College Milestones
Completion of Gatekeeper English: North Carolina
What Is Measured?
Percentage of students who completed a gatekeeper English course within three years
Who Is Counted?
First-time degree-seeking students enrolled in the North Carolina Community College System in fall 2006
What It Tells Us
Overall, two-fifths (40 percent) of North Carolina Community College System students completed a gatekeeper English course within three years. Students 22 or younger who attended full time were the most likely to have completed a gatekeeper English course within three years (63 percent), and students 23 or older who attended part time were the least likely to have done so (26 percent).
Why It's Important
There is general consensus that timely completion of gatekeeper courses, the lowest-level college-level courses in the core subjects of mathematics, reading, and writing, positively affects student outcomes such as attainment of certificates and degrees and transfer to a four-year institution. Completion of gatekeeper courses fulfills requirements for graduation and transfer as well as prerequisites for more advanced courses in various fields.