Dual Enrollment and Multiple Forms of College Persistence: Considering Academic and Social Engagement as Mediators

• In Event: Higher Education Costs, Finances, and Opportunity

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 student integration/engagement model to guide our analysis but include student transfer as an outcome option. We found that effect of dual enrollment on continuous enrollment through college transfers disappears after we controlled for students’ race, sex, socioeconomic status, academic achievement, and high school characteristics. However, dual enrollment continues to influence the likelihood of students continuously enrolled at the same institution. Finally, academic and social engagement reduces the estimated coefficient of dual enrollment by 9.4%.

Authors

• Brian An, University of Iowa

• Chad Loes, Mount Mercy University