Navigating the Transition from Two-Year to Four-Year Institutions: An Exploration of Student Experiences

Community colleges are an important component of today's workforce ecosystem. As higher education becomes increasingly selective and expensive, community colleges have become especially valuable as a gateway to a bachelor's degree for those who might otherwise be left out. However, transfer rates from two-year institutions remain low, and graduation outcomes even lower. Through semi-structured interviews, the present study aimed to examine students' experiences navigating the transition between a community college and four-year university in order to better understand the larger quantitative trends. The analysis found that interviewees were motivated by the belief that college was a necessary step on their path post-high school. While students shared concerns about their ability to keep up with the academic requirements of their university prior to transferring, most hesitation to embark on the transition centered around the uncertainty of integrating socially. This highlights the importance of ensuring students are equipped to build connections in order to better navigate their new environment. Though most students initially focused on building social connections through in-class opportunities, these often extended to external environments, which deepened the relationships and made students feel less alone in their journey. This affirms the overlap that exists between social and academic integration, especially among this population. Overall, community colleges remain an important component of the American higher education system. While some students come equipped to successfully navigate the process largely independently, for others the pathway includes uncertainty and struggle. Ensuring access to effective information through proactive advising resources and accounting for the social needs of students is necessary for enabling individuals to maximize their time and experience at both institutions and remain engaged through the pursuit of their degree.