Dual Credit and Advanced Placement:Do They Help Prepare Students for

Success in College?

Mardy Eimers, Director of Institutional Research & Planning

Robert Mullen, Assistant Director of Institutional Research & Planning

43rd Annual Association for Institutional Research ForumTampa, Florida

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 1:00 PM

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Research Questions

1. Is there a difference in first-year college grade point average (GPA) between students who had no prior advanced placement (AP) or dual credit in contrast to students who did receive credit in AP or dual-credit courses?

2. Is there a difference in first-year college retention between students who entered college with no college credit in contrast to students who entered college with dual credit or AP credits?

3. Does the source of dual credit courses have any relationship with the first-year college grade point average or first-year retention?

University of Missouri System

• Large residential campus• Engineering residential campus• Two urban campuses• Characteristics:

– 43,000 undergraduates– 2,700 professional students– 10,800 graduate students

Research Design

• Study Population: 7,913 first-time, full-time degree-seeking students, Fall 1999 & Fall 2000

• Missouri residents

• Recent high school graduates

• Measures of academic ability: ACT, high school percent rank, CBHE high school core

• Success:

– 1st year GPA

– Return the following fall

• Dual credit removed from 1st year GPA

• Dual credit versus dual enrollment

Research Question 1:

Is there a difference in the first-year GPA among students whoenter college with different types of college credit?

Table 1: Characteristics of First-time College Students,Fall 1999 and Fall 2000

HS Rank 1st Year 1st YearType of Credit N ACT (%) GPA* SCH

AP Only 505 29.1 84 3.28 43Dual High School Only 3,135 25.8 82 2.92 42Both AP and Dual 300 29.3 89 3.32 52No College Credit 3,973 24.7 73 2.70 30

* Grades in the dual credit courses were not included in the first-year GPA calculation.Sources: UIDS, institutional data, and CBHE EMSAS files.March, 2003

Average:

Results of Regression Analysis

Table 2: Results of Linear Regression

Model R2 = 0.2869

ParameterVariable Estimate p>|t|

Intercept 0.53210 <.0001ACT 0.03785 <.0001High School Rank (%) 0.01707 <.0001AP Only Credit 0.21398 <.0001Both AP and Dual Credit 0.16833 <.0001

Notes: Fall 1999 and fall 2002 Cohort with valid second semester GPA's

Variables with p > .0001: Dual_Credit_Only and HS_Core

Source: UIDS, student records, and CBHE EMSAS files.March, 2003

Predicting First-Year GPA

Table 3: Examples Predicting Second Semester GPA

Student Characteristics held constant: ACT = 26 HS Rank = 85

PredictedExamples: Intercept ACT Score HS Rank AP Only AP and Dual 1st-year GPA

Parameter Estimates 0.5321 0.037848 0.01707 0.21398 0.16833Example 1 (no credit) 0.5321 26 85 0 0 2.97Example 2 (Dual Only) 0.5321 26 85 0 0 2.97Example 3 (AP Only) 0.5321 26 85 1 0 3.18Example 4 (Both AP & Dual) 0.5321 26 85 0 1 3.14

Source: UIDS, student data files, and CBHE EMSAS files.March, 2003

Research Question 1:

Summary of Results

When holding Academic Ability Constant:

– Students with AP Credit Only and students with AP and Dual Credit tend to get higher 1st year GPA than other students

– Dual Credit Only students do not appear to get significantly higher 1st year GPA’s than students entering with No College Credit

Research Question 2:Does completion of AP, Dual, both AP and Dual, have an effecton whether or not the student comes back the following fall term?

Table 4: First-year Returns Rates by Type of Credit,Fall 1999 and Fall 2000

Number Type of Credit N Returning Percent

AP Only 505 441 87%Dual High School Only 3,135 2,796 89%Both AP and Dual 300 269 90%No College Credit 3,973 3,023 76%

Sources: UIDS, institutional data, and CBHE EMSAS files.

