Report: What Hinders Community College Retention?

Previous research shows that mental health concerns are the top reason community college students leave their education without completing a credential. While students say mental health supports offered by their institution help them stay enrolled, few students at two-year institutions engage with formal mental health resources offered by the counseling center.

A recent working paper from the Annenberg Institute at Brown University investigates the relationship between student mental well-being, campus engagement and their first-year academic outcomes. Over all, the study found a relationship between students’ engagement with campus resources and early academic outcomes, as well as a link between learners’ financial and mental well-being and academic performance.

“Our findings suggest that facilitating access to mental health supports is a prominent avenue for supporting student behaviors … that can catalyze increased engagement and academic success,” researchers wrote.

Methodology: Researchers fielded a survey of 277 community college students at two Hispanic-serving institutions during fall 2022. Respondents were first-time students enrolled in at least nine credits seeking an associate degree with an expected family contribution of $2,000 or less.

Students self-reported their academic engagement, participation on campus with resources and staff, financial stressors, and mental well-being. Survey responses were connected to students’ first-year academic and financial aid records for analysis.

By the numbers: Survey results demonstrated high levels of need for student well-being and low levels of campus engagement beyond mandatory experiences.

• Student respondents spent an average of 13.5 hours studying per week, which is low compared to other national estimates. Female students reported spending more hours studying and preparing for class, compared to their male peers.
• Over half (54 percent) of respondents worked while in college, with 44 percent of respondents working full-time, for an average of 13.5 hours worked per week.
• Campus participation was generally high, with half of students participating in at least four of the eight surveyed activities. Eighty percent of respondents participated in advising and 64 percent attended new student orientation, but only one-third attended a campus event (35 percent) or career exploration activity (33 percent).
• Over one-third of respondents experienced anxiety (38 percent) or depression (34 percent). Closer to one-quarter (26 percent) had moderate to high levels of stress. Female students were more likely to report high rates of anxiety compared to their male peers.
• Nearly 41 percent of respondents experienced at least some level of food insecurity, and 60 percent reported some level of housing insecurity. Students who are independent were more likely to report housing insecurity, which researchers believe is not surprising given their likelihood to be responsible for their own housing costs.
• The average student GPA was 2.49 in the fall term and 2.39 in the spring term.

The results: Researchers’ data analysis confirmed previous theories of student retention and persistence—work, poor mental health and a lack of campus engagement were tied with lower credit completion and a smaller likelihood of term-to-term persistence.

Hours spent on campus per week, however, were positively tied to student persistence. Similarly, an extra hour spent on campus had positive association with credits earned.

Researchers also found students experiencing depression completed one fewer course on average in their first year, compared to their peers without depressive symptoms.

So what? The study points to the differences between two- and four-year students, with survey respondents more likely to report working for pay, experiencing housing insecurity, having fewer study hours and engaging less on campus.

The research also shows investment in students’ studying and on-campus activities is related to their persistence, but students experiencing negative mental health conditions are less likely to persist or complete credits.

In light of these findings, the authors recommend creating targeted interventions based on student needs such as helping them develop coping strategies.

Practitioners can also utilize forums that students do attend, such as advising and orientation, to provide learners with resources related to engagement across campus.

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