{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.02631578947368421, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0029239766081871343, 'mean_word_length': 5.89261744966443, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Hidden Costs: Understanding the Financial Implications of Incentivizing Full-Time Enrollment among Community College Students

ABSTRACT Using data from students and academic advisors at one of the nation’s largest community colleges, our qualitative study examined the cost-related implications of efforts to increase full-time enrollment rates. Findings pinpoint several key interrelated financial factors that heavily influence students’ assessment of the risk and rewards of pursuing full-time enrollment. Our data show the cost-related factors students consider when determining the number of credit hours in which to enroll can be understood across three areas: 1) school-related costs, (2) living-situation costs, and (3) academic-performance costs. Findings demonstrate that while academic advisors do consider financial constraints when determining advisement on credit-hour enrollment, the advisors primarily advise based on students’ time and family constraints as well as employment status and academic preparation.