TRANSFER-STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN UPPER-DIVISION CHEMISTRY COURSES: IMPLICATIONS FOR CURRICULAR REFORM AND ALIGNMENT

Using a statewide database of student records, the grades of students enrolled in organic chemistry and biochemistry at a large state university were analyzed to determine if there was a difference in performance between community college transfers and "native" students. Although only small differences were found for the organic chemistry sequence, much larger differences were found in biochemistry. Given the importance of grades in these classes for admission to competitive professional schools, these results suggest that transfer students, often disproportionately minority and economically disadvantaged, may face greater hurdles in the admissions process. The results further highlight the importance of establishing meaningful articulation agreements between 2-year and 4-year schools.