Underprepared Community College Students: Implications of Attitudinal and Experiential Differences

Abstract

Data from a freshman survey instrument (CIRP) completed by the 1992 entering cohort of 500 freshmen at a Florida community college and three-year outcomes data from the college's database were analyzed to define differences in college-ready and underprepared students classified according to a computerized placement test. Based on chi square analysis of categorical variables and multivariate ANOVAs for each cluster of related interview questions, the authors describe significant differences between underprepared and college-ready students and discuss their findings in relationship to the literature on at-risk student groups and psychological theories.