Transfer Process

Years ago, community college students were most likely to transfer to state colleges or universities. But today, community college graduates are increasingly found at private and highly selective four-year colleges.

Experts say the change is likely a result of increased recognition of the value of a diverse student body, the pressure that some small colleges are feeling to bring in tuition-paying students during this economic downturn, and awareness from college administrators that community college transfer students often bring a special set of strengths with them to four-year institutions.

Why Private Colleges and Universities are Recruiting Community College Students

Increasing Diversity

University of Virginia sociology professor Josipa Roksa tells the USA Today that selective private colleges specifically recruit community college graduates because these transfer students can often help with their campus diversity “in terms of race and socioeconomic status.

Tatiana Melguizo, an education professor at the University of Southern California, says that her university has been working hard to increase its population of minority students and that USC has found that accepting transfer students is a good way to accomplish the goal. The university, Melguizo tells USA Today, has found that “Community college transfers [are] the best deals. They're motivated, they're more likely to graduate, and they're relatively cheap" for the college to educate.

Seeking Tuition Revenue

Financial considerations may also be driving the surge of private institutions that

While community colleges provide an excellent opportunity to transfer to four-year institutions, the latest statistics are not optimistic. In fact, according to the most recent accountability report released by California's community college system, only 40% of community college students who seek four-year degrees are successful in transferring to one of the state's four-year universities.

In California, 60% of community college students who intended to transfer to four-year universities never meet their goal - which has led to the formation of a state task force charged with finding ways to improve the transfer rate, as reported by the Mercury News.

The obstacles facing community college students wishing to transfer to four-year universities are formidable. Overcrowded community college campuses make enrolling in required pre-requisite courses difficult. Rising tuition at public universities means four-year degrees are now unaffordable for some students. In addition, a lack of standardization in transfer requirements statewide makes the transfer process feel like a confusing maze to many degree-seeking students.

This video explains how to transfer from a community college.

Indeed, there is much room for improvement in helping more community college students transfer to four-year universities.

Why Some Students Never Make It to Four-Year Universities

Community college students who wish to transfer to a four-year university in today's educational climate face a number of potential roadblocks - a fact which may account for the high number of

Historically, community colleges were established to help students develop vocational skills. However, in today’s academic environment, America’s top universities are specifically recruiting directly from community colleges!

Four-year universities traditionally evaluate a student’s overall GPA, standardized test scores, and extracurricular involvement. However, these high school progress points do not always accurately predict how a student will perform at the collegiate level.

Subsequently, a rising number of universities are specifically recruiting students who are enrolled or who have graduated from a community college. Many university leaders assert that community college students and graduates have accurately proved their collegiate skills and abilities. Therefore, students hoping to attend a four year institution may want to start at their local community college first to add a competitive edge to their application.

Why are Universities Seeking Community College Students?

Proof of Student Success and Excellence

While many students who are seeking affordable, convenient, and program-specific courses often pursue degree pathways through community colleges, many higher education leaders are striving to shift motivated community college students into a university education.

A central catalyst for this new focus on community college applicants is most notably based upon studies that reveal the soaring success rates among students who transfer from a two year institution to a four year school. In fact, as the Longview News Journal reveals, “Studies show that students who complete community college course work before going to four-year institutions tend to graduate at a higher rate

Many community college students enter their first year of higher education without a clear career pathway. In such cases, many students approach their impending graduation date only to realize their decided career choice requires additional education and certifications from a four-year university.

In such cases, many community college students can take advantage of roll-over opportunities, where cooperating universities accept community college coursework as transfer credit. By transferring credits, students can save money and time and often graduate from their chosen university with far greater efficiency.

Transferring Credits

According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 71 percent of community college students intend to, at some point, pursue a baccalaureate degree. Adding to their data, studies from the Center reveal that approximately 20 to 50 percent of new university students are transferring students from a community college.

This brief video explains transferring credits from a community to a four-year college.

As a rising number of students are both interested and often required to pursue longer courses of study, many community colleges and universities strive to create more streamlined transfer programs to provide students with enhanced support.

Seeking Cooperating Institutions

When looking into transferring community college credits, experts assert that the earlier a student can make plans and arrangements, the better his or her transition may be. As eCampusTours supports, “Choosing a transfer school as early as possible

For the majority of students in the United States, the standard road to a higher degree is as follows: it starts in elementary school, continues on into middle school, becomes the focus of the high school, and then – finally – the bachelor’s degree is earned in college. It is a pattern with which most of us are familiar.

However, with the increased popularity of community colleges, some are walking a different path to higher education. These students are considered Reverse Transfer Students, and if you choose to become one, you may find your educational experience greatly affected in a positive way.

This video recounts a student who transferred from a four-year college to a community college.

What is a Reverse Transfer Student?

Although many people are comfortable with the traditional journey to higher education, some students need the opportunity to “back up” while on the road to a higher degree.

These reverse transfer students have graduated high school, and they have attended college for a period of time or, in some cases, have even graduated from a traditional four-year college. For a variety of reasons, though, these students decide that the traditional four-year college is just not for them, and they embrace the opportunity to enroll in and to attend a two-year community college.

Subsequently, they transfer from their four-year college and join a two-year college, and while they are