Presenter(s)

Amanda J. Alexander

Comments

Presentation: 5:00-6:30, LTC Studio

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Description

Community college students make up 38% of the U.S. college student population. However, only 13% of those students transfer to a four-year institution and complete a bachelor’s degree in six years. Although research has documented the many challenges community college students experience, it has been less successful in exploring specific challenges and their impact on the transfer student experience for students without the aid of a transfer pathway program. The purpose of this study is to examine experiences in academic advising and transfer credit articulation and how these areas have helped or hindered community college students without pathway program assistance. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, interviews were conducted with nine community college transfer students at a four-year private university in the Midwest. Analysis of the interview data indicated credit loss, unclear transfer credit policies, and inconsistent advising practices across academic units were significant factors in the students’ timeline to bachelor’s degree completion. Higher education institutions may use these findings to improve the community college transfer student experience by fostering a transfer-friendly academic environment that includes consistency across academic units in the implementation of transfer credit policy and high-quality academic advising.

Publication Date

4-17-2024

Project Designation

Graduate Research

Primary Advisor

Graham F. Hunter

Primary Advisor's Department

Counselor Education and Human Services

Keywords

Stander Symposium, School of Education and Health Sciences

Building Bridges, Removing Barriers: Academic Advising and Articulation Experiences of Community College Transfer Students

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