Dual Enrollment and Persistence: Considering the Mediating Effects of Academic and Social Engagement and Academic Performance

• In Event: 56.081 - Roundtable Session 24
  In Roundtable Session: 56.081-8 - Learning and Student Success

Abstract

We examine whether dual enrollment participation—a program that allows high school students to take college courses—increases students’ academic and social engagement in college using a nationally representative sample of postsecondary institutions. We use Tinto’s (1993) student integration/engagement model to guide our analysis, but take lessons from recent studies and include student transfer as an outcome option. Unlike advocates’ claim that dual enrollment gives students a boost in navigating college, we find that the relation between dual enrollment, and academic and social engagement is moderate at best. Instead, dual enrollment has stronger influence on persistence through its increase in students’ academic performance.

Authors

• Brian An, University of Iowa

• Chad Loes, Mount Mercy University