Trajectories of Transfer Students Toward a Bachelor's Degree-Granting Institution.

This article explores the experiences and pathways of transfer students who attended community college before pursuing a bachelor's degree at a university. It challenges the common belief that transfer students spend two years at community college and then two years at a university, emphasizing that many students spend longer than four semesters at community college. The study focuses on the educational experiences, skill development, career goals, and persistence of transfer students. The researchers conducted interviews with transfer students at a Physics and Astronomy Department in a large, public, minority-serving institution and used a life grid methodology to track their experiences and career aspirations. The article includes examples of narratives that deviate from the assumed transfer student path. The study found that persistence was a shared characteristic among transfer students, defined as effort and progress towards goals. The researchers suggest that understanding the diverse pathways of transfer students can inform advising and support for them. [Extracted from the article]