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Transfer students from California community colleges: a narrative approach to understanding the social capital and institutional factors that lead to a timely transfer to a public, four-year univ...

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Transfer students from California community colleges: a narrative approach to understanding the social capital and institutional factors that lead to a timely transfer to a public, four-year univ...

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Content Running Head: TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 1

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES:
A NARRATIVE APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL AND
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS THAT LEAD TO A TIMELY TRANSFER TO
A PUBLIC, FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY

by

Katrina Virata Hermoso

_________________________________________________________________

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

August 2013

Copyright 2013 Katrina Virata Hermoso
08

Fall

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 2

Dedication
I dedicate my dissertation to my wonderful family, who provided me with their
unconditional love and unyielding support as I embarked on this journey of attaining my
doctorate degree. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for providing me with a warm home, for
promoting my dreams, and for supporting my ability to achieve them. I would also like to thank
my older brother for continuing to be my sidekick from childhood to adulthood – your
companionship throughout this journey provided the levity I needed on days that were heavy
with work and school responsibilities. Because I was blessed to have the three of you as my
family, I achieved the dream of attaining my doctorate. I may have earned the degree, but with
the three of you standing behind me the entire way, this degree is just as much our
accomplishment as it is mine.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 3

Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I would like to thank our Heavenly Father who continues to bless me
each day to go out and pursue my dreams. I thank my family back in the Philippines, across the
globe, and in Heaven who provided me with a childhood full of fond memories and continue to
cheer me on from afar. Most importantly, I would like to thank my Mom, Dad, and older brother
who never cease to amaze me with their boundless love and support – words cannot express how
grateful and blessed I am to have the three of you in my life.
I would like to thank all of my past and current teachers and professors, as well as my
counselors and advisors, for believing in my ability and instilling in me the belief that I can
accomplish anything I set my mind to. I thank my academic mentors, Carol Brown-Elston, Dr.
Maximiliano Contreras, and Dr. Richard Gordon, for their efforts to prepare and assist me in
getting admitted to the doctorate program. I thank all of the amazing individuals in my doctorate
program and thematic dissertation group, all of whom I developed lasting friendships with. A
special thank you goes out to future Dr. Ashley Barton and future Dr. Julie Kim for their
friendship and support throughout this journey. I thank my graduate advisor, Dr. Nancy
Guirguis, for keeping me on track with completing all my doctoral requirements and providing
me with moral support. I thank my dissertation committee, Dr. Samuel Kim and Dr. Patricia
Tobey, for committing their time and effort to help strengthen this study. I also thank the
contributions of Dr. Katie Moulton. Most importantly, I would like to thank my dissertation
chair, Dr. Tracy Tambascia, for her tireless efforts to guide and support me as I completed this
very significant milestone.
I would like to thank all of my past and current mentors, colleagues, and supervisors for
realizing my talents and providing me with opportunities for continued growth. I thank my
professional mentors, Dr. Kristi Blackburn, Dr. Chito Cajayon, and Dr. Dyrell Foster, for their
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 4

efforts to mentor me with my professional aspirations. I thank my colleagues, Brian Cruz, Carla
Gorbea, Susie Lopez, Raul Martinez, Ava Petty, Tianka Pharaoh, and Reina Watkins, for their
friendship and support throughout this journey. Most importantly, I would like to thank my
supervisors, Dr. William Franklin and Dr. Paz Oliverez, for all they do to support me and
students alike as the passionate change-agents that they are.
Last but not least, a final thank you goes out to the participants, who made the basis of
this study possible, and to my students, who inspire me to better myself and better the field of
higher education each day.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 5