March, 2003

Logistic Regression Results

Predicting a Student’s Return the followingFall Term

Significant Positive Variables:

• ACT• HS Rank• Dual Credit Only• AP Credit Only• Both Dual & AP

Research Question 2:

Summary of Results

When holding Academic Ability Constant:

• Students entering college with Dual Credit Only, AP Only, or Dual and AP had an increased likelihood of returning the following fall in contrast to students who entered college with No College Credit

Research Question 3:Does the source of the dual credit have any impact on academicperformance or retention?

Table 5: Characteristics of Students Earning Dual Credit by Type of Institution,Fall 1999 and Fall 2000

HS Rank 1st Year 1st YearType of Institution N ACT (%) GPA * SCH

Two-Year 323 26.2 85 2.79 42Four-Year 1,361 26.0 82 2.91 40System Campuses:

Campus A 474 25.7 84 2.94 41Campus B 490 25.0 75 2.90 40

* Grades in the dual credit courses were not included in the first-year GPA calculation.Source: UIDS, student data system, and CBHE EMSAS files.March, 2003

Average:

Results of Regression Analysis

Table 6: Results of Linear Regression

Model R2 = 0.2481

ParameterVariable Estimate p>|t|

Intercept 0.21762 0.0308ACT 0.04736 <.0001High School Rank (%) 0.01779 <.0001Two-year Dual Credit -0.17690 <.0001Campus B Dual 0.15759 <.0001

Notes: Fall 1999 and Fall 2000 Cohort with valid second semester GPA's. Not significant: Completion of High School Core, Campus A.Source: UIDS, student records, and CBHE EMSAS files.March, 2003

Predicting First-Year GPAby Source of Dual Credit Hours

Table 7: Examples Predicting Second Semester GPA - Dual Credit Students Only

Student Characteristics held constant: ACT = 26 and HS Rank = 85

PredictedExamples: Inter. ACT Score HS Rank Two-Year Campus B 1st-Yr GPA

Parameter Estimate 0.2176 0.04736 0.01779 -0.17690 0.15759Example 1: Two-Year Credit 0.2176 26 85 1 0 2.78Example 2: Four-Year Credit 0.2176 26 85 0 2.96Example 3 - Campus A 0.2176 26 85 0 2.96Example 4 - Campus B 0.2176 26 85 1 3.12

Source: UIDS, student data files, and CBHE EMSAS files.March, 2003

Predicting Retention based on Source of Dual Credit

• The overall logistic regression model was statistically significant: ACT and HS Rank

• All sources of dual credit were positively related with returning for the second year

Research Question 3:

Summary of Results

Controlling for Academic Ability:

• Students who entered the University of Missouri with dual credit from two-year institutions tended to have lower 1st year GPA’s than students getting their dual credit at other types of institutions.

• All sources of dual credit were positively related with returning for the second year

Limitations

– University of Missouri– Number of entering credit hours or

grades in those courses – Time-lag: Fall term GPA– Time-lag: 1st year retention– Strength of model

Summary of Findings

• Dual Credit is an increasing source of pre-college work in Missouri.

• Findings tend to indicate that dual credit, earned in the high school, does not help or hinder student success as measured by the 1st year GPA.

• Dual credit, AP, or a combination of the two appears to positively affect a student’s return the following fall.

• Source of dual credit plays some role in explaining 1st year GPA.

Implications & Further Research

• Legislators and the Missouri CBHE continue to be concerned about dual credit offerings

• University of Missouri has decided not to include the grades received in dual credit courses in the student’s official University GPA

• The positive relationship between AP and/or dual credit and 2nd year retention is noteworthy

• Further research: How are students who enter college with college credit using their advanced standing to enhance their college experience?

Additional Information

Office of Institutional Research & Planning721 Lewis HallUniversity of Missouri SystemColumbia, Missouri 65211(573) 882-2778(573) 884-5545 (fax)URL: http://www.system.missouri.edu/planning/

under “Research Reports”

Mardy T. Eimers: eimersm@umsystem.eduRobert Mullen: mullenrw@umsystem.edu