Student engagement has a positive effect on student persistence. The authors found the definition of engagement differs among students who transfer from 4-year, community college, or both institutions. Engagement is not what the student brings to college, but rather how the student behaves while in college. Tutoring, interaction with faculty, and affirmation through academic and professional advisement are indicators a student is actively engaged.
Additionally, a positive attitude towards collaborative learning such as group projects, participating …show more content…
K., & Wilson, K. B. (2009). The Academic and Social Integration of Persisting Community College Transfer Students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 10(4), 405-423. doi:10.2190/CS.10.4.a
Community colleges are important to the higher education system. Students are older, more involved in life responsibilities, or of a lower socioeconomic background, the flexibility and affordability of the community college system are needed. The persistence of a student transferring from a community college depends on individual motivation, as well as how they engage academically and socially once they become a student at the 4-year university. Grade point averages may decline, or it may take longer to obtain a degree, transfer students are just as likely to persist.
Overall, traditional students perform better, but there are several factors that need to be considered on behalf of the transfer student. Transfer students are sometimes not given full credit for courses already taken, or cannot dedicate the same amount of time spent on campus as the traditional student because of part-time enrollment status and employment status. The culture of the 4-year university is far different even if the transfer student is coming from large community college system. Community college classrooms are smaller with a seemingly more connected faculty that genuinely cares about the students’ success. Candidly speaking, a community college student has two overwhelming experiences. The first when they initially begin their community college experience, and an ever more difficult one when they transfer to their 4-year