Experiences of Female Transfer Students

Lauren N. Ibarra.

Bachelor’s degrees are often thought of as the ticket to a great career. However, going to a university to earn one can be very expensive, especially if one is not awarded a significant amount of scholarship funding or financial aid. In fact, nearly 40% of students who are in higher education right now are not at universities; they are at a community college. Although community colleges offer their own credentials, from associate degrees to technical certificates to bachelor’s degrees – many students consider them a pathway to a university. In recent years, the rate of enrollment has been decreasing for students who would transfer to universities from community colleges. Notably, this rate of transfer has decreased for female transfer students. In this presentation, we will examine the challenges and supports experienced by a few of these students.