New York City Goes to College - A First Look at Patterns of College Enrollment, Persistence, and Degree Attainment for NYC High School Students ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
TECHNICAL APPENDICES
New York City Goes to College
A First Look at Patterns of College Enrollment, Persistence, and
Degree Attainment for NYC High School Students
Vanessa Coca
November 20141
APPENDIX A: DATA AND SAMPLE
This appendix describes the data, sample, and key measures used in the accompanying report, New
York City Goes to College: A First Look at Patterns of College Enrollment, Persistence, and Degree Attainment for
New York City High School Students.
Data Sources
The data used for this study come from an extensive longitudinal database with information about
NYC public school students, compiled by the Research Alliance for New York City Schools using
data from the New York City Department of Education (DOE).
Since 2006, the DOE has tracked the post-secondary enrollment of its graduates through an
agreement with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), a nonprofit organization that collects
information on post-secondary enrollment and degree attainment. The NSC is increasingly working
with school districts around the country to track the post-secondary outcomes of students those
districts serve.
The Research Alliance merged NSC data obtained by the DOE with our existing data archive. This
allowed us to create a new and comprehensive database that illuminates the educational pathways of
NYC students from kindergarten through post-secondary education.
It is important to note that NSC data is likely to understate actual rates of college enrollment and
completion (Goldrick-Rab & Harris, 2010). One reason for this is that not all colleges participate in
NSC data collection. In the fall of 2006, the NSC captured about 89 percent of college enrollment
(two- and four-year) nationwide (NSC, 2014). At that point, the rate of coverage for New York State
was 90 percent. By the fall of 2012, coverage rose to 95.8 percent in New York State. Given the high
rate of coverage throughout the period we studied, we do not expect that increases in NSC
participation by colleges significantly influenced the outcomes we observed.
Individual college students may also decline to have their enrollment information shared with the
NSC, and are then missing from NSC data. Further, high school students (or their guardians) may
opt out of having their personally identifiable information shared with the NSC, which results in their
exclusion when the NSC matches DOE data to their database (NYC DOE, n.d.).
Another source for undercounting emerges from the method the NSC uses to match information
about college students with information requested by school districts. The NSC uses an algorithm to
match information from school districts requesting data to the data received from colleges. This
means that the NSC’s ability to provide reliable data to school districts depends on receiving accurate
information both from colleges and from school districts. Any inconsistency in data sent to the NSC2 (e.g., first and last names, date of birth) could result in changes in observed estimates of college enrollment or degree attainment seen over time. Using college enrollment and degree attainment data from multiple sources can help ensure greater reliability of estimates of college enrollment and completion. In fact, our college enrollment and persistence rates may differ from those reported by the DOE because we rely solely on information from the NSC, whereas the DOE supplements NSC data with information received directly with CUNY (Wilkes et al., 2012). In the future, we hope to incorporate CUNY data into our analyses. In addition, the DOE may report higher rates of college enrollment than we do in this report because NYC high schools are allowed to appeal their college enrollment rates based on formal evidence of their students’ enrollment in college (NYC DOE, 2013a). This information was not included in the NSC data we received. Despite the challenges described above, NSC data is still the one of the best sources available for tracking college-going in the U.S. For this report, we used NSC data to investigate three important college-related outcomes: enrollment, persistence, and completion. Importantly, NSC data allow us to us track students as they move across different colleges and college systems, giving us a comprehensive picture of NYC high school graduates’ pathways through college. Currently, our data only allow us to examine post-secondary degree attainment within four years of starting college for the 2006 cohort of on-time high school graduates. As we integrate NSC data covering more recent years, we plan to update the analyses in this report. Finally, to conduct analyses about the selectivity of colleges attended by NYC high school graduates, we integrated selectivity ratings for almost all four-year institutions in the U.S. from the 2011 Barron’s Profile of American Colleges into our database. Sample To present a rich picture of key post-secondary outcomes, New York City Goes to College: A First Look examines patterns of college enrollment, persistence, and completion for three distinct groups of NYC public school students: first-time 9th graders, on-time high school graduates (a subset of first- time 9th graders), and immediate college enrollees (a subset of on-time high school graduates). First-Time 9th Graders We examined seven cohorts of first-time 9th graders entering NYC public high schools (school years 2002-2003 to 2008-2009). A “first-time 9th grader” is a student who enrolled in a NYC public high school as a 9th grader in either the fall or spring semester of a given school year and was not enrolled in a NYC high school at any time during the previous two years. This means that we did not include
3 students who enrolled in a NYC public high school after their 9th grade year. We also excluded students who transferred out of the NYC system after 9th grade, and students who attended a special education high school (District 75), an alternative high school (District 79), a charter high school (District 84), or a school with fewer than 15 9th graders in a given year. Our analysis of first-time 9th graders allowed us to examine whether patterns of college enrollment ran parallel with growth in on-time high school graduation rates. On-Time High School Graduates We defined a student as an “on-time high school graduate” if he or she graduated with an Advanced Regents, Regents, or Local diploma by October after his or her expected fourth year of high school. Throughout this report, the term “high school graduates” refers only to these on-time high school graduates of NYC public schools. Calculations do not include students who transferred into or out of a NYC public high school after 9th grade. We focused on this group (as opposed to including five-year or six-year high school graduates or GED recipients) for three reasons. First, it allowed us to examine the college-going patterns of more cohorts than if we had included students who took extra time to finish high school. 1 Second, it enabled us to track more semesters of college for each cohort. Third, we do not have college enrollment information for all students who received a GED. Looking at high school graduates, as opposed first-time 9th graders, allows us to compare college enrollment rates in NYC to national rates, which are generally expressed as a percentage of high school graduates. (Note that precise definitions of high school graduates vary across different information sources.) Immediate College Enrollees An “immediate college enrollee” meets the definition of immediate enrollment on page 5. For most of the report, we examine patterns of college persistence and degree attainment for immediate college enrollees. This allows us to compare college persistence and degree attainment rates in NYC to rates seen elsewhere in the U.S., which are generally expressed as a percentage of first-time college enrollees.
