The Long-Term Impacts of Corequisite Mathematics Remediation with Statistics: Degree Completion and Wage Outcomes

Abstract

Community colleges are essential for United States higher education, but their students have low retention and graduation rates. Community college students assigned to mathematics remediation are particularly unlikely to graduate. Corequisite remediation (college-level coursework with additional support) has shown short-term increased student success. The current study examined the 7-year results of a randomized controlled trial of corequisite remediation with college-level statistics. Students assigned to the corequisite group were 50 percent more likely to complete associate’s degrees within 3 years, and 100 percent more likely to complete bachelor’s degrees within 5 years. Corequisite students also earned, on average, $3,000–$4,500 more in years 5 to 7. Mediation analysis further suggests that the wage treatment effect was due to shortened time to degree.