Dual Credit and Advanced Placement Students in Developmental Education: What Happened?

Abstract

Despite their better-than-average preparation, former dual credit and advanced placement students have placed into developmental education upon entering higher education. In this phenomenological study, six students were randomly selected to be interviewed from a group of 562 who placed into developmental education at one Texas university during a 6-year time frame, Fall 2009 through Summer 2015. Six themes, Utility of Developmental Class, Test Taking, Self- Awareness, Obstacles, Emotions, and Academics, and 20 sub-themes emerged from the interview data. The thoughts expressed by the students in this study suggest that developmental placement was a disorienting experience for many of them. Perhaps this was due to their newly acknowledged underpreparedness that necessitated they develop habits and skills more conducive to the college environment. Regardless of the source, in the end the students acknowledged various forms of personal growth as a result of the developmental course experience.