Table of Contents
List of Tables 7
Abstract 8
Chapter One: Overview of the Study 9
Statement of the Problem 10
Purpose of the Study 11
Research Questions 12
Significance of the Study 12
Background on Two-Year Colleges and Public, Four-Year Universities 14
Financial Challenges to Public, Four-Year Universities 15
Impact on Students 16
Limitations and Assumptions 18
Definitions 18
Summary 19
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature 20
Community Colleges 21
California Community Colleges 24
Social Capital 28
Community College Transfer Process 32
Community College Transfer Centers 35
Institutional Barriers at Two-Year Colleges and Public, Four-Year Universities 39
Summary 41
Chapter Three: Methodology 42
Sample and Population 43
Instrumentation and Tools / Source of Evidence 46
Data Collection Process 47
Data Analysis 47
Researcher Biases and Limitations 49
Summary 50
Chapter Four: Presentation of the Results 52
Summary of Methods 52
Introduction of the Participants 54
Findings 60
Transfer Center Observation 71
Summary 72
Chapter Five: Discussion of the Findings 74
Discussion of the Findings 75
Research Questions 84
Recommendations for Practice 87
Future Research Opportunities 91
Summary 92
References 93
Appendix A 102
Appendix B 103
Appendix C 104
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 6

Appendix D 106

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 7

List of Tables
Table 1: 2005-2006 California Community College Cohort Transfer Rates ___________10
Table 2: 2010-2011 Age of California Community College Students ________________26
Table 3: Fall 2011 California Community College Full/Part Time Unit Load of Enrolled Students
_______________________________________________________________________26
Table 4: 2010-2011 Ethnicity of California Community College Students ____________27
Table 5: Three Forms of Social Capital _______________________________________31
Table 6: Formation of Human Capital ________________________________________32
Table 7: Three Phases of Grounded Theory ____________________________________49
Table 8: Transfer Student Demographic Information _____________________________55
Table 9: Emerging Themes from Interviews ____________________________________60

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 8

Abstract
The unique experiences of community college transfer students have not been explored at
public, four-year universities. Most of the research on the experiences of community college
students is based on quantitative research methods, which fail to provide a comprehensive
understanding of the nature of students’ lived experiences. This qualitative study contributes to
the literature by exploring the experiences of successful transfer students after they have enrolled
at a public, four-year university.
This study will add to our understanding of how best to serve prospective transfer
students during times of diminished resources and limited enrollments. The study took place at
Golden State University (GSU), which enrolls the largest number of transfer students of any
public university in the state of California. Utilizing techniques from grounded theory, this study
sought to understand the unique characteristics and needs of transfer students and institutional
barriers, which hindered their transfer experiences. This study discovered that community
college transfer students do possess social capital, mostly in the form of information channels.
The most prominent institutional factor that hindered their transfer processes was the recent
budget cuts to public higher education.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 9

CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
In 2009, as part of a national effort to build a stronger foundation that will allow the
country to lead in the global economy, President Obama announced a historic initiative that
called for five million additional college graduates by 2020 (Brandon, 2009). President Obama
stressed the importance of education to the nation’s prosperity:
But we also have to ensure that we're educating and preparing our people for the new
jobs of the 21st century. We've got to prepare our people with the skills they need to
compete in this global economy. Time and again, when we placed our bet for the future
on education, we have prospered as a result -- by tapping the incredible innovative and
generative potential of a skilled American workforce. That was the foundation for the
American middle class (Brandon, 2009, para. 2).
While President Obama has set forth goals for the nation to increase postsecondary
enrollment, most states are experiencing decreased revenue due to the economic recession that is
impacting funding for education; this has resulted in decreased student access and enrollment to
public colleges and universities, especially community colleges (De La Graza, 2000; Little
Hoover Commission, 2000; Murphy, 2004). In the state of California, this has significantly
impacted the public, postsecondary system, and most students are now taking six years to
complete transfer requirements at the state’s community colleges (California Community
Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). This qualitative study sought to increase understanding of
the experiences of transfer students and to find ways to improve services that would reduce the
amount of time needed to transfer to a public, four-year university. This chapter presents the
statement of the problem; purpose of the study; research questions; significance of the study;
background on two-year colleges and public, four-year universities; impact on students;
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 10

