Memo fromCalYOUTH:Colleges MostFrequentlyAttended by OlderYouth in CaliforniaFoster Care
Studies have shown that, aside from student differences, the college that a student attends plays a role in their likelihood of remaining in college and ultimately earning a degree. Increasing attention has been given to “undermatching,” which occurs when a student enrolls in a college for which they are overqualified, based on their academic credentials. Previous CalYOUTH memos suggest that the overwhelming majority (upwards of 85%) of youth in California foster care who go to college first attend an in-state, public, 2-year college. The current memo takes a closer look at the types of colleges that foster youth enroll in, including average retention rates and the number of semesters completed at those institutions. The findings yield important insights on the types of colleges California foster youth most commonly attend and the differences between college types in student demographics and short-term outcomes.