Does Prior College Credit Matter? A Longitudinal Investigation of Academic Success, Retention, and Degree Completion

Abstract

Supporters of concurrent enrollment programs tout its many benefits to students, parents, and involved institutions; however, findings from related studies vary widely. As more and more students enter college having earned a substantial number of college credits while concurrently completing their secondary education, it is essential to determine the value of such experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the suggested value of prior college credits in relationship to student performance, retention and degree completion in college. The population for this study consisted of entering freshmen (1998 and 2003) in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri. Findings revealed that students who began college with prior credit experienced greater academic performance during their first year of college than students who entered with no prior credit. There was a relationship between number of prior college credits and both academic retention, and degree completion. Finally, prior college credit, when controlling for high school core grade point average and ACT score, accounted for only a small amount of unique variance in academic performance. These findings express trends between the 1998 and 2003 cohort groups investigated.