Transferring success, from community college to the 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ community
Of all the astonishing numbers in 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@'s enrolling class this fall (including numbers of applicants, international students and students of color) the number 80 stands out. That's how many students chose to transfer to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ from another school, whether a community college or another four-year institution.
This is the greatest number of new transfer students in 20 years. Why are they choosing 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@?
Often it comes down to better fit and better value. While a student’s experience of "value" may start with scholarships and grants, that value expands to include the quality of the education, life in college and return on investment.
In short: transfer students recognize 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ as a valuable experience and investment in their future.
365体育投注_365体育备用网址@'s transfer success stands out amid a national trend of low transfer rates from community colleges to four-year colleges to complete a bachelor's degree. An Oct. 3, 2024, article in the Chronicle of Higher Education highlights a problem: the process for students transferring to universities is not straightforward. This is not the students' fault, and it’s not the fault of community colleges, either:
The flawed transfer process is not a community-college problem, it is a public higher-education problem. Rather than blame community-college students or staff, as most previous efforts have done, the actions of individual students and community-college staff are considerably driven—and constrained—by a broader social order, where the ‘rules of the game’ are often set by universities.
Transfer students, however, are not lost in a process at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@—a college known for strong relationships that empower students to greater confidence and success. This is a community that reaches out and welcomes in. For transfers, it often begins with Rachel Gustafson in admissions.
“Among community colleges, the word is spreading that transferring to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ is a smooth process, and can open doors to so many opportunities,” Gustafson said. Thirty of 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@’s 80 new transfer students came from Black Hawk Community 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ in the Quad Cities’ Moline, Illinois.
“We also are seeing an increase in transfers from other four-year colleges, as priorities shift and students gain a clearer understanding of what they want, including a more supportive environment and vibrant community,” she added.
Gustafson points to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@’s bold new financial aid program, 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ Possible, as eye-opening for students who realize 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ can work for them financially. 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ Possible meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for qualifying students, including transfer students.
This fall, all 80 of 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@'s new transfer students received scholarships and grants from the college, and one in four received grants from 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ Possible.
If you have any questions about 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ or transferring to the college, please contact Rachel Gustafson.