Connecting the Path from Community College to University

Did you know that 70% of students complete their bachelor’s degree when they transfer to a university after first completing their associate degree? The 2+2 formula– a student completing 2 years at a community college and 2 years in a bachelor’s program–is commonly known, but many students do not actually complete their degree following this model. Access to more tools and resources can make it easier for students to transfer to a university and complete their degree on time.

One of the reasons why students are hesitant to transfer is due to the transition from community college to university life. Transfer students are less likely to interact with university faculty and participate in co-curricular activities. This can make adjusting to university life more difficult and can lead to students either dropping out from their program or not transferring in the first place.

Providing students with transfer advising can make this transition easier with proactive checkups. These can help students overcome strong informational barriers and make them more confident in transferring to university. By providing students with skilled advisors, on-time graduation rates can increase as much as 21%

Advisors can also help students to create pathways to follow through their academic career. Major requirements and career pathways can then be mapped for the students and can help limit the amount of times they change their majors or programs. By mapping requirements, transfer students also have more success in transferring their credits and being more prepared once they begin at university. 

By centering students’ needs, prioritizing efforts to strengthen institutional collaboration, and removing obstacles in transferring, more students will be able to complete their college educations.  Connecting the path from community colleges to universities is the first step in ensuring student success. To learn more about the importance of supporting students in their efforts to transfer, take a look at the infographic below: