One of the most interesting elements of our data analysis process involved the calculation of college-bound rates for students from the six project schools graduating in 2003, 2004 and 2005 (the three years of our grant project).
OVERALL COLLEGE BOUND RATES FOR PARTNER SCHOOLS *
CLASSES 2003, 2004, 2005
|
|
Voc-Tech
|
Voc-Tech %
|
2 Year
|
2 Year %
|
4 Year
|
4 Year %
|
Post Secondary Totals
|
Post Secondary Totals %
|
Sample Totals
|
|
Overall Population
|
107
|
5.87%
|
273
|
14.97%
|
1036
|
56.80%
|
1416
|
77.63%
|
1824
|
|
First Generation
|
55
|
7.36%
|
138
|
18.47%
|
352
|
47.12%
|
545
|
72.96%
|
747
|
|
Hispanic
|
13
|
8.39%
|
24
|
15.48%
|
71
|
45.81%
|
108
|
69.68%
|
155
|
|
African American
|
12
|
7.32%
|
24
|
14.63%
|
106
|
64.63%
|
142
|
86.59%
|
164
|
*Certain parameters were applied to the data set yielding a total of 1824 students included in the calculation of the college-bound rates. Based on additional information collected through baseline surveys, we were able to code students in the data set as being Hispanic, African American and/or first-generation college as appropriate. The data set contained 747 potential first-generation college students, 155 Hispanic students and 164 African-American students. (Five students were both Hispanic and African American.)
The overall national college entrance rate (2-year and 4-year) cited in a report by Postsecondary OPPORTUNITY was 65.2% in 2002 compared to the average overall rate of the students in the project schools of 71.8%. This also compared to college-bound rates across all Indiana public schools (according to the Indiana Department of Education) of 71.1% in 2003 and 72.1% in 2004 (the highest in the history of the state) at that time. Further, the average college-bound rates for African-American and Hispanic students from the project schools were 79.3% and 61.3%, respectively. This compares to overall rates of 58.7% and 53.5% for these two groups respectively according to the same recent report. Also of note is the college-bound rate for first-generation students in these schools, defined as students from households in which neither parent had any college experience. As depicted in the above chart, 65.6% cited either a 2-year or 4-year intention at the time of graduation.
While we recognize many factors play a role in the ultimate college decisions of students, and that matriculation and completion of degree programs also are of paramount importance, we believe these statistics suggest that the programming provided under this grant had an impact on the college decisions and college-bound rates of the students touched by these efforts, particularly at-risk populations.