Understanding Placement into Preparatory-Level Courses and the Effects on Academic Success

Abstract

Placement into preparatory courses presents a significant challenge related to access and equity in higher education; it connects to conversations around college readiness, particularly in geographical areas that have been underserved, or which have larger minority populations and underprepared students. At the same time, the research points to relationships between enrollment in preparatory coursework in higher education and lower rates of retention and college persistence; students who take these courses are more likely to drop out from the institution. These courses often carry no academic or transferable credit to be applied towards a college degree, yet the student has still accrued the same amount of debt as any other student who has taken credit-bearing courses. Therefore, these issues peripherally relate to matters surrounding college affordability and student debt. As a secondary analysis of Mid-Atlantic University data, this project investigated how preparatory coursework impacts college persistence and retention. It used the existing literature on placement into preparatory courses and any relationship to retention, with a focus on any noted disparities or inequities by student characteristics. Specifically, this study explored whether taking preparatory courses impacts some student groups differently than others in relation to retention and persistence. The data set was analyzed using quantitative, statistical methods. Findings include that students who take preparatory courses are more likely to be from minority backgrounds, are first-generation, are from homes where English is not the native language spoken and are from lower socio-economic status. There are also differential outcomes amongst those who take preparatory courses dependent upon student characteristics. Finally, preparatory students’ responses on a New Student Questionnaire trend towards lower levels of academic and social integration. The implications of the results were focused on offering practitioners a unique look at the student data about the impact of pre-college course placement, which can be used to better support students placed into preparatory courses to increase the retention rates and improve academic outcomes of this vulnerable population.