Academic and Social Integration and Persistence of International Students at U.S. Two-Year Institutions

Abstract

As a growing number of international students discover two-year institutions as the possible gateway to U.S. higher education, it is important to have a better understanding of who these students are, what attracts them to two-year colleges, and how they engage with the campus community. To address these questions, the study used the data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04=06) survey to examine the profile of international students attending two-year versus four-year institutions in the United States. More specifically, the study explored to what extent international students engaged academically and socially on two-year college campuses in their first-year of study in the U.S. It also examined how students' integration related to their likelihood of persistence through the second year. The results of this study revealed that location, cost, and coursework were among the primary considerations for international students enrolling at two-year institutions in the U.S. The study found that academic advising and faculty interactions played a significant role in the first-to-second-year persistence of international students. Considering these findings, developing relationships and interactions with faculty, academic advisors, and peers should be reinforced and supported.

The influence of self-efficacy on degree aspiration among domestic and international community college students

“…A plethora of studies have been focused on international community college students' educational aspiration (Hagedorn & Lee, 2005;Mamiseishvili, 2011;Bohman, 2010).…”

“…The findings concluded that these international students were more academically transfer-ready than their non-international counterparts (Hagedorn & Lee, 2005). Furthermore, Mamiseishvili (2011) studied international students' persistence in community colleges by utilizing Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS) data. In this study, faculty interaction and academic advising showed significant influence on first-to-second year persistence (Mamiseishvili, 2011).…”

“…Furthermore, Mamiseishvili (2011) studied international students' persistence in community colleges by utilizing Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS) data. In this study, faculty interaction and academic advising showed significant influence on first-to-second year persistence (Mamiseishvili, 2011). In addition to these quantitative studies, Bohman (2010) utilized a qualitative approach to study the decision-making process about international students' choice of attending community colleges.…”

Academic engagement of international students at community colleges: a culturally sensitive measurement model

“…Student engagement in academic and social activities has long been recognized as a critical factor in shaping college outcomes (Astin, 1993;Burkholder, 2014;Harper & Quaye, 2009;Kuh, Cruce, Shoup, & Kinzie, 2008;Kuh, Kinzie, Buckley, Bridges, & Hayek, 2006;Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, Whitt, & Associates, 2010;McClenney, 2006;Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005;Stebleton, Soria, Huesman, & Torres, 2014;Tinto, 1993;Ullah & Wilson, 2007;Zhao, Kuh, & Carini, 2005), however little is known about the patterns of academic engagement of international students at community colleges (Mamiseishvili, 2012).…”

“…Although the overall upward trend in international student enrollment in the United States has been persistent over time, preferences for pathways have changed. Today, a growing number of international students consider American community colleges as a gateway to a higher education degree (Behroozi-Bagherpour, 2010;Mamiseishvili, 2012;Sallie, 2008). According to data collected by the IIE (2014c), the number of international students enrolled in community colleges increased by 7.4% from 81,869 in 2004-2005 to 87,963 in 2013-2014.…”