Many students who enroll in community college do so as a steppingstone to a university program. According to the Community College Research Center, 83% of community college students say they plan to transfer to a university bachelor’s degree program.
But according to recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, only 13% of students who enter community college fulfill these plans of earning a four-year degree. Higher education critics blame inconsistent transfer policies for this low success rate.
Professor of education policy at the University of Southern California, Huriya Jabbar, says “Most students leave empty-handed. There are bureaucratic hurdles. There are really opaque transfer policies. There’s not enough information about … which courses will transfer.”
Perhaps the takeaway here for students who begin their academic journeys at a two-year school is to map out a clear plan ahead of time. Familiarizing yourself with details like articulation agreements and specific course transfer policies can give you an edge and prepare you for the path forward.
Several community colleges in the United States have begun to add bachelor’s degrees to their academic lineups, which could be a move in the right direction for students who want to earn an affordable bachelor’s degree.
Source: Most Community College Students Plan to Get 4-year Degrees. Few Actually Do
Related: Is There Value to Starting My College Experience at a Community College?