How did you react to President Obama’s proposal to make community colleges tuition-free?

Recently, President Obama drew strong reactions—both positive and negative—when he announced a plan to provide tuition-free classes for students at community colleges who attend at least half time, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5, and make steady progress toward a degree.

Whether you reacted positively or negatively, I suspect your reactions, like mine, were based on some assumptions about community college students and the quality of their educational experience. So, together, let’s look at some data to learn more about these students and about this vital segment of American higher education.

Do your assumptions about community college students match up with these four facts?
The 2014 National Freshman Attitudes Report compared survey responses from more than 25,000 first-year students at two-year institutions across the country in 2013 to responses from a representative pool of first-year students at four-year institutions. Here are four points that jump out at me:

1. Students at two-year institutions report that they are more likely to have found a potential career that strongly attracts them, with 82.2 percent of these students reporting this versus 77.8 percent of students at four-year public institutions and versus 81.5 percent of students at four-year private institutions.
2. The data show that students at two-year institutions are just as likely as students at four-year institutions to report that they are strongly committed to their educational goals and willing to make the sacrifices needed to achieve them. This attitude was held by 90.2 percent of students at two-year institutions versus 90.9 percent of students at four-year public institutions and versus 91.6 percent of students at four-year private institutions.
3. The data show that students at two-year institutions are just as likely as students at four-year institutions to report that they have strong study habits, as six in 10 students at both two-year and four-year institutions report they study hard for all their classes, even those they don’t like. This attitude was held by 63.2 percent of students at two-year institutions versus 59.1 percent and 61.3 percent of students at four-year public and private institutions, respectively.
4. Students at two-year institutions appear to be more tolerant than their peers at four-year institutions, as the data show that 62.2 percent report being comfortable relating to someone who thinks quite differently about major social issues compared with 60.5 percent and 60.9 percent of students at four-year public and private institutions, respectively.

More strengths of community college students

When I look at the data from students midway through their first year of college, based on a mid-year report on freshman attitudes, I also see additional strengths and gains made by students at two-year institutions:

• 61.4 percent now report having a “very good grasp” of scientific ideas they have studied—an improvement of 24.1 percentage points from the beginning of the year;
• 74.6 percent now report they have developed a solid system of self-discipline—an improvement of 16.4 percentage points from the beginning of the year; and
• 74.9 percent now report they are capable of writing clear and well-organized papers—up 20.3 percentage points from the beginning of the year.

Students at two-year institutions are also open to receiving assistance. The top five requests for institutional assistance from freshmen at two year institutions midway through their first year include:

• 56.4 percent would like help improving math skills;
• 52.0 percent would like to discuss qualifications needed for certain occupations;
• 51.5 percent would like help with an educational plan to get a good job;
• 50.6 percent would like help in improving writing skills; and
• 48.6 percent would like to discuss salaries and outlooks for various occupations.

These requests are very similar to those expressed by students at four-year institutions, both public and private, suggesting that students at community colleges may have more in common with their peers at four-year institutions than we often assume.

Certainly, students at two-year institutions have some challenges, too. For example, they report having less confidence in their math and science abilities and in their verbal skills. Also, a lower percentage report that they have the financial resources they’ll need to finish their college programs. In addition, they are more likely to be first-generation college students and 43.6 percent are working 20 hours per week or more at a job.

In summary
As we explore the potential of President Obama’s proposal and focus on the value of community colleges and the critical role they play in our communities and our nation, we should also focus on the data that is available to help us understand the students who enroll at community colleges. Moreover, campuses of all types—two-year and four-year, public and private—need to examine the academic motivation, general coping skills, and receptivity to institutional assistance that their particular students bring to support their achievement of academic goals (certificate, degree, or transfer) and to build on their many strengths.

For more information on community colleges and their students, I encourage you to refer to our entire series of National Freshman Attitudes Reports, as well as the survey instruments on which these reports are based which are available for any college to use.  Let’s keep working to unmask our assumptions. If you have questions about the reports or assessments, or if would like to discuss your assumptions of community college students, please contact me at 1-800-876-1117 or mari-normyle@noellevitz.com.