Now that we’ve taken a solid look at the postsecondary enrollment rates and trends of  METS students and their peers, it’s time to take a look at how they do in completing their degrees. Using the same StudentTracker report put out by the state of Maine in partnership with the Mitchell Institute and the National Student Clearinghouse, we are able to compare METS rates vs those of their peer groups in their target schools. The enrollment year we will be comparing is the 2007-2008 cohort, and we will be using the rates of those who graduated within 6 years, with a certificate, associates, or bachelor degrees. As before, the names have of schools have been changed so as not to accidentally disclose individual student information. One note, School I is a private school, and as such was not included in the state of Maine’s report.

In 2007-2008, 125 METS seniors enrolled in postsecondary education, at an enrollment rate of 91.2%.

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Previously, we looked at postsecondary enrollment rates of METS students when compared to their peers in their schools. This time around, we’re going to look at the impact METS students are having on their school’s enrollment rates.

One of the long term goals of METS is to work with schools to create college going cultures in the school. Research has shown in schools where postsecondary enrollment is the expected outcome, students are much more likely to enroll in college after high school. More simply, if a student sees their neighbor go to college and become an engineer, they are much more likely to believe that is a possibility for them. If they mostly see their peers dropout of high school, or not go on to further education, than that is the likely outcome they will see for themselves.  Continue reading →