Eighty percent of community college students intend to earn a bachelor’s degree (Crisp and Nunez 2014; Jabbar et al. 2021; Handel and Strempel 2018), but only 37% of these students transfer from their original higher education institution (Kintzer and Wattenbarger 1985; McCormick and Carroll 2003; Shapiro et al. 2018). Only 42% of these students do not earn a bachelor’s degree. This study explores student transfers between higher education institutions at the USHE system level. The data in this project came from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) and the USHE databases. Participants were identified in the USHE student database as first-time freshmen in the fall term of 2013. Students were tracked through the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) through the end of the 2020 academic year. Different transfer patterns exist beyond vertical transfer between community colleges and four-year institutions. These other patterns were examined, including vertical (from a two-year institution to a four-year), reverse (from a four-year institution to a two-year), and lateral (to a similar institution, like from one four-year institution to another four-year).

Finding 1: Thirty-seven percent of USHE students transferred from their original institution, higher than 30% identified five years earlier.

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• Forty-one percent of all transfer students were eligible for Pell Grants.
• More Men (18%) transfer laterally between two-year institutions than women.
• Only 12% of students who transferred between institutions were Latinx/Hispanic, and most transferred between two-year institutions.

Figure 1: Demographic proportions by transfer type

Finding 2: Over one-half (55%) of all transfers occurred in the first three years for students, but differences exist according to the institutional mission.

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• The highest proportion of transfers from research institutions (23%) occurred in the first year.
• Students at regional institutions tend to transfer in the first (22%) and third years (20%).
• A total of 37% of all students at four-year institutions transferred; most transferred to other four-year institutions (61%), with the remaining 39% moving to two-year institutions.
• Many community college students transfer in the second (20%) and third year (22%). Most (83%) of these are vertical transfers to four-year institutions.
• Forty percent of reverse transfers occur in the fourth year or later.

Figure 2: Timing of initial transfer by institutional mission. Percentages reflect the proportion of transfers by institutional mission

Finding 3: On average, students earn 47 college credits (equivalent to approximately three full-time semesters) before transferring. Students who earn at least 30 credits tend to be more successful in attaining a bachelor’s degree (Crook, Chellman, and Holod 2012).

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Finding 4: Students who transfer to another institution are less likely to earn an award. Only 46% of students who transferred earned a bachelor’s degree. Students who do transfer and graduate tend to be female and white.

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Students who transfer require an additional 12 months to earn a bachelor’s degree.

• Fifty-five percent earned a bachelor’s degree within six years of enrollment.
• Students who co-enroll graduate faster than those who remain at one institution.
  • Co-enrollment tends to occur late in a student’s academic career (four or more years) suggesting they enroll at a second institution to meet graduation requirements.
• Only 52% of students who transferred from a community college to a four-year institution earned a bachelor’s degree.

Figure 4: Mean times in months to earn a bachelor’s degree

Limitations

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• Only students who started at a USHE institution are included. Students who started at private institutions like Westminster or Brigham Young University are omitted. Additionally, students who began out-of-state are also excluded.
• Information about the percentage of students attending a two-year institution who desire a four-year degree was unavailable.
• Online institutions are not tracked. Students may enroll at an online institution while remaining in Utah but are counted as out-of-state. The high proportion of co-enrollment and swirling with out-of-state institutions most likely reflects enrolling in online courses.

Conclusion

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In some instances, Utah transfer students reflect national rates: transfer students tend to be female and white; vertical transfer may be high, but those who transfer are less likely to graduate. Previous research suggests that students who transfer laterally or are reverse transfers seek a degree program that fits their economic needs. (Jabbar and Edwards, 2020; McCormick and Carroll 1997). Another takeaway may be that some students strategically take classes from multiple institutions. Students who can co-enroll graduate faster than others. This may reflect those students’ academic preparation.

Glossary

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• Co-enrollment: Enrolling at two institutions simultaneously.
• Lateral Transfer: Moving between 2-year institutions or between 4-year institutions.
• Remainer: A student who remains at the initial institution.
• Regional Institution: The primary purpose is to prepare students within a specific 
• Research Institution: The primary mission includes advancing knowledge and innovation through research, instruction, and service.
• Reverse Transfer: Movement from a 4-year institution to a 2-year institution.
• Stop-outs: Students who have yet to finish their college education as determined by students who have not enrolled for two consecutive semesters.
• Vertical Transfer: Movement from a 2-year institution to a 4-year institution.