4 Key Outcomes and Measures High School Diploma Type During the period covered in this paper, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) increased the requirements for a Regents diploma and phased out the Local diploma (NYC DOE, 2014). See Appendix B for more details on New York State diploma requirements. Regents Diploma: Students who entered 9th grade in 2012 were required to earn a minimum of 44 (semester) units of credit and to pass a minimum of five end-of-course Regents examinations with a score of 65 or higher. Advanced Regents Diploma: Students who entered 9th grade in 2012 were required to meet all the requirements for a Regents diploma, and pass additional Regents exams in math, science, and a language other than English. Local Diploma: The Local diploma did not require passing scores on any Regents examinations for students entering 9th grade prior to 2005. Students who entered 9th grade in 2005 had to pass two out of five required Regents examinations; students who entered 9th grade in 2006 had to pass three out of five; and students who entered 9th grade in 2007 had to pass four out of five. Beginning with students who entered 9th grade in 2008, with a few exceptions, students had to earn a Regents diploma to graduate from high school in New York State. New York State Aspirational Performance Measure (APM) In 2011, NYSED released a state-specific benchmark for college readiness—the “Regents-Based Math and English Aspirational Performance Measure” (APM). The APM is defined as earning a New York State Regents (or Advanced Regents) diploma and receiving a score of 80 or higher on a math Regents exam and a score of 75 or higher on the English Regents exam. Students who meet the APM are automatically qualified to enter a CUNY four-year college and exempt from developmental coursework. Immediate College Enrollment This report looks at “immediate college enrollment,” defined as entering a post-secondary institution (full- or part-time status) between August 1st and December 31st of the same year a student graduated from high school. The report focuses on immediate fall enrollment because the vast majority of NYC high school graduates who go to college enter in the fall. For example, among 2006 on-time high school graduates, 83 percent of first-time college enrollment within five years of graduating high school occurred in the immediate fall semester. Prior research has shown that students who delay college enrollment are less likely to finish (Bozick & DeLuca, 2005). Thus, immediate entry appears
5 to be a better benchmark for a successful transition into college than enrollment over an extended time period. If a student was enrolled concurrently in more than one post-secondary institution, we identified his or her ‘initial institution’ as the college where he or she was enrolled for more days. If a student attended multiple institutions for the same number of days, we used the college where the student had the highest level of enrollment (e.g., four-year over two-year institution). If both schools had the same level of enrollment, we used the institution in which the student had a more intensive enrollment status (e.g., full-time over part-time). Persistence “Persistence” refers to continued enrollment regardless of the specific college attended. Persistence is defined in two ways in this report: 1. Continued enrollment in any post-secondary institution in each semester (fall/spring 2 ) after initial enrollment, including the semester where a student obtains a degree, and continued enrollment after attaining a degree. This method takes into account the continued enrollment of students who immediately transfer to a bachelor’s program after receiving an associate’s degree. This definition is used in Figures 2 and 11 and Tables 1, 2, and 3 in the full report, as well as Appendix Tables C-6, C-8, C-9, and C-12. 2. Continued enrollment in any post-secondary institution in each semester (fall/spring) after initial enrollment until (and not including) the semester when the first post-secondary degree is received. This is a more traditional approach, which does not take into account continued enrollment after receipt of a two-year degree. This definition is used in Figures 3, 6, & 10 as well as Appendix Tables C- 10 and C-11. Degree Attainment/College Completion This report presents degree attainment data for 2006 on-time high school graduates who enrolled immediately in college and received at least one two-year or four-year degree by August 31st, 2010 (i.e., four years after initial enrollment). Level of Initial Post-Secondary Institution Attended The NSC categorizes post-secondary institutions by the highest level of degree offered (i.e., less than two-year, two-year, or four-year). The NSC does not indicate the level of degree program pursued by students. This could be problematic if many colleges classified as four-year institutions had significant numbers of students enrolled in certificate or associate’s degree programs.
