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Abstract

Drawing upon the latest data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/09) and the Postsecondary Education Transcript Data (PETS:09), this study employed propensity score matching and postmatching logistic regression to estimate the extent to which postsecondary coenrollment affects persistence and attainment of students beginning at both community colleges and 4-year institutions. Coenrollment was defined as simultaneous enrollment at multiple postsecondary institutions during the same academic term. Findings suggest that coenrollment had a significant positive effect on educational attainment and postsecondary persistence for both student populations. This study has important implications for policy and future research surrounding coenrollment and complex pathways in postsecondary education.

Keywords

community colleges higher education observational research postsecondary education quasi-experimental analysis regression analyses

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The Effect of Postsecondary Coenrollment on College Success

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