Only 40 percent of degree-seeking students at California community colleges leave college ready to transfer to a university, according to a state accountability report cited by the San Jose Mercury News. Enrollment reductions stemming from the state’s budget crisis have shut thousands of students out of California’s public universities, creating new obstacles for students trying to transfer.
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3 Responses to Low Transfer Rates Hamper California Community Colleges, Report Says
11274135 - November 17, 2009 at 1:27 am
For decades, community colleges have tried to shift the blame for low transfer rates to the four year colleges. While there was some justification for that, it is now time for the community colleges to take a good close look at what they themselves are doing to prepare and motivate students for successful transfer.
evbiii - November 17, 2009 at 9:20 am
It’s time for those of us who are familiar with what it takes to be successful at the university level to apply and accept positions at community colleges to help increase the tranfer percentage. Until then we live in theory without the air of practice.
starryeyed - November 17, 2009 at 12:11 pm
I agree the evbiii. I am an emeritus professor at a large Research I midwest university but have moved to another state and teach a course per year at the local very large community college as a (very underpaid) adjunct. I teach a physical science, and taught the introductory non-science major course essentially each semester for 37 years. That, along with significan experience advising students have provided me with extensive experience in what is needed to succeed. My community college students are a really nice group of kids, but they are vastly unprepared in terms of background (reading, writing, and computational skills), study skills, and knowledge of what is needed to succeed. I have started spending significant class time trying to teach some simple math skills such as multiplication and division, ratios, proportions, calculator use, and reading and making of graphs. One student in particular has worked very hard at this and seems to have made significant progress.The challenge is great. I am often really frustrated and often feel I just don’t know what to do to help them learn because I’ve used my full bag of tricks. But I keep offering to teach because I feel my extensive experience will be helpful to at least a few students. I am fortunate in not having to worry about less-than-great evaluations since my livelihood does not depend upon teaching this one course per year. I encourage others to follow.