6
In fact, four CUNY schools defined by the NSC as four-year institutions served a high proportion of
students in certificate or associate’s degree programs (see Table A-1). This means that NSC data
categorizes all students at these schools as attending a four-year institution, even if they are in a two-
year program. To address this potential misclassification, which would affect a significant number of
students in our sample, we re-categorized Medgar Evers College, the NYC College of Technology,
and the College of Staten Island as two-year institutions because of the large proportion of enrollees
who entered two-year programs.
Table A-1: Proportion of First-Time Freshmen Pursuing an Associate’s Degree or
Certificate at Each CUNY College
Proportion of First-Time Freshmen Pursuing an
Associate’s Degree or Certificate
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Four-Year Colleges
Baruch 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Brooklyn 1.9 2.3 1.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
City College of New
York 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Hunter 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
John Jay 63.1 54.4 42.1 42.3 0.0 0.0 0.0
Lehman 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Medgar Eversa 78.8 72.8 77.1 86.3 83.0 92.3 93.0
NYCCTa 94.3 95.6 94.7 94.4 94.0 93.8 91.5
Queens 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Staten Islanda 79.9 81.4 78.5 74.6 69.2 68.7 68.6
York 0.1 1.3 0.4 0.7 0.1 0.4 0.2
Professional Studies n/a 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 n/a n/a
Total Four-Year College 38.2 36.3 34.9 37.8 31.0 32.3 31.1
Community Colleges
BMCC 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Bronx 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Hostos 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Kingsborough 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
LaGuardia 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
New Community
College/ Guttman N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 100.0
Queensborough 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Total Community
College 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Total CUNY 63.4 63.0 63.4 66.6 65.7 67.7 66.8
Source: CUNY (2012 & 2013).
Note: a Due to the high proportion of students at these schools pursuing associate’s degrees, we classified these schools as two-year
institutions in this report.7
CUNY Affiliation of Initial College Attended
The CUNY system includes 11 four-year institutions (in which the highest undergraduate degree
offered is a four-year degree) and seven community colleges (in which the highest degree offered is
a two-year degree). As in other studies that examine CUNY enrollment (Treschan & Mehrotra,
2012), we categorized five CUNY four-year colleges as “top-tier” colleges (Baruch, Hunter,
Brooklyn, and Queens Colleges, and the City College of New York) and three as “second-tier”
colleges (York, Lehman, and John Jay Colleges). As mentioned above, we re-categorized three four-
year institutions as two-year schools (Medgar Evers College, the NYC College of Technology, and
the College of Staten Island). Finally, CUNY has seven community colleges (Borough of Manhattan,
Bronx, Hostos, Kingsborough, LaGuardia, Guttman,3 and Queensborough Community Colleges).
Selectivity of Initial Post-Secondary Institution Attended
Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges rates four-year institutions using a combination of incoming
students’ average SAT/ACT scores, GPA and class rank, and the percentage of applicants admitted.
In this report, we used a modified categorization of the Barron’s ratings of four-year institutions,
which has been also used by other researchers (Bowen, Chingos, & McPherson, 2009; Roderick et
al., 2008, 2009, & 2011; Smith, Pender, & Howell 2013). Specifically, we grouped four-year
institutions into five categories based on their 2011 Barron’s ratings: very selective, selective,
somewhat selective, non-selective, and other (see Table A-2).
Table A-2: Modified Barron’s College Selectivity Categories (2011)
Barron’s
Ratings Used
Selectivity Barron’s Definition
in this Report
Rating
Average freshman ranks in the top 20 percent of high school
class; GPA of A to B+; median SAT in 655-800 range; median
Most competitive ACT above 29.
Admit less than 33 percent of applicants.
Very selective
Average freshman ranks in the top 20-35 percent of high school
Highly class; GPA of B+ to B; median SAT from 620-654; median ACT
competitive 27-28.
Admit 33-50 percent of applicants.
Average freshman ranks in the top 35-50 percent of high school
class; GPA no less than B-; median SAT of 573-619; median
Selective Very competitive ACT 24-26.
Admit 50-75 percent of applicants.
Average freshman ranks in the top 50-65 percent of high school
Somewhat class; minimum required GPA ranges from B- to C; median SAT
Competitive 500-572; median ACT 21-23.
selective
Admit 75-85 percent of applicants.
Average freshman ranks in the top 65 percent of high school
Non-selective Less competitive class; admit students with GPAs generally below C; median
SAT below 500; median ACT below 21.8
Admit 85-100 percent of applicants.
Average freshman graduated from an accredited high school.
Noncompetitive
Admit 98 percent or more of applicants or all state residents.
Admissions requirements are not based primarily on academic
Special
criteria, but on evidence of talent or special interest.
Other
Other four-year
Barron’s does not rate these colleges.
colleges
Community Two-year
Barron’s does not rate these colleges.
college colleges
Source: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. (2011).
