Extending the Promise: Student Experiences with Evolving Supplemental College Promise Programs

Community colleges serve a key role in increasing college access, yet their completion rates lag far behind 4-year universities, and policies such as tuition discounts and promise programs come up short in buoying the success of low-income students. We examined the efficacy of a supplemental program developed to strengthen advising and financial supports provided to full- and part-time community college students facing greater barriers to college completion. Using a mixed-methods approach with administrative and interview data, we found strong associations between supplemental program participation and students’ credits earned, college persistence, academic performance, full-time status, wages, and college transfer and completion. Our qualitative analysis illuminates mechanisms by which the supplemental program aids students in balancing external obligations and advancing toward completion.