Dynamics that Influence Current Student Retention of Students Who Have Transferred

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of current students who have transferred from a community college over a two-year period of time. Three students were interviewed one-on-one for sixty minutes at a four-year, medium sized, regional, comprehensive, public university in the upper Mid-west region of the United States. Four themes emerged across the three participants' experiences at the four-year university which were: support, both academically and socially; financial aid which includes FAFSA and scholarships; transfer credits and the transfer credit policies that influence how credits transfer; and connections to faculty, students, and staff on the four-year university campus. The present study found that although Tinto's (1993, 2012) theories on student retention have similarities, there are differences between the experiences of first-year students at a university and students who have transferred. To ensure the retention of students who have transferred, different methods and techniques should be considered by practitioners and administrators when creating retention plans.