Students who go to a California community college right out of high school graduate with a four-year degree just 16% of the time within eight years of starting classes, according to a new analysis from the Public Policy Institute of California. The data show that students who start out in the UC or CSU system fare much better, with a completion rate of 72%.
Hans Johnson, a PPIC researcher, said income level and college readiness are big factors.
“In general, what we found was that high school districts that serve more high-income families and those that have a relatively high share of Asian students have higher college-going and college completion rates than other districts,” Johnson said.
The data come from a new state online dashboard established this spring called the Cradle to Career data set, which tracks students over time. Higher ed has been working to improve transfer rates for years. For example, the Cal State System has begun offering dual admission, where students are admitted with a requirement that they first complete two years at a community college. And California waives tuition for the first two years of community college for recent high school graduates.
Marcelo Cabral, an academic counselor at El Camino College in Torrance, said higher ed will need a lot more funding – so students can afford to attend full time – and colleges can provide proper guidance.
“Eighty-percent of students who are attending a community college need to have financial aid, and 80% of the students have never done any career exploration,” he explained. “So we need a lot more financial aid and academic and career counselors.”
Cabral noted that college readiness remains a problem, since many California high school students still graduate with only basic reading and math skills, and then struggle to complete college-level courses.
