Post-transfer students' perceptions of a community college's institutional effectiveness in preparing them for persistence to baccalaureate attainment

A college education is increasingly essential to people who desire career stability, job growth, and financial security. This is especially true for the under-serviced and at or near poverty portion of society. Community college programs are becoming a more crucial step in preparing individuals for eventual attainment of a bachelor's degree, the fast-evolving minimum qualification for a wide array of positions. To their credit, community colleges have embraced their stated mission of encouraging access to higher education leading to a postsecondary credential for all students. The purpose of this study was to determine how well students perceive the effectiveness of one community college in preparing them for eventual persistence to baccalaureate attainment.; This descriptive study employed a survey methodology to solicit input from a select cohort of university seniors who transferred from the same community college to a local state university. The survey focused on programs and services generally perceived by administrators to affect transfer students. The surveys requested that students rank 24 items based on their importance and on how effectively they were offered.; Transfer students' responses indicated that there is a great need to: (1) improve the quality of transfer information provided by counselors and faculty; (2) provide high quality of academic programs that prepare them for the academic rigor of university coursework; and (3) provide reasonable tuition rates and more financial aid. It was observed that community college students' profiles typically included many "risk factors", i.e., factors generally known to negatively affect persistence to degree attainment. For example, enhanced advising and counseling services, on-campus childcare and work opportunities can potentially improve time-to-degree for students. Such programs and services require increased attention by the community college administration.; With societal and economic needs requiring a more highly developed, degree-possessing workforce, there is a resulting imperative that community colleges facilitate students' preparation for transfer into and successful matriculation in baccalaureate degree programs. Community colleges need to remain active in protecting reasonable tuition rates, providing financial aid, improving academic advising services, promoting academic rigor in teaching and learning, and offering orientation programs conducted by caring and informed counselors.