Citation
Rosenbaum, Janet E. (2021). Associations between Civic Engagement and Community College Completion in a Nationally Representative Sample of Young Adults.
Community College Journal of Research and Practice. vol. 45 (7) pp. 479-497
Abstract
Educational attainment is associated with voting and political trust, but less is known about whether voting and political trust are associated with subsequently higher educational attainment. In a sample of voting-age two-year college students in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health (n= 1212), this study identified three markers of civic engagement in 2001 associated with greater attainment of certificates, associates degrees, and bachelor's degrees in 2008: voting, trusting the federal government, and affiliating with a political party. To minimize confounding, we used multivariate regression after exact and nearest-neighbor Mahalanobis matching within propensity score calipers on pre-college parent and adolescent socioeconomic status, demographics, educational expectations, health status, and parent civic participation. Voting in the 2000 presidential election was associated with greater likelihood of attaining a BA, or above; trusting the federal government was associated with greater likelihood of earning a certificate, associate?s degree, or BA or above; and affiliating with a political party predicted greater likelihood of earning an associate?s degree or BA, or above. These results suggest that two-year colleges that encourage voter registration and political activities may increase their students' engagement and educational attainment.
URL
https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2020.1724574Keyword(s)
education
Reference Type
Journal Article
Journal Title
Community College Journal of Research and Practice
Author(s)
Rosenbaum, Janet E.
Year Published
2021
Volume Number
45
Issue Number
7
Pages
479-497
ISSN/ISBN
1066-8926
DOI
10.1080/10668926.2020.1724574
Reference ID
9887
