Estimating Community College Attendance Effect on STEM Baccalaureate Completion

• In Event: Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: Off the Beaten Path: Transferring and Dual Enrollment Programs

Abstract

For many STEM major students, community colleges serve as an important pathway for STEM baccalaureate completion. Prior studies yield mixed research findings on whether there is an effect on student baccalaureate completion. Given STEM plays a critical role in economic prosperity and technical innovation (Lowell & Salzman, 2007), we focused on estimating whether there is community college attendance effect on students’ STEM baccalaureate completion. We draw data from large-scale national datasets and utilize two-step propensity score matching (PSM) technique to see if there is such an effect. Analytical results from this proposed study adds our understanding on whether attending two-year community colleges is a feasible option for STEM major students.

Authors

• Dale Campbell, University of Florida

• Hongwei Yu, Baylor University