Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Davis, James E.

Committee Member

King, Stephanie B.

Committee Member

Stonecypher, Wayne

Committee Member

Wiseman, William M.

Date of Degree

5-17-2014

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Community College Leadership

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

College

College of Education

Department

Department of Educational Leadership

Abstract

In this study, the researcher compared the success of community college graduates who entered college with a GED, a high school diploma, or an alternative diploma. The researcher used a quantitative analysis method with the existing data of students for three years within a single community college system to answer research questions to determine success of community college graduates who entered college with various high school diplomas or equivalences. The researcher asked four research questions to compare the success of the selected community college graduates: What is the grade point average (GPA) at the end of the first semester, number of credits earned, and graduation rate for community college graduates who entered college with a GED, a high school diploma, or an alternative diploma? Is the GPA at the end of the first semester for community college graduates who entered college with a GED, a high school diploma, or an alternative diploma statistically significantly different? Is the number of credits earned for community college graduates who entered with a GED, a high school diploma, or an alternative diploma statistically significantly different? Is the graduation rate for community college students who entered college with a GED, a high school diploma, or an alternative diploma statistically significantly different? The researcher’s purpose in this study was to compare the success of community college graduates who entered college with a GED, a high school diploma, or an alternative diploma. In Conclusion 1, the researcher determined that findings from this study show that GED graduates have the least success as community college students with a lower GPA and credit hours attempted than high school diploma graduates, but they do have a statistically equivalent graduation rate of 22.7% compared to alternative diploma graduates of 19.6%. Supporting Conclusion 2, the researcher’s analysis shows that high school graduates are more successful in community college studies with a higher GPA the first semester, more credit hours earned, but a statistically equivalent graduation rate compared to GED graduates or alternative diploma graduates.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/16845

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