Advancing Transfer and Credit Mobility: Learning and Evaluation for the Gates Foundation’s Postsecondary Credit Mobility Initiative
Each year, hundreds of thousands of students transfer between colleges, according to the National Student Clearinghouse. They may transfer vertically (from a community college to a 4-year institution), laterally (between community colleges or between 4-year institutions), or in another direction. When students transfer, however, their credits are not always accepted by their new college or university—or they may be accepted, but do not apply to their degree. Instead, many students lose credits; and worse, they often are not aware that they might lose those credits until well after they transfer.
The Gates Foundation engaged AIR to serve as the measurement, learning, and evaluation partner to the Credit Mobility initiative, which is focused on strategies and technology tools to improve how students can move their credits across colleges, and letting them know how their credits will transfer before they make their decisions. In this role, AIR collects qualitative and quantitative data to understand the baseline student experiences and outcomes, collects data on development and implementation of these tools, and supports learning and evaluation related to the grantees’ work.
Briefs
College Credit Mobility: Student Voices and Staff Perspectives on Time, Technologies, and Transfer Processes
Much of the focus on poor credit mobility centers on the financial cost to students. This study widens that lens to examine students’ time and effort devoted to the transfer process, common transfer barriers, and the academic and career implications of credit loss.
The brief explores the institutional policies, processes, and technologies that impact student transfer and credit mobility. The study findings are based on interviews, either individually or through focus groups, with 16 transfer students and five college student support professionals who support transfer students.
Key Findings
- The steps leading up to a student successfully transferring make up a complex process that includes a significant time investment by students.
- Credit evaluation occurs at the very end of the admissions process, which prevents students from receiving timely information they could use in enrollment decision making.
- Student interviewees reported that credit transfer had little impact on their decision making, but in hindsight some wished they had considered it.
- Transfer technologies are used by students when available and accessible. Credit evaluation tools are less frequently used, but are especially valuable when linked to internal credit evaluation systems.
- Students want both general and personalized information about the transfer process, courses, and credit hours, which they often solicit from staff at their pre- and post-transfer institutions.
