Transfer Process

Many community colleges across the country have transfer agreements with four-year schools, which allow students to easily transfer credits from the community college level and apply them toward a four-year degree program. Now, a whole new type of program is cropping up among two and four-year schools from coast to coast. Instead of transferring credits from community colleges to universities, schools are now allowing agreeing to reverse transfers, which allow students to take credits from their four-year institution and apply them to their community college degree.

The Reverse Transfer System is Introduced

While transfers to four-year schools provide clear benefits and a subsequent rise in popularity, the assurance of transferring credits from the university level to the local community college creates a more complex array of advantages. This process is a relatively new one that is just beginning to be introduced in college systems nationwide.

Many students who begin their college work at a community college move to a four-year institution before completing their associate degree. While credits may transfer to the four-year school, the student is left without a degree to underscore the work they put into their first college efforts. Until the bachelor’s degree is finished – which may take many more years of education – the student has little to show for his time, effort and money.

At the same time, community colleges are forced to report dismal completion rates – in some cases possibly affecting their ability to receive funding.

In what has been called a major setback for Minnesota community college students, the University of Minnesota has formally announced plans to reduce the number of transfer students to the school. While the university claims that the decrease will be just a “drop in the bucket” regarding total transfer numbers, students and community college officials are voicing their concerns over the policy change. With community college enrollment increasing nationwide, it is possible that other universities will eye the new University of Minnesota policy with interest as they grapple with their own issues regarding a rising number of transfer students.

Pulling Back the Welcome Mat

According to a report at TwinCities.com, the welcome mat has a history of being extended to transfer students at the University of Minnesota. In 2009, the school accepted 3,260 new transfer students, making up nearly 40 percent of its new student population. However, the university plans to cut the number of transfer students they accept by roughly eight percent over the next two years, translating to around 300 transfer students. The university cites various reasons for their decision, including their desire to form a solid, four-year relationship with more students coming to the school. The school has also stated that fluctuating transfer numbers from year to year strain university resources.

This video shares one student's experience at North Hennepin Community College.

Another concern from some university officials is the

Students who are serious about earning a four-year degree will find that community college may be a good place for them to begin the process. Thanks to “2+2” programs cropping up across the country, students can now enroll in community college with their eyes set on goals after the associate degree is earned. Through partnerships with nearby universities and online programs, students have a precise educational direction that starts at community college and continues on through the four-year degree program. We’ll take a look at what a 2+2 program offers community college students, as well as examine some of the 2+2 programs going on around the country today.

What is 2+2?

According to a report at the Grand Island Independent, a 2+2 program is one that begins in a community college, with a two-year associate degree or certification program. Coursework taken at the community college then transfers to a four-year program, allowing the student to complete a bachelor’s degree in the same amount of time it would have taken if they had gone to the four-year institution right out of high school. Because the program is a partnership between the schools, students enter community college with a four-year end in sight and select courses at the first institution that will help them to achieve their ultimate goals.

The community college and four-year school work together to ensure all of the courses they offer complement each other for an overall, comprehensive degree program.

While community colleges offer a wealth of options in associate degree programs and practical career training, the majority of students that grace a community college campus for a period of time are not content with a degree from these schools. In fact, the large majority of community college students have plans to further their education by eventually transferring their credits to a four-year institution. This is the precise subject of the latest report by the College Board that looked at the high number of community college students that want to transfer to a four-year university and why.

About the Report

College Board is a non-profit organization committed to equality in education, from the early primary years all the way through postsecondary education. This particular report, titled, “Improving Student Transfer from Community Colleges to Four-Year Institutions,” was designed to emphasize the importance of smooth pathways between community colleges and other institutions of higher education. The College Board website estimates that more than 7 million students enrolled in community colleges – up to 41 percent of all college students across the country - at any given time. With so many students enrolled in community colleges, it is important to assess what the choices for these students might be should they decide to continue to pursue their education after their initial degree program is completed.

This video shows college leaders discussing improvements to the transfer process.

For many community college students, the end goal is not simply an associate degree from their current school but the ability to transfer to a university and earn a bachelor's degree. However, many community college students are dismayed to discover that the classes they paid for and worked hard in at their community college don't always make the transfer to the next step. To ensure the hard work completed at the community college level does not go by the wayside, we analyze the latest US News and World Report study that discusses the 10 most transfer-friendly universities nationwide.

Transfer Rates

According to a US News and World Report study, more than half a million community college students transferred into four-year colleges in 2009. There are various reasons why students may choose to take this path to complete their education. Some like the more affordable tuition rates at community colleges and get as many credits at these less expensive schools as possible before completing their education at a university. Others find that after earning their associate degree, they want to pursue additional training and education in their field.

No matter the reason for completing a transfer, students in this situation may discover that universities vary significantly in the number of transfer students they accept and the resources provided to transfer students. For those who want to join this number in the future, it pays to research the best universities for transfer students so that they