The University of Texas System Successful Community College Transfer Students Speak

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1 The University of Texas System Successful Community College Transfer Students Speak Contact: Martha Ellis, Ph.D. Associate Vice Chancellor for Community College Partnerships Office of Academic Affairs

2 Successful Community College Transfer Students Speak Executive Summary Problem Statement Policymakers, elected officials, education and business leaders are focusing attention on the role of community colleges as pathways to obtaining a baccalaureate degree. The low transfer rate from community college to universities is a national issue. There is recognition that the path from community college to university is a difficult journey (Goldrick-Rpb & Roksa, 2008; Handel, 2007). Approximately 80% of Texas baccalaureate degree holders attend more than one college or university (THECB, 2008). In , 75% of freshmen and sophomores in higher education in Texas are enrolled in community colleges in Texas. Community college students who complete at least 30 semester credit hours (SCH) at the community college do as well as native university students in university GPA and graduation numbers after transfer (Malandra & Walne, 2007). Unfortunately only 27% of qualified community college students actually transfer (THECB, 2011). This means capable and quality talent is being lost. The University of Texas System (UTS) is tackling the issues that impede students from transferring from a community college to a university to earn a baccalaureate degree. To gain understanding in transfer readiness and institutional receptivity for the general academic institutions within the system, focus groups at 8 UTS general academic institutions were conducted. The goal of the focus group research was to understand what knowledge, actions, and attitudes students employ to transfer successfully. The participants, student volunteers identified by the university, had transferred from a community college and were successfully academically progressing at the university. The participants were equally divided between male and female. The ethnic makeup was 47 percent Latino, 38 percent White, 8 percent Asian, and 7 percent African American. Fifty-nine percent of the participants were traditional college age (18-24) and 41 percent were non-traditional (over 25 years of age). Forty-six percent of the participants were first in their families to attend college. Eighty-four percent of the participants were full time students. Seventy percent of the students received some form of financial aid at the community college while 85 percent were receiving some form of financial aid at the university. Twenty-six majors were identified by the students with psychology and business management being the top choices. Students had transferred from 30 different community colleges to one of the 8 UTS universities. Students transferred to the university with a range of 8 to 125 sch. Fifty-two percent of the students reported that 100 percent of their hours transferred into the university. Forty-eight percent reported that all equivalent credit hours were applied toward their respective degrees by the university. Summary Who or what is motivating students to transfer and complete a baccalaureate degree? Successful transfer students are self-motivated. realistic about expectations, have a clear pathway and dedicated to a goal.

3 seeking encouragement from family, friends, faculty, and others but are not dependent upon this encouragement to achieve their baccalaureate degree or beyond. motivated by the knowledge that a baccalaureate degree is necessary for their career or graduate school goal. cognizant of and motivated by being role models for family. What attitudes do students have about loss of semester credit hours upon transfer? Successful transfer students assert a depth of understanding about transfer hours and the limitations of acceptance. They understand the loss of hours when they changed majors, took coursework outside of the degree plan, completed a technical AAS degree, completed multiple degrees, or completed hours beyond the transfer limit. few regrets about the loss of hours and actually expressed gratitude for the community college experience that allowed them to explore fields of study and expand knowledge about personal interests. distress at loss of hours when agreements such as the Core Curriculum, Texas Common Course Numbering System, and articulation agreements were not honored. anger when they received incorrect advice at the community college about selection of courses, had to retake a course at the university for no apparent reason, or were not given a reason for the course not being accepted. How did students obtain knowledge needed to transfer and be successful at the university? Successful transfer students access every source of information available including websites, advisors, faculty, friends, peers, and print materials. They utilize the web throughout the process. They express little patience with out of date materials on the web and non functional search engines. ask, ask, and ask again. are not thwarted by poor customer service, poor advising, or being routed from office to office. They will find a way to circumvent staff, faculty, and administrators who do not provide accurate information or who are unprofessional. use a common vocabulary statewide regarding the negative interactions they have experienced in the transfer process articulating the words rude, not enthused and run around. What behaviors are common among successful transfer students? Successful transfer students believe they were well prepared academically by the community college for the university. find champions on every community college and university campus. These champions include faculty, advisors, staff members in various departments, and administrators. They return to these champions to celebrate success and ask for assistance. are engaged in the community college and university. These students utilize academic support labs, tutoring, online resources, supplemental instruction,

4 health centers, fitness centers, and career services. The students are involved in service to the university and/or the community. reach out to faculty during office hours and by . They would like more undergraduate research opportunities so they could interact with faculty in research as well as the classroom. interact with peers almost entirely around academic endeavors through honors programs, departmental major activities, or clubs associated with their chosen field of study. They would appreciate more efforts by institutions to promote social interaction. state that the rigor of the curriculum at the university was the natural next step or the natural progression into upper level work. Community colleges are excellent on foundational knowledge and universities are excellent on specific discipline/major content. What can community colleges and universities do to make the transfer process more feasible for students? Successful transfer students state community colleges and universities must be more collaborative. Students knew of the competition and ill will between institutions as personnel exhibited attitudes and behaviors before, during and after the transfer process that reflected this cognitive believe structure. This unconstructive competition negatively impacts student success. customer service needs to be improved by eliminating outright rude behavior and being more enthusiastic in outreach. communication within institutions, between institutions and with students needs to be more responsive. professional development for advisors and financial aid officers is imperative. community college transfer students as university recruiters is a best practice. community colleges need to push students to transfer and universities need reach out to students. information for transfer processes must be readily available, clearly posted in multiple modalities, and complete at both institutions. Recommendations The pathway from the community college to the university was fraught with detours and occasionally roadblocks for these students. The participants believe in the importance of higher education for future success for themselves, their families and their communities. Because of their transfer experiences and their values, successful transfer students are eager to assist other students and post secondary institutions in the transfer process. Both community colleges and universities would be wise to tap into this resource to assist future transfer students and to improve the processes and procedures for successful transfer from the community college to the university. Information regarding all aspects of the transfer process must be easily accessible on community college and university campuses and on all websites. This information needs to be accurate, timely, comprehensive, and include deadlines.

5 Successful transfer students implore community colleges and universities to move beyond competition and into collaboration for the benefit of students and the future of the State of Texas.