Author ORCID Identifier:
Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Adult and Lifelong Learning (EdD)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods
Advisor/Mentor
Grover, Kenda
Committee Member
Avery, Celeste
Second Committee Member
Murphy, Kay
Keywords
college preparation; concurrent college credit; rural education
Abstract
Abstract Concurrent college credit courses are growing at a rapid pace nationwide, with large numbers of high school students now earning college credit before the end of their twelfth-grade year. In Arkansas, this trend of increased concurrent college course enrollment is evident, with over 23,000 students enrolled in concurrent courses during the 2024 school year (Arkansas Division of Higher Education, 2024). Arkansas continued to emphasize the need for concurrent courses with the 2025 ACCESS Act, encouraging students to take concurrent courses as a path to future college and career success (Arkansas Division of Higher Education, 2025a). As concurrent courses continue to become an ever-increasing part of the curriculum, student experiences must be incorporated into the research. This qualitative case study seeks to understand the perceived academic and college-preparation skills that students from rural, high-poverty communities gained from concurrent college credit courses. As thousands of Arkansas students attend rural, low-income school districts (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024), this is a timely and essential study that considers student perspectives. Given that students who take concurrent courses have a far higher likelihood of earning a college degree, and that concurrent courses provide much-needed support and guidance as students prepare for college (Grant & Kniess, 2023; Zinth, 2024), this study is necessary to understand the benefits of concurrent courses fully. Student perceptions of the academic and college preparation skills gained from the courses are at the forefront of this qualitative case study.
Citation
Culver, J. E. (2026). Perceptions of Academic and College Preparation Skills Gained Through Concurrent College Credit Courses: A Case Study of Students from Rural, High-Poverty Communities. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/6107
