"I Thought It Was a Little Risky": Transfer Barriers for Students with Scholarship Support

A study of hidden risks, anxieties and barriers to STEM student transfer from community college to a large, comprehensive university is presented. This qualitative study employed a thematic analysis of student responses to a semi-structured interview that asked students about their hesitancy to transfer to a 4-year institution. Participants included students enrolled in a collaborative NSF-sponsored S-STEM scholarship project between three community colleges and a large public university (all in the same large metropolitan area). The project included elements that are well documented in the literature to encourage transfer. These include advising visits by university staff, clear articulation pathways, scholarship support to assist with costs, peer and near peer mentoring opportunities, and cohort-building activities between campuses and on each individual campus. Transfer rates in this group were higher, but still many students with declared interest in transferring did not transfer on time or at all. The authors identified numerous hidden risks and barriers to transfer, in addition to the well-known ones found in the literature. These include additional academic, financial, social, logistical and external/family related barriers. A theme common to many of these barriers was complex bureaucratic processes and events outside of student's direct control. Many student comments highlighted the importance of in-person connections, mentoring and advising. Completing a community college associate's degree and then transferring to a four-year university allows students to continue their education and sets them up for financial success. Given the benefits of transferring to university, it can be surprising that more students do not choose to transfer. Even students who are offered substantive financial, mentoring, and administrative support who say they want to transfer, often do not. Understanding why students do not transfer to university is thus critical to changing the transfer process so that more students are able to follow through with their original plans. We conducted 51 in-depth interviews with potential and current transfer students to determine how they thought about transferring. Many students mentioned concerns about transferring. We have categorized these concerns as relating to academic barriers, financial barriers, social barriers, logistical barriers and family-care barriers. In order to understand the nature of these concerns we have highlighted a variety of student quotes. Focusing on these barriers should provide direct benefits to potential transfer students and may provide additional insights into ways to streamline the transfer process in a manner that increases access and equity.