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Do Two-Year College Transfers Face Different Challenges Working on their Bachelor's Degree than Students who only Attended a Four-Year Institution?

Carolyn Wilson, American Geosciences Institute

Kaatje van der Hoeven Kraft, Whatcom Community College

Benjamin Wolfe, University of Kansas

AGI’s Exit SurveyPurpose

Extending to the Two-Year College communityAdditional questions

704 bachelor’s graduates only attended a 4-Year University in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015

309 bachelor’s graduates transferred from a 2-Year College in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 (30%)

Demographics

Female Male Unknown0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Gender of Bachelor Graduates

Did Not Trans-fer from 2-Year College

2-Year College Transfers

Perc

enta

ge o

f Bac

helo

r's

Gra

duat

es

Demographics

Africa

n American

Asian

Latino/H

ispanic

Mixe

d

Native Americ

an

Native H

awaiian

Non-Permanent R

esident

Unknown

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

Breakdown of Race/Ethnicity of Bachelor's Graduates

Did Not Transfer from 2-Year College

2-Year College Trans-fer

Perc

enta

ge o

f Bac

helo

r's

Gra

duat

es

Decision to Major in the Geosciences

Before beginning co

llege/u

niversi

ty

During/A

fter tra

nsferri

ng from 2YC

Undergra

duate-1st ye

ar

Undergra

duate-2nd year

Undergra

duate-3rd ye

ar

After rece

iving th

e undergra

duate degree

Other0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

When Bachelor's Graduates Decided to Major in the Geosciences

Did Not Transfer from 2-Year Col-lege

2-Year College transfers

Perc

enta

ge o

f Bac

helo

r's

Gra

duat

es

Quantitative Skills

College Algebra

Statisti

cs

Calculus I

Calculus I

I

Calculus I

II

Linear A

lgebra

Differential E

quations

Quantitative/C

omputational Methods

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Quantitative Skills and Knowledge Gained While Working Towards Degree

Did Not Transfer from 2-Year Col-lege

2-Year College Transfer

Perc

enta

ge o

f Bac

helo

r's

Gra

duat

es

Financial Aid

Student L

oans

Research

Assista

ntship

Teaching Assi

stantsh

ip

Work

Study

Federa

l Gra

nt

Department S

cholarsh

ip/Gra

nt

Institutional S

cholarsh

ip/Gra

nt

Extern

al Sch

olarship/G

rant

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Types of Financial Aid Used by Bachelor's Graduates

Did Not Transfer from 2-Year Col-lege

2-Year College Transfer

Perc

enta

ge o

f Bac

helo

r's

Gra

duat

es

Seeking Work in the Geosciences?

Accepted Seeking Employment No0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Graduates That Have Accepted or are Seeking a Geoscience Job

Did Not Transfer from 2-Year College

2-Year College Trans-fer

Perc

enta

ge o

f Bac

helo

r' G

radu

ates

Accepted Seeking Employment No0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Graduates that Have Accepted or are Seeking a Non-Geoscience Job

Did Not Transfer from 2-Year College

2-Year College Transfer

Perc

enta

ge o

f Bac

helo

r's

Gra

duat

es

Conceptual FrameworkInstitutional Barriers

Course scheduling conflictsAdvising issues/poor advisingFaculty/administrator issuesPre-requisite/degree requirementsTransfer conflicts/loss of credits upon transfer

Self-Regulation

MotivationUnclear goals/maintaining focusEmotions (panic attacks, test anxiety, etc.)Lacking self-confidenceStereotype threat

Academic Challenges

Mathematics courses and pre-requisitesChemistry and/or physicsSpecic geoscience coursesThesisAcademic rigor of coursesWriting

Personal Challenges

Financial/money issuesTime managementFamily obligationsWorking while attending schoolLife-changing event

Self-RegulationMentioned by approx. 9% of 2-year college transfers vs.

7% of students originating at a 4-year institution

Quotes from students originating at a 4-year institution:“Personal motivation to focus on difficult coursework in

allied science classes such as chemistry and physics.”“Entering my junior year of college, I began to suffer from

academic burn-out. I also wasn't sure where I wanted to go with my degree(s) and what kind of work I wanted to do.”

“Lack of confidence in my ability to do science.”

Academic ChallengesMentioned by approx. 30% of 2-year college transfers vs.

37% of students originating at a 4-year institution

Quotes from students originating at a 4-year institution:“Having to take non-geology related coursework such as

Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics. I feel I would have done better in those courses if they were offered with respect to geology.”

“The largest obstacle I faced was coming from a background of little to no science background in earth sciences.”

“Completing my thesis was the most difficult challenge. I often thought I wouldn't be able to do it or would have to take time off and graduate a year later.”

“Completing the Earth Science requirements in time after switching my major so late in my undergraduate career.”

Institutional BarriersMentioned by approx. 24% of 2-year college transfers

vs. 13% of students originating at a 4-year institution

Quotes from students originating at a 4-year institution:“Courses were sometimes offered at large intervals of

time, so timing had to be right for registration.”“Dealing with professors that do not care about the

students.”“Coming from a liberal arts college, completing gen-ed

requirements was the hardest”

Personal ChallengesMentioned by approx. 38% of 2-year college transfers vs.

21% of students originating at a 4-year institution

Quotes from students originating at a 4-year institution:“Learning how to manage time between work and taking

classes.”“Managing my time while playing a sport and completing the

research project”“Paying for college has always been my greatest obstacle

for completing. My family did not help me pay for it or anything, thus I have a lot of student loans.”

“Dealing with my physical disabilities while balancing work and school.”

Field Camp, in particular

Unique to the Geosciences

Organizational Culture issueMoneyTimeLocationEtc.

Yes No Not yet, but I am planning to attend

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Bachelor's Graduates that Participated in Field Camp

Did Not Transfer from 2-Year Col-lege

2-Year College Transfer

Pere

ntag

e of

Bac

helo

r's

Gra

duat

es

RecommendationsPurposeful student-faculty contact

Peer assisted learning

Academic and career advising

Increased communication between students and department/institution

Questions?

Thank you to Jordan Ellington, AGI’s Fall Data Intern, for help with the coding