Improving Research-Based Knowledge of College Promise Programs by Perna Laura W.;Smith Edward J.;

Author:Perna, Laura W.;Smith, Edward J.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: EDUCATION / Research
Publisher: American Educational Research Association
Published: 2020-03-20T00:00:00+00:00

Results

Characteristics of Community College Students

Table 2 displays a comparison of the demographic, academic, and socioeconomic characteristics of prepromise and post-promise community college students. The prepromise group includes first-time, full-time freshmen enrolled at community colleges in fall 2012, fall 2013, and fall 2014, the three fall semesters immediately preceding the implementation of the Tennessee Promise (N = 38,635). The post-promise group includes the first two cohorts of Tennessee Promise students at community colleges in fall 2015 and fall 2016 (N = 27,213); by definition, these students are first-time, full-time freshmen. There were first-time, full-time freshmen enrolled at community colleges in fall 2015 and fall 2016 who were not eligible for the Tennessee Promise, and these students are excluded from the post-promise group. Because this table does not disaggregate at the institution level, it does not account for the staggered implementation of the Tennessee Promise.

Though there were slight differences in the racial and ethnic composition of Tennessee Promise community college students compared to nontreated cohorts in previous years, the differences in first-generation status and income were more substantial. (A first-generation student was defined as a student who indicated on the FAFSA that neither parent had completed a college degree.) A smaller share of Tennessee Promise community college students were first-generation college students (42.9%) compared to previous cohorts (50.3%), and a smaller share were ever Pell-eligible (55.7%) compared to previous cohorts (71.4%). Further, Tennessee Promise community college students, on average, had higher adjusted gross incomes (AGI) and greater expected family contributions (EFC) than students in previous cohorts. In short, Tennessee Promise community college students were more advantaged, both in terms of parent education and family income, than their prepromise peers.

Table 2. Characteristics of Pre- and Post-Promise Community College Students

Note. ACT = American College Test; AGI = adjusted gross income; EFC = expected family contribution. Data are from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s student information system, 2018.

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