Research shows that, nationally, nearly 2 million students enter higher education through community colleges each year. Eighty percent of them know from the beginning that their ultimate goal is to earn a bachelor’s degree at a four-year university. But transitioning from community college to a university can be a difficult process to navigate, and the hardships of that process often result in lower success rates among transfer students than students who enroll at four-year universities from the start.
Nearly 40% of students who graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University come to the university as transfer students, so promoting their success is a key part of delivering on the university’s mission. This feature article, written for Vol. 20 of Impact, the quarterly magazine for donors and friends of VCU, highlights how philanthropic partnerships have enhanced initiatives at VCU to help transfer students succeed, and how these initiatives have positioned VCU as a leader in this area among peer universities.
From the Judges
Appreciate the elucidation of an important aspect of the college picture in the United States—getting students from 2-year to 4-year schools successfully.
