Toya Roberts-Conston
From Community College to a 4-Year Urban University:
African American Male Transfer Students’
Degree Attainment
Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it
today. Malcolm X
Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it
today. Malcolm X
The purpose of this study is to examine whether a predictive relationship exists between institutional GPA, credits earned at time of transfer and 6-year
graduation rates for African American male community college transfer students at a four-year
university
The purpose of this study is to examine whether a predictive relationship exists between institutional GPA, credits earned at time of transfer and 6-year
graduation rates for African American male community college transfer students at a four-year
university
Significance of Study• Research has suggested that community college
students are more likely than those attending 4-year institutions to be from low-income, first generation, historically underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups
• Disadvantaged students often times lack academic resources, degree aspirations, and social capital in comparison to higher income peers
• Community colleges are used as ‘gateways’ to 4-year universities
• Postsecondary education is increasingly important to employers and will continue to be in high demand (Carnevale & Rose, 2012).
African American Males
•Often comparatively less prepared than others for the rigors of college level academic work (Bonner II & Bailey, 2006; Loury, 2004; Palmer, Davis & Hilton, 2009; Harper, 2012)
•Completion rates are lowest among both sexes and all racial/ethnic groups in U.S. higher education (Harper, 2006a; Strayhorn, 2010; Harper, 2012)
Research Questions
RQ1) Who comprises the African American transfer cohort at the urban university during the 2006-2007 academic year?
RQ2)For African American males, is the number of credits earned and community college GPA at time of transfer predictive of graduation from the Urban University within 6-years of matriculation?
Methodology
•Archival Data from 2006-2007
•Sample population- African American- 141 Males; 212 Females- 219; Transfer from 2-year college
RQ1) Descriptive StatisticsRQ2) Logistic Regression Model
RESULTSCharacteristics & Description of Sample
Results Graduation Rates of CC Transfer Students
ResultsLogistic Regression Analysis (Total Sample)
ResultsLogistic Regression (Male CC Transfers Only)
ResultsLogistic Regression (Female CC transfer Only)
ResultsTotal Sample
AGE: A one-unit decrease in age results in 7.8% increase in the odds of being a graduate from Urban University.
GPA at time of Transfer: A one-unit increase in cumulative GPA results in a 71.5% increase in the odds of being a graduate from Urban University
No. of credits at Transfer: A one-unit increase in the number of credits earned at time of transfer results in a 1.8% increase in the odds of being a graduate from Urban University
ResultsAfrican American Male Two Year CC Transfers
AGE: A one-unit decrease in age results in 14.8% increase in the odds of being a graduate from Urban University.
No. of credits at Transfer: A one-unit increase in the number of credits earned at time of transfer results in a 3.4% increase in the odds of being a graduate from Urban University
ResultsAfrican American Female Two Year CC Transfer
GPA at time of Transfer: A one-unit increase in cumulative GPA results in a 5.10 increase in the odds of being a graduate from Urban University.
No. of credits at Transfer: A one-unit increase in the number of credits earned at time of transfer results in a 2.2% increase in the odds of being a graduate from Urban University
Discussion
GPA at time of Transfer
a. significant predictor for total sample
b. significant predictor for African American female two year CC transfers
c. not a significant predictor for African American male two year CC transfers
No. of Credits at time of Transfer
a. significant predictor for total sample
b. significant predictor for African American female two year CC transfers
c. a significant predictor for African American male two year CC transfersAge
a.significant predictor for total sample
b. not a significant predictor for African American female two year CC transfers
c. Significant predictor for African American male two year CC transfers
LimitationsL1) Sample taken from single institution
L2) Definition of graduation status
L3) Narrow amount of data available from Urban University’s Office of Institutional Research
L4) Limited accuracy of the prediction models
Implications for Research
• Further investigation to examine why 72% of the African American transfer cohort did not stay and graduate from Urban University within 6-years
• Further investigation to examine if GPA is an accurate predictor for African American male transfer students
• Further investigation to examine enrollment patterns of African American non-traditionally aged two-year CC transfer students
Implications for Practice
•Programs for two-year CC transfer students that assist with navigation of the four-year university system
• Introducing the transfer process to students early on at the two-year CC
•Ensure college level work on the CC level is as rigorous as college level work at the University level
Questions & Answers