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Attrition and performance of community college transfers

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  • Lovenoor Aulck
  • Jevin West

Abstract

Community colleges are an important part of the US higher education landscape, yet the aptitude and preparedness of student transfers to baccalaureate institutions is often called into question. Examining transcript records and demographic information of nearly 70,000 students across over 15 years of registrar records at a public university, this study performed a descriptive analysis of the persistence, performance, and academic migration patterns of community college transfers, transfers from four-year institutions, and freshmen entrants. We found little difference between community college transfers and freshmen entrants in terms of post-transfer grades and persistence. Transfers from four-year institutions had higher grades but also had higher attrition rates than their peers. This study also found no strong evidence of transfer shock on students’ post-transfer grades. When examining the tendencies of students to shift fields of study during their educational pursuits, the academic migration patterns of transfer students were more concentrated than those of freshmen entrants.

Suggested Citation

  • Lovenoor Aulck & Jevin West, 2017. "Attrition and performance of community college transfers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(4), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0174683
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174683
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kin Cheung & Jeremy Ng & Hilda Tsang & Kelvin K. L. Pang & C. L. Johnny Wan & Kristin Moser, 2020. "Factors Affecting Direct and Transfer Entrants’ Active Coping and Satisfaction with the University," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-16, April.
    2. Kin Cheung & Tsz Leung Yip & C L Johnny Wan & Hilda Tsang & Lillian Weiwei Zhang & Anna Parpala, 2020. "Differences in study workload stress and its associated factors between transfer students and freshmen entrants in an Asian higher education context," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(5), pages 1-23, May.
    3. Shirley Siu Yin Ching & Kin Yuen Tam & Lillian Weiwei Zhang & Jeremy Ng & Kin Cheung, 2021. "A Qualitative Exploration on the Challenges of Transfer Students in an Asian Educational Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-14, March.
    4. Gloria Crisp & Charlie Potter & Amanda Taggart, 2022. "Characteristics and Predictors of Transfer and Withdrawal Among Students Who Begin College at Bachelor’s Granting Institutions," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 63(3), pages 481-513, May.

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