Table A-3: Examples of Colleges by Selectivity Category
Selectivity
Category Used Sample Colleges
in this Report
SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Stony Brook University, New York University, Syracuse
Very selective
University, Fordham University, Cornell University, SUNY Geneseo
CUNY Hunter College, CUNY Baruch College, SUNY University at Buffalo, SUNY
Selective
Albany, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Pace University
CUNY Brooklyn College, CUNY City College, CUNY John Jay College, CUNY
Somewhat
Queens College, St. John’s University, Long Island University, Buffalo State
selective
College
CUNY New York City College of Technologya, CUNY College of Staten Islanda,
Non-selective
CUNY Lehman College, CUNY Medgar Evers Collegea, CUNY York College
SUNY College of Technology at Canton, SUNY Morrisville, Monroe College–New
Other Rochelle, SUNY College of Technology at Delhi, Vaughn College of Aeronautics &
Technology
Community CUNY Borough of Manhattan, CUNY Queensborough, CUNY LaGuardia, CUNY
college Bronx, CUNY Hostos, Nassau Community College, Technical Career Institute
Source: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. (2011).
Notes: a Due to the high proportion of students at these schools pursuing associate’s degrees, we classified these schools as two-
year institutions in this report.9
APPENDIX B: NEW YORK STATE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
REQUIREMENTS
Local Regents Advanced Regents
Units of credit
English 8 8 8
Social Studies 8 8 8
Global History (4)
U.S. History (2)
Government (1)
Economics (1)
Science (including lab) 6 6 6
Life Science (2)
Physical Science (2)
Life or Physical Science (2)
Mathematics 6 6 6
Including at least 2 advanced
math (e.g., Geometry or
Algebra II)
Physical Education 4 4 4
Foreign Language 2 2 6
Arts 2 2 2
Health 1 1 1
Electives 7 7 3
Total credits required 44 44 44
Examination requirements
English Language Arts 55+ 65+ 65+
a
65+ on 1 math exam (Algebra 65+ on 3 math exams (Algebra I,
Mathematics 55+
I, Geometry or Algebra II) Geometry & Algebra II)
Global History and
55+ 65+ 65+
Geography
U.S. History and
55+ 65+ 65+
Government
65+ on 1 science exam (Living 65+ on 2 science exams (Living
Science 55+ Environment, Earth Science, Environment and Earth Science,
Chemistry, or Physics) Chemistry, or Physics)
Foreign Language Not required Not required 65+
For students entering 9th
grade before 2005: none.
Students entering in 2005
were required to pass at
least 2 of the 5 required
Total exams required to
Regents exams. Each
pass with at least a 5 9a
cohort thereafter was
score of 65
required to pass an
additional exam, until
2008, when this diploma
type was phased out for
most entering students.
Source: New York City Department of Education (2014).
Note: a For students who entered 9th grade prior to Fall 2011, the number of mathematics Regents exams required varied depending on the type of
exams available (i.e., the Mathematics A and Mathematics B Regents Exams were last administered in January 2009 and June 2010, respectively)
and the combinations of exams taken. See New York City Department of Education (2014) for more detail.10
APPENDIX C: SUPPLEMENTAL TABLES
Table C-1: Demographic and Academic Characteristics of First-Time 9th Graders, 2006-2012 (%)
Year of Expected High School Graduation
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Gender
Female 51.3 51.4 51.1 51.1 50.8 50.7 50.3
Male 48.7 48.6 48.9 48.9 49.2 49.3 49.7
Race/Ethnicity
Asian 14.5 14.3 14.5 14.5 14.8 15.2 15.9
Latino 35.0 36.0 37.2 38.0 38.1 39.1 38.6
Black 34.1 34.2 34.0 33.9 33.5 32.6 32.1
White 16.1 14.2 13.5 12.9 13.1 12.6 12.9
One or more poverty indicators in 8th or 9th grade 79.2 75.9 82.7 85.7 85.6 84.7 82.7
Number of students 61,586 63,571 64,881 66,065 66,074 66,214 65,442
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education.
Note: Calculations do not include students who transferred out of NYC public schools after 9th grade.11
Table C-2: Demographic and Academic Characteristics of On-Time High School Graduates, 2006-2012 (%)
Year of Expected High School Graduation
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Gender
Female 56.2 56.3 55.5 55.0 54.1 53.6 52.8
Male 43.8 43.7 44.5 45.0 45.9 46.4 47.2
Race/Ethnicity
Asian 18.7 18.5 18.2 17.9 18.0 18.7 19.4
Latino 29.6 30.6 32.7 33.9 34.1 35.3 34.5
Black 30.7 31.4 31.5 32.0 31.7 30.6 30.2
White 20.7 17.9 16.6 15.7 15.5 15.1 15.4
One or more poverty indicators in 8th or 9th grade 75.0 72.1 79.4 83.3 83.3 82.2 80.3
Number of students 35,561 37,744 40,688 43,407 45,516 45,871 45,947
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education.
