THE EFFECT ON ENROLLMENT AT HINDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE AMONG DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS
Abstract
The demand for dual enrollment programs is growing rapidly in higher education, but many higher education institutions do not have effective practices and procedures in place to serve this population of students. This study sought to determine whether participation in the dual enrollment program at Hinds Community College influenced the postsecondary enrollment intentions of former dual credit students from Rankin County, Mississippi, public and private high schools. To be able to properly explore this subject, a mixed methodology was used, and a mix of qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Participants responded to an anonymous survey, and the data were analyzed to determine if a correlation existed between participation in a dual enrollment program and enrollment at Hinds after high school graduation. Further, the research sought to determine if a certain number of credit hours earned influenced the enrollment intention of participants. This study focused specifically on currently enrolled Hinds students who attended a Rankin County public or private high school and graduated in the 2019-2020 academic year, and it did not account for the overwhelming number of students who did not attend Hinds after high school graduation. Overall, this project highlights the need for more focus on recruitment and retention of the dual enrollment student population by higher education institutions.