Objective: Although most community college students intend to transfer to a 4-year college, few ultimately do. We sought to assess how student experiences of the Exploring Transfer (ET) program influenced transfer rates. The ET program was offered by a private, 4-year liberal arts college. Methods: We used data from a cross-sectional survey of…

Community colleges increase college access, extending postsecondary educational opportunities to underserved students, yet, these students exhibit low rates of program completion and transfer to 4-year colleges. Sociological research on community colleges focuses on the tension between increasing educational opportunity and failing to improve…

This study examines how interactions with institutional agents (faculty and academic counselors) and select student support programs influence success (i.e., grade point average) and intentions to persist to degree completion for Latino/a community college students. Using social capital theory and college impact models, the study controls for the…

Developmental education has been cited as one of the most difficult issues facing community colleges. Despite the controversy and changes to educational policy regarding developmental education, there is a notable dearth of rigorous research measuring the causal effect of remediation on community college student outcomes. The present study uses…

Various analyses have used the transfer rate as a performance indicator for community colleges, but the question of what constitutes an appropriate denominator in the transfer-rate equation remains a point of contention. This article examines the potential drawbacks of using student-reported educational goals to determine which students are…

Logistic regression was employed to determine whether student transfer to for-profit, 4-year colleges (as opposed to other 4-year colleges) is a function of students' social background characteristics, the students' academic experiences at the community college, and the transfer context of the community college attended (i.e., the overall transfer…

Lateral transfer (between community colleges) is second only to upward transfer (to a 4-year institution) among community college students' most common patterns of transfer. Yet, upward transfer is the focus of innumerable studies, while lateral transfer has received very little empirical attention. This study explores the occurrence and frequency…

Reports on the work of the Center for the Study of Community Colleges in helping two-year colleges to define and establish their rates of transfer. Presents the outcomes of 1990 forums where study participants discussed problems and issues in data collection. (DMM)

Discusses the impact of fiscal contraction on community colleges. Explores how reduced state appropriations have adversely affected community college instruction and student support systems. Research shows that because instruction and student support services suffer when budget is reduced, fiscal contraction can hamper the ability of colleges to…

Describes the Center for the Study of Community Colleges' Transfer Assembly (TA) project, designed to provide a valid measure of the number of college transfer students. Indicates that the TA method shows that the national transfer rate has remained a consistent 22-23% for the past five years. (10 citations). (MAB)

Compares the methods of calculating the transfer rates of students transferring from community colleges to senior institutions developed by the Center for the Study of Community Colleges and the National Effectiveness Transfer Consortium. Indicates that neither of the models considers program of study and only one considers student intent. (12…

Reviews methods of collecting transfer information. Describes a voluntary effort undertaken by several community colleges and senior institutions in Maryland to exchange data about transfer and community college students. Considers issues involved in defining transfer rates, including transfer goal, transfer program, student course load, and…

Proposes a definition of transfer rate based on a longitudinal cohort analysis conducted by the Center for the Study of Community Colleges. Explains the methods by which data were collected and analyzed. (DMM)

Argues that community college transfer mission needs to be redefined as facilitating baccalaureate degree attainment for college students in general, not just for students who begin their undergraduate education in the two-year college. Current patterns of transfer from and to the community college need to be considered. (AUTH/NB)

Discusses transfer agreements between two urban community colleges and Smith College (Massachusetts), an elite private women's college. Reveals that these agreements are succeeding because of: (1) the potential for benefits for all campuses involved; (2) the use of a formal written agreement and the involvement of faculty; and (3) the personal…