Note: Table includes all students who enrolled in NYC public schools as first-time 9th graders and graduated from high school in four years.12
Table C-3: Demographic and Academic Characteristics of On-Time High School Graduates Who Enrolled
Immediately in College, 2006-2012 (%)
Year of Expected High School Graduation
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Gender
Female 58.1 58.5 58.0 56.8 56.6 56.1 55.1
Male 41.9 41.5 42.0 43.2 43.4 43.9 44.9
Race/Ethnicity
Asian 22.3 22.2 22.3 21.1 21.5 21.9 22.7
Latino 24.8 26.3 28.5 30.3 30.7 32.7 31.9
Black 27.6 28.4 28.2 29.3 29.4 28.1 27.7
White 25.1 21.3 20.1 18.7 17.8 16.9 17.2
One or more poverty indicators in 8th or 9th grade 71.2 69.0 76.2 81.1 81.0 80.1 78.4
Number of students 20,982 22,989 25,611 28,953 29,580 29,229 29,590
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education, including National Student Clearinghouse data.
Notes: Table includes all students who enrolled in NYC public schools as first-time 9th graders, graduated from high school in four years, and enrolled in college the immediate fall.13
Table C-4: Rates of On-Time High School Graduation and College Enrollment
(First-Time 9th Graders, 2002-2008)
Year of 9th Grade Entry
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Graduated from high school in
four years 57.7 59.4 62.7 65.7 68.9 69.3 70.2
Graduated from high school in
four years and enrolled
immediately in college 35.2 37.3 40.6 44.9 45.6 44.5 45.3
Number of students 61,586 63,571 64,881 66,065 66,074 66,214 65,442
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education, including National Student
Clearinghouse data.
Note: Our calculations differ from those conducted by the New York State Education Department and the NYC DOE because
we do not include students who transferred into or out of a NYC high school after 9th grade. Our rates are typically 4-5 percent
higher.
Table C-5: High School Graduation Rates by Diploma Type
(First-Time 9th Graders, 2002-2008)
Year of 9th Grade Entry
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Local diploma 18.9 18.3 17.8 16.4 14.0 9.6 3.2
Regents diploma 23.4 24.5 27.1 31.3 36.1 40.7 47.6
Advanced Regents diploma 15.5 16.6 17.9 18.0 18.8 19.0 19.4
Number of students 61,586 63,571 64,881 66,065 66,074 66,214 65,442
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education.
Note: Our calculations differ from those conducted by the New York State Education Department and the NYC DOE because
we do not include students who transferred into or out of a NYC high school after 9th grade. Our rates are typically 4-5 percent
higher.14
Table C-6: Rates of College Enrollment, Persistence, and Attainment by High School
Diploma Type
(On-Time High School Graduates, 2006-2012)
Year of High School Graduation
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
All high school graduates
Started college in immediate fall 59.0 60.9 62.9 66.7 65.0 63.7 64.4
Persisted for three semesters 52.0 53.4 55.3 55.8 52.1 51.5 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 46.1 47.1 47.2 45.0 42.8 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four
years 24.1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 35,561 37,744 40,688 43,407 45,516 45,871 5,947
By diploma type
Local diploma
Started college in immediate fall 40.1 40.8 42.5 45.4 42.7 41.1 30.2
Persisted for three semesters 30.6 31.3 32.6 31.3 27.3 25.5 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 24.0 23.8 23.1 20.0 17.2 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four
years 10.5 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 11,614 11,611 11,532 10,820 9,227 6,360 2,064
Regents diploma
Started college in immediate fall 60.4 62.3 63.1 67.0 64.1 61.4 60.0
Persisted for three semesters 52.9 53.5 54.3 54.2 49.6 46.9 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 45.9 46.0 44.8 41.9 38.6 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four
years 19.9 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 14,405 15,553 17,561 20,701 23,881 26,954 31,168
Advanced Regents diploma
Started college in immediate fall 80.0 80.8 83.0 85.6 83.4 80.2 80.6
Persisted for three semesters 76.7 77.8 79.3 81.1 75.4 74.5 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 73.3 74.3 74.8 73.0 69.9 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four
years 47.2 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 9,542 10,580 11,595 11,886 12,408 12,557 12,715
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education, including National Student Clearinghouse data.
Note: Table includes all students who enrolled in NYC public schools as first-time 9th graders and graduated from high school in four years.15
Table C-7: Rates of Initial College Enrollment by College Level, CUNY Affiliation, and Selectivity
(On-Time High School Graduates, 2006-2012)
Year of High School Graduation
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
College level
Two-year 15.3 17.6 20.2 24.7 25.8 26.5 26.5
Four-year 43.7 43.3 42.8 42.0 39.2 37.3 37.9
CUNY affiliation
“Top-tier” four-year CUNYa 10.5 10.6 10.3 9.4 8.2 8.6 8.2
“Second-tier” four-year CUNYb 5.1 5.5 5.6 5.8 4.7 4.0 4.5
CUNY community collegec 12.9 15.0 17.8 22.4 23.1 23.9 24.0
Four-year non-CUNY 28.1 27.2 26.9 26.9 26.3 24.7 25.2
Two-year non-CUNY 2.3 2.6 2.4 2.3 2.7 2.6 2.5
College selectivityd
Very selectived four-year 9.3 9.0 8.6 8.0 7.6 6.5 6.9
Selectived four-year 10.8 10.1 10.0 9.8 9.1 9.8 9.7
Somewhat selectived four-year 18.5 18.4 17.6 17.1 15.4 14.5 14.7
Non-selectived four-year 3.3 3.7 4.4 4.7 5.0 4.2 4.2
Other/speciald four-year 1.8 2.1 2.2 2.4 2.1 2.2 2.4
Number of Students 35,561 37,744 40,688 43,407 45,516 45,871 45,947
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education, including National Student Clearinghouse data.
