Transfer admissions in the United States

Students beginning their collegiate education at community colleges save "enormously" on tuition,[7] since most live with their parents and many work full-time.

[8] Think of us as the lowest-cost on ramp to an undergraduate degree ... Americans are pretty good at shopping price and value.But there have been transfers occurring in the other direction, with students from private universities switching to state schools after two years, sometimes as a way to reduce cost.

Some students find themselves unhappy with their current college, and decide to switch for a variety of reasons, usually having to do with a program of study or a feeling about a particular school that the "fit" is not right, or concerns over cost.

[11] A report suggests that many transfer students have "far more experience in the ups and downs of the working world" and tend to bring more diversity to a college campus.

[8] A second report confirms that "transfers graduate at a higher rate than students who just finished 12th grade", and have "adjusted to a more independent lifestyle.

"[13] Demographic analysis suggests that a slight decline in high school graduates is underway since about 2009, prompting many four-year colleges to make up for the shortfall by bringing in more transfer students.

[14] In fact, it is estimated that only 20% of the 1992 high school class originally enrolled at a community college received a bachelor's degree by the year 2000.

[16] However, transfer students' confidence can be hindered by the stigma associated with having attended community college, which is perceived to be less academically rigorous.

The large need for remedial classes, especially in writing and math, has left students discouraged, as they feel they are repeating high school.

The obstacles preventing two-year college students from transferring and earning a bachelor's degree may also be related to motivational and psychological issues.

After examining the results from National Longitudinal Surveys, it was discovered that students entering a community college who aimed during their last few years in high school to earn a B.A.

[21] Making significant progress and steps at a community college may also be a beneficial factor in maintaining motivation and overcoming the difficulties that transfer students face.

Referring back to the results from the National Longitudinal Surveys, it was found that students who transferred without an associate degree were less likely to complete a B.A.

[6] Advisors suggest one method to get information about specific schools is to search online and use the Common Data Set: The Common Data Set is a document that four-year schools across the country complete that contains lots of information on such topics as admission criteria, freshman academic profile, campus safety and transfer admissions.

There have been stories of students who arrived on campus with worthless transcripts: There's nothing more frustrating for a transfer student than to sit down with a four-year school and realize they wasted two years because they didn't take the right classes.A reporter explained that community colleges do not have articulation agreements with every possible target school, and that course catalogs can not provide information about which courses will be accepted at which colleges: Course catalogs offer little or no guidance to students, why one class might transfer and the other won't.

There can even be differences within a campus, with a science course counting toward a general education degree but failing to satisfy a school's nursing program.

[7] One advisor suggested that students should "get in touch with their target schools as early as possible to make sure their course plan will work.

"[4] Statistics regarding transfer admissions are becoming easier to obtain since most schools follow the Common Data Set format and post information on numerous variables on a website.

And in some cases, the common data set information is hard to find on a college's website, or buried in a "Fast Facts" section.

Admissions departments, when evaluating transfer applicants, weigh the student's grade point average at their current college to a considerable extent; it is usually the single most important factor overall.

Unlike four-year students, they often have to get acclimated to the institution at a time when they are expected to make decisions about majors and courses of study, and often have to learn new procedures and routines.

[10] One estimate was that 40% of these schools recalculate a transfer applicant's GPA as part of the evaluation process,[10] by using algorithms to factor in perceived course difficulty and comprehensiveness.

[5] In New Jersey, Seton Hall University keeps track of high school students which it accepts but who then decide to enroll in a community college, and then it sends them letters and emails after a year to try to get them to transfer; in addition, Seton Hall purchases lists of students from Phi Theta Kappa, the two-year college honor society.

[60] Applicants with fewer than 24 transferable credits must meet the requirements for freshman admission, which includes having their high school transcript and SAT/ACT scores sent.

[61] In 2010, there were reports that 33,700 students were trying to transfer into the University of California system, but that uncertain state funding issues were complicating matters.

[62] A report in 2012 suggested that "explosive growth in the number of applications" along with cuts in state funding had prevented the University of California, San Diego from continuing their Transfer Admission Guarantee program.

[12] Many two-year community or county colleges have longstanding articulation agreements with the flagship universities within their states about accepting transfer applicants.

[64] There are reports that states such as Virginia and Maryland have made efforts to build a "transfer pipeline" from community colleges to public universities to the extent that it was "changing the traditional path to a four-year degree.

[8] In tight economic times, the path of a relatively inexpensive two-year community college followed by a somewhat more expensive two years at a four-year public university, is often a more realistic choice for cash-strapped families.

[67] The policy insists students have a right to "clear, accurate and current information" about transfer policies including deadline, requirements for degrees, and course equivalencies, while at the same time insisting that students have a duty to enroll in transfer workshops, speak with advisors, and plan out their path towards degrees.