New Community College Transfer Programs Putting Students on Fast Track to Success

New Community College Transfer Programs Putting Students on Fast Track to Success
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More college transfer programs are streamlining the process of transferring from community colleges to four-year universities. Learn about some of the newest programs and how you could possibly benefit.
While some community college students focus on a two-year vocational program to launch their career, others look ahead to additional education to make their desired career path a reality. To make the second path more efficient, many community colleges across the country are teaming up with four-year universities to streamline the transfer process. While this is a pattern that has been gaining steam, new community colleges are joining the ranks this year to offer even more options to community college graduates. We’ll take a look at some of the latest community college transfer programs launching around the country.

The Big Transfer Push in California
 
One of the biggest transfer programs to make headlines this year is in California. Currently, the state has 112 community colleges. Of that number, more than half have developed an associate degree program designed for transfer to CSU schools. According to a report in the Sacramento Business Journal, the goal of the plan is to provide guaranteed associate degrees for transfer at every community college in the state. Chancellor of California Community Colleges, Jack Scott, said that the new program is still in the early stages and that much more is planned. Students that are currently enrolled in participating community colleges, and have taken 60 credit hours in an approved associate degree program, will be able to transfer to a CSU school with a similar major and a junior standing.
 
According to California Community Colleges, the transfer program will save the system $160 million each year when it is fully up and running, since it will allow schools to educate more students for less money. CSU Chancellor Charles Reed added that by simplifying the process for community college graduates, it will also save students money, ensuring all credits transfer. With this program, students will not spend money on classes that do not transfer to their four-year program. Some of the majors currently approved for the transfer program include psychology, sociology, mathematics, administration of justice and communication. 
 
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that for the 2011 fall semester, about half of all community colleges in California will be participating in the program. Some of the participants include Ohlone College in Fremont, City College of San Francisco and Solano College in Fairfield. While many of the community colleges are currently offering just one degree transfer program, others like City College of San Francisco are providing two different degree options. It is important for students to explore which colleges are offering which majors to ensure they find the best school for their academic pursuits. It is also important to note that some of these programs are so new that they may not be actively advertised in course catalogues. Tom Boegel, Dean of Instruction at City College of San Francisco, called the program “a work in progress.”
 
Tennessee Transfer Pathway Launching this Fall
 
Tennessee is hoping to improve graduation rates at community colleges across the state by guaranteeing admission to a four-year college once the associate degree program is completed. The new program, dubbed Tennessee Transfer Pathway, involves 50 different career tracks, ensuring nearly every student will find the right one for him or her. According to the Commercial Appeal, the new edict will apply to all 13 of the community colleges overseen by Tennessee’s Board of Regents, as well as the six four-year universities in the state. In addition, the program will extend to three campuses of the University of Tennessee; Chattanooga, Knoxville and Martin. A fourth UT campus, the flagship location in Knoxville, has pulled out of the program, citing a desire to “remain competitive.” While the exemption means the campus can reject applicants if they see fit, at this point, it does not appear that they have done so.
 
The career tracks within the program are broken down into two distinct tiers. The first encompasses 41 academic credit hours of general education. The second involves an additional 19 hours of coursework in pre-major areas of interest. The kicker to the program is that students must know at a relatively early point what they want to major in and stick with that major throughout their college experience. Katie High, Vice President of academic affairs and student success in the UT system, told the Commercial Appeal, “The trick to this is that you’ve got to know what you want to do early on. If you change your mind, all bets are off.”
 
The many career tracks open for this program includes the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) that are popular for colleges today. However, the program also incorporates different types of degree programs like theatre, political science and sociology. This ensures students with a wide range of interests can find a two-year transfer program that works well with their individual career goals.
 
Other Schools Making Transfers Easier
 
Tidewater Community College in Virginia has also announced a program to make transfers easier for students who want to attend Norfolk State University after completing their two-year program. According to a report at Hampton Roads, NSU has agreed to extend certain privileges to Tidewater students, such as attending athletic events at the university for free. NSU is also providing Tidewater students with better tracking and support to ensure their transfer efforts are successful.
 
At Ozarks Technical Community College in Missouri, students are now finding it easier to transfer into some of the degree programs at the University of Missouri. According to the Columbia Daily Tribune, the transfer agreements between the two schools allow students with an associate degree in nursing to seamlessly transfer to MU’s Bachelor of Science in nursing program. Students with an associate of arts degree can also find MU programs to advance their education. 
Certainly these programs will increase the numbers of transfer students between community colleges and four-year universities, which can open even more career pathways and opportunities for students from all walks of life.

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