Notes: Table includes all students who enrolled in NYC public schools as first-time 9th graders and graduated from high school in four years. a Baruch, Hunter, Brooklyn,
City and Queens Colleges. b York, Lehman, and John Jay Colleges. c BMCC, Bronx, Hostos, Kingsborough, La Guardia, and Queensborough Community Colleges, as
well as City Tech, Medgar Evers and Staten Island Colleges (because of the high proportion of students in associate’s programs at these institutions). d Selectivity was
determined using modified Barron's categories (see Appendix A for more information).
Table C-8: Rates of College Persistence and Degree Attainment
(Students who Enrolled in College Immediately after Graduating High School On Time, 2006-2012)
Year of High School Graduation
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 88.1 87.8 87.8 83.7 80.2 80.8 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 78.2 77.3 74.9 67.4 65.9 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 37.7 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 20,982 22,989 25,611 28,953 29,580 29,229 29,590
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education, including National Student Clearinghouse data.
Notes: Table includes all students who enrolled in NYC public schools as first-time 9th graders, graduated from high school in four years, and enrolled in college the
immediate fall.16
Table C-9: Rates of College Persistence and Degree Attainment by College Selectivity
(Students Who Enrolled in College Immediately after Graduating High School on Time, 2006-2012)
Year of High School Graduation
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Very selective four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 96.7 97.7 97.1 97.4 87.9 96.6 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 93.7 94.6 93.2 86.7 84.3 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 73.5 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 3,313 3,379 3,490 3,479 3,454 2,993 3,167
Selective four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 94.4 94.4 94.8 93.1 90.4 91.8 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 88.7 88.7 88.5 84.2 83.5 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 43.0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 3,823 3,816 4,062 4,246 4,144 4,488 4,479
Somewhat selective four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 89.5 89.2 89.7 86.7 86.2 87.6 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 79.7 79.9 79.9 74.3 75.2 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 29.5 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 6,594 6,952 7,148 7,403 7,007 6,650 6,753
Non-selective four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 84.9 82.8 85.2 78.7 74.6 79.4 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 74.3 72.4 71.8 61.6 60.3 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 19.7 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 1,173 1,413 1,792 2,051 2,256 1,938 1,928
Other/special four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 78.0 78.2 76.2 71.8 75.8 72.0 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 62.5 61.3 55.7 51.7 58.5 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 37.8 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 651 785 911 1,056 972 1,019 1,092
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education, including National Student Clearinghouse data.
Notes: Table includes all students who enrolled in NYC public schools as first-time 9th graders, graduated from high school in four years, and enrolled in college the immediate fall.17
Table C-10. College Pathways by High School Achievement
(Percent of 2006 On-Time High School Graduates Who Enrolled in College Immediately)
Semester
Number of
Status
Students 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
All 20,982 Still enrolled 100.0 95.4 88.1 81.6 76.3 69.0 64.2 33.8
Stopped out 0.0 4.5 11.8 16.5 21.4 24.6 27.6 29.9
Received a degree 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.9 2.3 6.4 8.3 36.3
By High School Diploma Type
Advanced Regents 7,630 Still enrolled 100.0 98.5 95.9 93.3 90.8 86.5 82.6 32.8
Stopped out 0.0 1.4 4.0 5.9 8.3 10.2 11.6 13.0
Received a degree 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.9 3.3 5.8 54.2
Regents 8,697 Still enrolled 100.0 95.2 87.5 79.9 73.7 65.3 60.3 37.9
Stopped out 0.0 4.7 12.4 17.8 23.4 26.8 30.5 33.0
Received a degree 0.0 0.0 0.1 2.3 2.9 7.9 9.2 29.2
Local 4,655 Still enrolled 100.0 90.8 76.3 65.8 57.5 47.1 41.2 27.9
Stopped out 0.0 9.2 23.6 31.4 39.0 44.0 48.3 51.9
Received a degree 0.0 0.0 0.1 2.9 3.5 8.9 10.5 20.3
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education, including National Student Clearinghouse data.
Notes: Table includes all students who enrolled in NYC public schools as first-time 9th graders, graduated from high school in four years, and enrolled in college in the immediate fall.
