Search results

Critics contend that enrolment in a community college lessens the likelihood that a student will complete a bachelor's degree (S. Brint and J. Karabel, 1989). A number of studies have examined personal, demographic, and environmental characteristics that influence academic performance of community college transfer students. This research has included characteristics that are not readily available to admissions representatives at four-year institutions, and studies have not considered the private, liberal arts college as the senior institution. The purpose of this study was to identify easily ascertainable characteristics that occur prior to transfer and to assess the relationship of these characteristics to persistence and baccalaureate attainment at a private, liberal arts college. Two academic factors related to persistence and graduation were included in the methodology: completion of the associate (AA) degree and community college grade point average (GPA). The subjects for the study were 200 students who completed the AA degree and transferred from one of three community colleges to a private liberal arts college over a five-year period. Results indicated that whereas completion of the AA resulted in a higher persistence/graduation rate, completion of the AA degree with a community college GPA of 3.0 or higher increased the persistence/graduation rate to a level equal to that of native students.