| This research explores a relatively recent phenomenon in higher education, the reverse transfer student and a shift in the traditional transfer paradigm associated with the community college. The purpose of this study is to investigate the academic outcomes of 5,424 reverse transfer students who participated in the New Start Program at Kingsborough Community College from September 1985--June 2000. The following research questions were addressed: Were these students, who had been deemed ineligible from further participation in higher education, academically successful when given a "second chance" to continue at the community college? Did the community college serve a "salvage function" with regard to these reverse transfer students? The indicators of success included baccalaureate and/or associate degree completion, transfer, and/or improvement in academic standing.;Additionally, the study explored the relationship between the dependent variable "success" and the following eight independent variables: age, borough of residence, curriculum, gender, race, sending college, year of entry into the New Start Program, and total semesters enrolled in the City University of New York. Finally, the study investigated whether the relationship between the dependent variable "success" and the independent variables was strong enough to predict membership in the success group.;To determine the success of students who participated in the New Start Program, a database of the 5,424 students who participated in New Start since its inception was constructed. Comprehensive data were available for 4,731 students. It was determined that 2,961 students met the criteria set for "success." The data indicate that overall, New Start students realized a 63% success rate. Students earned 1,491 degrees which included: 1,162 Associate, 310 Baccalaureate, 16 Master's degrees, and three certificates. The rate of degree completion was of 32%.;Transfer data support the literature suggesting that the transfer process is not a linear process but rather a "transfer swirl" in which students transfer to a number of different colleges, four-year colleges as well as two-year colleges, prior to earning a degree. Seven of the eight independent variables were significantly related to success. The specific variables that distinguished successful students from the non-successful students were gender, sending college, total semesters enrolled and curriculum. This study suggests that the movement of the reverse transfer is not necessarily "reverse" but rather, forward as a significant number of these students applied outstanding efforts as they continued in their pursuit of higher education. |