The categories in this table (i.e., still enrolled, stopped out, and received a degree) report the proportion of immediate college enrollees in each category at each semester. A student is
defined as “still enrolled” if she persisted in any post-secondary institution in each semester (fall/spring) after initial enrollment until she either received a post-secondary degree or left
college (“stopped out”). The three categories are mutually exclusive, and add up to 100 percent for each diploma type in each semester.
This table does not fully capture the complexity of possible pathways through college. For example, some students who we define as stopping out may have returned to college or
received a degree in a subsequent semester. However, we highlight stop out because of the additional barriers often faced by students who leave and then try to return to college. In
fact, we found that an additional 1.4 percent of all 2006 on-time high school graduates who enrolled in college immediately received a post-secondary degree within four years, but were
not included into the degree attainment rate in this table because they left college prior to degree attainment. This table also only tracks the first degree a student receives, so does not
capture students who remain enrolled (e.g., in a bachelor’s program) after receiving a degree (e.g., an associate’s degree).18
Table C-11: College Pathways by College Level and Selectivity
(Percent of Students who Enrolled in College Immediately after Graduating High School On Time in 2006)
Semester
Number of
Status 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Students
Very selective 3,313 Still enrolled 100.0 99.1 96.7 94.7 93.0 89.9 86.3 18.7
Stopped out 0.0 0.9 3.3 4.6 6.2 7.6 8.7 9.6
Received a degree 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.7 2.5 5.0 71.6
Selective 3,823 Still enrolled 100.0 97.9 94.3 91.8 88.6 84.7 80.2 41.0
Stopped out 0.0 2.1 5.6 8.0 11.2 13.5 15.8 17.3
Received a degree 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 1.8 4.0 41.7
Somewhat
selective 6,594 Still enrolled 100.0 96.0 89.5 83.2 78.2 72.9 68.3 43.1
Stopped out 0.0 4.0 10.5 15.1 19.9 22.9 26.2 28.3
Received a degree 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.7 1.9 4.2 5.5 28.6
Non- selective 1,824 Still enrolled 100.0 93.6 82.4 73.7 67.3 58.4 52.9 34.2
Stopped out 0.0 6.4 17.5 22.8 28.6 33.8 38.4 41.0
Received a degree 0.0 0.0 0.1 3.6 4.2 7.8 8.8 24.8
Two-year 5,428 Still enrolled 100.0 91.5 78.6 67.2 58.3 44.0 38.1 26.5
Stopped out 0.0 8.5 21.2 29.3 37.0 41.8 45.5 49.4
Received a degree 0.0 0.1 0.1 3.4 4.7 14.2 16.4 24.1
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education, including National Student Clearinghouse data.
Note: Table includes all students who enrolled in NYC public schools as first-time 9th graders, graduated from high school in four years, and enrolled in college in the immediate fall.
The categories in this table (i.e., still enrolled, stopped out, and received a degree) report the proportion of immediate college enrollees in each category at each semester. A student is
defined as “still enrolled” if she persisted in any post-secondary institution in each semester (fall/spring) after initial enrollment until she either received a post-secondary degree or left
college (“stopped out”). The three categories are mutually exclusive, and add up to 100 percent for each diploma type in each semester.
This table does not fully capture the complexity of possible pathways through college. For example, some students who we define as stopping out may have returned to college or
received a degree in a subsequent semester. However, we highlight stop out because of the additional barriers often faced by students who leave and then try to return to college. In
fact, we found that an additional 1.4 percent of all 2006 on-time high school graduates who enrolled in college immediately received a post-secondary degree within four years, but were
not included into the degree attainment rate in this table because they left college prior to degree attainment. This table also only tracks the first degree a student receives, so does not
capture students who remain enrolled (e.g., in a bachelor’s program) after receiving a degree (e.g., an associate’s degree).19
Table C-12: Rates of College Persistence and Degree Attainment by College Selectivity for Academically Well
Prepared Students
(Students who Enrolled in College Immediately after Graduating High School On Time with an Advanced Regents Diploma, 2006-2012)
Year of High School Graduation
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Very selective four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 97.1 98.1 97.6 97.9 87.3 96.7 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 94.2 95.8 94.4 86.8 84.1 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 76.4 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 2,737 2,884 2,975 2,936 2,905 2,502 2,635
Selective four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 96.7 96.5 96.3 95.3 93.5 93.4 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 92.7 92.1 91.4 88.1 88.1 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 49.7 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 2,180 2,404 2,681 2,849 2,816 3,029 2,971
Somewhat selective four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 95.4 95.3 94.5 93.3 92.5 92.4 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 89.8 90.0 88.6 86.1 84.8 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 38.5 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 2,078 2,408 2,815 2,850 2,934 2,941 2,912
Non-selective four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 90.0 90.7 89.5 91.9 86.8 84.8 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 84.7 84.2 79.5 78.6 78.7 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 44.8 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 261 355 493 570 600 585 641
Other/special four-year
Started college in immediate fall 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Persisted for three semesters 90.4 91.6 91.2 89.5 87.5 87.6 N/A
Persisted for five semesters 82.1 83.1 79.7 74.4 73.1 N/A N/A
Received a degree within four years 40.1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Number of students 374 502 661 966 1,088 1,014 1,092
Source: Research Alliance calculations using data from the NYC Department of Education, including National Student Clearinghouse data.
