Herndon, Va. — Aug. 6
More than 60 percent of students who transferred from two-year schools in the 2005-06 academic year obtained degrees at four-year institutions, according to a new report.
Moreover, another 8 percent remained in college and were still working on a four-year degree six years after transfer, according to a National Student Clearinghouse Research Center report.
The report is based on student-level data made available to Clearinghouse by its more than 3,500 participating colleges and universities, including 98 percent of students attending public and private nonprofit post-secondary institutions.
Studying six-year outcomes of students who transferred during the 2005-06 academic year, the report also found that:
Most students transfer from two- to four-year institutions without first receiving a credential from the two-year institution, which is consistent with findings from previous reports.
Baccalaureate attainment rates were higher for students who transferred with a two-year degree or certificate (72 percent) than for those who transferred without a credential (56 percent).
Students transferring to a four-year public institution had a 65 percent completion rate compared to a 60 percent completion rate for those transferring to a four-year private institution.
The gap in the six-year completion rate was large — 26 percentage points — between students who transferred to a four-year institution within one year of their most recent enrollment at a two-year institution and students who transferred after stopping-out for more than one year.
There is a negligible difference — less than 2 percent — in completion after transfer between women and men.
Students attending full time after transfer had a better chance of graduating than those who attended part time or with mixed enrollment — 83 percent, 24.8 percent, and 62.1 percent, respectively.
Source: National Student Clearinghouse
