The Academic Performance of Community College Transfer Students at a Major State University in Kentucky

The role of community college-based transfer programming in transfer student success.

“…NCES data reveal that approximately 40% of CTE students will leave higher education without any kind of credential (Levesque et aI., 2008). Given that students may change their trajectory at any point during their schooling, it is difficult (if not impossible) to place a definitive label on a student until her or she drops out, transfers, or graduates (Best & Gehring, 1993). Chapter three's limitation section will discuss CTE students as they relate to Ultra and the current study.…”

“…It could be that students take a variety of courses (making up the 60 hours) but without a central focus, leading to an accumulation of credits, but no degree. Transfer research shows that students transferring into the upper division are more successful than those who transfer into the lower (Best & Gehring, 1993;Townsend & Wilson, 2006). The Kentucky Transfer Feedback Report included graduation rates four years after transfer, indicating that 61.9% of students who had transferred with an associate's degree had graduated, as compared to 52.7% of students with 60 or more credit hours but no degree, and 30.4% of students with fewer than 60 credit hours and no degree (KY CPE, 2010, "Transfer").…”

“…Apart from when a student transfers, there are some pitfalls they will face once they enter their new academic home (Laanan, 2007). Unfortunately, these obstacles translate into failure to earn a degree for over half of the students who make the decision to transfer (Best & Gehring, 1993). The sudden drop in academic performance that transfer students typically experience within their first semester at a senior institution was termed "transfer shock" by Hills (1965, p. 202).…”

“…It seems reasonable that transfer shock is, in part, caused by students having to acclimate to new surroundings, larger classes, a different group of students, and new professors (Best & Gehring, 1993;Laanan, 2004). It is, in effect, a form of "culture shock" (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, p. 58).…”

“…JCTC credits attempted compared to JeTe credits earned should provide a ratio of how successful Ultra students were compared to Non-Ultra students. Also, research shows that the more credit hours a student earns before transfer, the more likely he or she is to earn a bachelor's degree (Best & Gehring, 1993;Townsend & Wilson, 2006). The Ultra program encourages students to complete more of their coursework at JCTC before transferring to U ofL.…”