Note: Table includes all students who enrolled in NYC public schools as first-time 9th graders and graduated from high school in four years.20
Endnotes ra/ir/data-book/student/2003-2009/fall-
2012.html
1
According to the DOE, the difference between
Goldrick-Rab, S. & Harris, D.N. (2010). Memo to
four-year and five-year high school graduation
interested researchers using National Student
rates is, on average, about 5.6 percentage points.
Clearinghouse data. Retrieved from
The difference between five-year and six-year
high school graduation rates is, on average, 3 http://www.finaidstudy.org/documents/NSC2
percentage points. For example, 65.1 percent of 0Dear20colleagues20letter.pdf
9th graders who entered high school in 2006 National Student Clearinghouse (2014). NSC
graduated by August 2010; 70.4 percent of that Coverage. Retrieved from
9th grade cohort had graduated after five years, http://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-
and 73.2 percent after six years (NYC DOE content/uploads/NSC_COVERAGE.xlsx
2013b). New York City Department of Education (2013a). “Data
2 Fall is defined August 1st to December 31st. Spring
Verification Overview Guide 2012-13.”
is defined as January 1st to April 30th. Retrieved from
3 Guttman Community College (initially known as http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/F42CC1
the New Community College) opened in 2012, B3-14AA-4163-B678-
and is not included in any of the analyses in this 5B202499AF0C/0/DataVerificationGuide20121
report. 3.pdf
New York City Department of Education (2013b). “New
Appendix References York City Graduation Rates Class of 2013 (2001
Cohort).” Retrieved from
Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. (2011). Barron’s http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/723B1E
Profiles of American Colleges 2011 (29th Edition). 9A-B35E-4C25-9D48-
Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series, 4E18E0BA90A5/0/2013GraduationRatesPublic
Inc. Website.pdf
Bowen, W.G., Chingos, M.M., & McPherson, M.S. New York City Department of Education (2014).
(2009). Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at “Graduation Requirements.” Retrieved from
America's Public Universities. Princeton, NJ: http://schools.nyc.gov/nr/rdonlyres/215ff06b-
Princeton University Press. dca3-442b-89df-
Bozick, R. & DeLuca, S. (2005). “Better Late Than 18e674dc867e/0/acpolicygened.pdf
Never? Delayed Enrollment in the High School to New York City Department of Education (n.d.). Letter
College Transition.” Social Forces, 84(1), 531- to High School Students and Families. Retrieved
554. from
The City University of New York (2012). “First-Time http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/1E78D2
Freshmen by Degree Pursued, Full-Time/Part- 06-DDF4-497B-AC77-
Time Attendance, and College, Fall 2011.” A98EFB3A5A5A/0/FAFSANSCOptOutLetterFo
Retrieved from rm201213.pdf
owl.cuny.edu:7778/ADMS_0019_FTFR_DEGP Roderick, M., Nagaoka, J., Coca, V., Moeller, E.,
R_FTPT_HIST.rpt.pdf Roddie, K., Gilliam, J., & Patton, D. (2008). From High
The City University of New York (2013). “First-Time School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College.
Freshmen by Degree Pursued, Full-Time/Part- Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Consortium
Time Attendance, and College, Fall 2012” on Chicago School Research.
Retrieved from Roderick, M., Nagaoka, J., Coca, V., & Moeller, E.
http://cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/i (2009). From High School to the Future: Making Hard21
Work Pay Off. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago
Consortium on Chicago School Research.
Roderick, M., Coca, V., & Nagaoka, J. (2011). “Potholes
on the Road to College: High School Effects of
Shaping Urban Students’ Participation in College
Application, Four-Year College Enrollment, and
College Match.” Sociology of Education, 84(3),
178-211.
Smith, J., Pender, M., & Howell, J. (2013). “The Full
Extent of Student-College Academic
Undermatch.” Economics of Education Review, 32,
247-261.
Treschan, L. & Mehrotra, A. (2012). Unintended Impacts:
Fewer Black and Latino Freshmen at CUNY Senior
Colleges after the Recession. New York, NY:
Community Service Society.
Wilkes, S., Brohawn, K., Mevs, P., & Lee. J. (2012). Data
Collaboration in New York City: The Challenges of
Linking High School and Post-Secondary Data.
Providence, RI: Annenberg Institute for School
Reform. Retrieved from
http://annenberginstitute.org/sites/default/file
s/CRIS_Brief2_0.pdf285 Mercer Street, 3rd Floor | New York, New York 10003-9502
212 992 7697 | 212 995 4910 fax
research.alliance@nyu.edu | www.steinhardt.nyu.edu/research_alliance
The Research Alliance for
New York City Schools conducts
rigorous studies on topics that
matter to the city’s public schools.
We strive to advance equity and
excellence in education by
providing non-partisan evidence
about policies and practices that
promote students’ development
and academic success.You can also read
