Intensity and Attachment: How the Chaotic Enrollment Patterns of Community College Students Affect Educational Outcomes

A recent report from the Community College Research Center examines the effect enrollment patterns of community college students have on completion of a credential and transfer to a four-year institution.  There is tremendous variation in enrollment patterns for community college students, leading to challenges in helping these students enroll and complete their degrees. However, continuous enrollment term after term increases the likelihood that the student will graduate,  and the closer the student is to full-time status the increased likelihood he or she will transfer to a four-year institution.