Secondary School College Research Findings

1
Secondary School /College Research Findings

• Betty Freelandt
• Vice President Student Services and Strategic
  Initiatives
• Cambrian College

2
Year 2000 Ontario student flow from Grade 9 to
post-secondary destinations

• 28 to university
• 23 to colleges
• 25 leave before completing high school
• 24 graduate from high school and go to work
• Alan King
• Ontario Ministry of Education
• Double Cohort Study Phase 2 Report
• October 17, 2002

3
High school graduates _at_ age 20 Post-secondary
enrolment(PSE)
59 Enrolled in PSE within 12 months of
graduation 19 Enrolled in PSE more than 12
months after graduation 21 Not enrolled in
PSE Joanna Tombowicz and Tracy
Bushnik Who goes to post-secondary education
and when Pathways chosen by 20 year olds
Statistics Canada, 2003
4
Characteristics of right-awayers, delayers,
no-goers
Joanna Tombowicz and Tracy Bushnik Who goes to
post-secondary education and when Pathways
chosen by 20 year olds Statistics Canada, 2003
5
Characteristics of right-awayers, delayers, no
goers (continued)
Joanna Tombowicz and Tracy Bushnik Who goes to
post-secondary education and when Pathways
chosen by 20 year olds Statistics Canada, 2003
6
Post-secondary education for Canadians 18 to 24
Lynn Barr-Telford, Fernado Cartwright, Sandrine
Prasil and Kristina Simmons Access, persistence
and financing First results from the
post-secondary education survey, Statistics
Canada, 2003
7
Statistics Canada 2001 Census Data
8
2001 Statistics Canada data (high school or less)

• By 2010 it is predicted only 10 of new jobs will
  be available to those with a high school
  education or less education.
• 25 to 64 year olds 47
• 25 to 34 year olds 39

9
Employment by educational obtainment- Statistics
Canada (2002)

• employed
• Less than Grade 9 22
• Some secondary 45
• High school graduate 66
• Some post-secondary 63
• Post-secondary certificate/diploma 73
• University degree 77

10
Decision to attend college

• 13 felt that their high school counselor was
  very influential in their college decision
• 30 indicated that family and friends strongly
  influenced their decision

2003 College Applicant survey, Acumen Research
Group Inc., Sept. 2003
11
Most influential factors by target market

• High school students
• Parents 39, friends 30
• Campus visit 42, college website 28, college
  calendar 23
• Interaction with current and past students 31

2003 College Applicant survey, Acumen Research
Group Inc., Sept. 2003
12
College Enrolment Trends

• Between 1987/88 and 1999/00 full time enrolment
  at community colleges in Canada increased by 28

Education Indicators in Canada Report of the
Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program, 2003,
Statistics Canada and Council of Ministers of
Education of Canada
13
2003 College Applicant survey, Acumen Research
Group Inc., Sept. 2003
14
Student Withdrawals 2002/ Exits 2003 at Cambrian

• First year student problem
• Over 49 of the withdrawing students reported
  that the program was unsuitable or not for me
• Students exited based upon academic performance
  (18-20 years of age)
• Students choosing to withdraw (21-25 years of
  age)

Elizabeth Freelandt Why do Cambrian College
students withdraw from college prior to
graduating?, Cambrian College, January 2004
15
Factors Affecting Decisions to Withdraw 2002The
following factors strongly or somewhat affected
students decision to withdraw
Elizabeth Freelandt Why do Cambrian College
students withdraw from college prior to
graduating?, Cambrian College, January 2004
16
First Year Students - 2003

• Age distribution
• Under 18 years of age - 4
• 18-20 years of age - 42
• 21-25 years of age - 34
• 26-30 years of age - 9
• Over 30 years of age - 11

2003 First Year Student Survey Cambrian College
17
Female/Male Ratio
Note 2002 and 2003 demographic data not
comparable. Data was taken from ISIS, not from
first year student survey
2003 First Year Student Survey Cambrian College
18
Length of Time Away From School Prior to This
Academic Year(First Year Students-2003)
2003 First Year Student Survey Cambrian College
19
Graduating High School Average(First Year
Students-2003)
2003 First Year Student Survey Cambrian College
20
Note Omitted from the bar chart are all schools
representing less than 1 of total first year
enrollment. 37.3 fall into this category.
 Unidentified represents a high school in
which the high school mident number could not be
found.  Unknown represents students in which
high school attended is unknown due to students
entering as mature students or entering from
another post-secondary institution.
2003 First Year Student Survey Cambrian College
21
Plans after graduation(First Year Students-2003)

• Obtain employment 47
• Apply to university 19
• Apply to another program at Cambrian 11
• Unknown 9
• Enter apprenticeship 8
• Set up a personal business 4
• Apply to another program at another college 3
• Do not expect to graduate from Cambrian 1
• 2003 First Year Student Survey Cambrian
  College

22
Computer Competency (First Year Students-2003)

• Over 88 indicated their level of skill with
  word processing, Internet, and e-mail skills to
  be good, very good or excellent
• 89 have access to a computer outside of the
  college
• 87 have internet access

2003 First Year Student Survey Cambrian College
23
Challenges for Secondary School / College
Strategic Planning Committee

• Students need to be better informed as to the
  nature, work and requirements of the program they
  choose to address program unsuitable or not for
  me
• Advising students on long term job and salary
  levels enjoyed by college graduates
• Promote pathways created through
  college/university articulation agreements