (a) time the class is offered from the online schedule, (b) RateMyProfessors.com and/or myEdu.com ratings, (c) friend's or other student's recommendation, (d) Sierra College counselor recommendation, and (e) catalog descriptions. While students are using multiple information sources, many expressed an interest in having access to additional information and a number of students suggested the college adopt an integrated registration system that would centralize degree, course, and instructor information. The results suggest students may need additional information and an improved registration system to ensure they are meeting degree requirements, taking courses in the correct sequence, and are enrolling in gatekeeper courses when they are academically prepared. |
