The Mixed Methods Blog

Perspectives from our researchers, highlights from recent studies, and other news about CCRC

Community Colleges Are Key Players in Strengthening the Humanities

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While commentary on the dire state of the humanities in higher education continues, the role that community colleges might play in helping put students on the humanities track has been largely overlooked. How might community colleges strengthen their humanities offerings, and working with their four-year partners, better propel more of their students to successful transfer in the humanities?

How Can Community Colleges Afford to Offer Dual Enrollment College Courses to High School Students at a Discount?

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Many community colleges offer dual enrollment courses at a lower tuition rate than is paid by post-high school students. But—as dual enrollment students have come to comprise a larger share of community college enrollments—can colleges afford to continue offering these courses at a discount? Clive Belfield, Davis Jenkins, and John Fink consider how community colleges can structure their programs to be more efficient and financially sustainable.

What Happened to Community College Enrollment During the First Years of the Pandemic? It Depends on the Students’ Age

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For the first time following the pandemic, we can examine detailed state- and college-level enrollment trends by age group using the latest federal data. Senior Research Associate and Program Lead John Fink examines these numbers and offers three major takeaways on how community college enrollment changed during the pandemic.

More Clues From the Great Recession: How Will COVID-19 Affect Community College Funding?

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In the latest installment of our COVID-19 blog series, Davis Jenkins, John Fink, and Thomas Brock use Great Recession-era data as a potential blueprint for how community college funding may shift moving forward.

How Will COVID-19 Affect Community College Enrollment? Looking to the Great Recession for Clues

How Will COVID-19 Affect Community College Enrollment? Looking to the Great Recession for Clues

Based on observations following the last major disruption to community colleges, Davis Jenkins and John Fink explore how the COVID-19 pandemic could affect enrollment trends across three groups of students: students aged 25 and over, students aged 18–24, and dual enrollment students.