limitations and assumptions; and definitions. The following is an overview of such institutions
and how the fiscal and enrollment challenges affect the ability of students to transfer from
community college to a public, four-year university.
Statement of the Problem
The majority of students enrolled in community colleges transfer to a public, four-year
university after six years (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). This may
seem contrary to the general public’s perceptions, which has historically viewed community
colleges as “two-year” campuses. The 2005-2006 cohort has a reported transfer rate of 40% of
students transferring after six years and only 5% of students transferred after two years to a
public, four-year university (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). Table
1 presents the transfer rates for all students in the 2005-2006 cohort at the California Community
Colleges (CCC).
Table 1
2005-2006 California Community College Cohort Transfer Rates
Number of Years Student Count Student Count (%)
Total 113,912 100%
2 5,171 5%
3 17,003 15%
4 31,530 28%
5 40,323 35%
6 47,376 42%

Community colleges have the potential to make a significant contribution toward
achieving the nation’s graduation goals (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008; Zappia, 1999). As
Melguizo, Kienzl, and Alfonso (2011) stated, nearly half of all high school graduates with
aspirations of obtaining a baccalaureate degree attend a community college first. However, with
the length of time it is taking students to transfer, as reflected by the 2005-2006 cohort, achieving
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 11

the national goal of significantly increasing college graduates by 2020 will be nearly impossible
given the current time-to-transfer rate of six years.
Purpose of the Study
This is a qualitative study of transfer students who have transferred from the CCC to
Golden State University (GSU), which is a pseudonym that has been assigned for the real
university. The purpose of the study is to understand the knowledge base, skill sets, and social
capital factors that contributed to students’ persistence at and transfer from community colleges.
GSU served as the site for this study because of its high percentage of admitted transfer students.
For the fall 2012 term, GSU received applications for transfer from students at 500 higher
education institutions (National Center for Education Statistics, 2012).
This study sought to understand the unique characteristics of transfer students along with
barriers such as limited social capital, which may have hindered their transfer process
experience. In addition, there are institutional barriers within community colleges and public,
four-year universities that may have served as impediments to the persistence of transfer students
in their progress from community college to a public, four-year university, and from transfer to
degree attainment. The goal of this study is to determine how best to serve prospective transfer
students given their limited social capital and to understand the barriers that they faced during
times of drastic budget cuts to public higher education. The study findings will assist student
affairs professionals and administrators at California colleges to help students transfer and persist
to graduation, contributing substantially to the national goal of five million additional college
graduates by 2020.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 12

Research Questions
This qualitative study provides a deeper understanding of the transfer experiences of
transfer students from the CCC. Specifically, this study looked at their experiences with social
capital, use of transfer centers, and support services at community colleges. The following
research questions were used to inform and direct this study:
1. What student support services contributed to the successful transfer of students to Golden
State University from community colleges?
2. What did transfer students at community colleges know about the transfer process?
a. Was this information provided by family and/or friends or school officials?
b. What information would have been useful to better assist with the transfer process,
enabling a faster transfer time?
3. In what ways were transfer centers involved with the transfer objectives of students at
community colleges?
a. At what point in students’ college careers were transfer centers introduced?
b. What types of services were implemented to help students transfer to their specific
college of choice?
4. What other college-based student support services were available at community colleges
to assist with the transfer process?
Significance of the Study
The unique experiences of transfer students after they have transferred from a community
college have not been explored at public, four-year universities. In addition, most of the
research on the experiences of community college students is based primarily upon quantitative
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 13

research methods, which fail to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nature of students’
lived experiences. The present qualitative study contributes to existing literature by exploring
the experiences of successful transfer students after they have enrolled at a public, four-year
university.
Although there are transfer centers at virtually every community college, prospective
transfer students may not be receiving the support needed to help them persist to a public, four-
year university (Bradhurn & Hurst, 2001; Cohen, 2003; Shulock & Moore, 2005). In an effort to
enhance the persistence and transfer rates of prospective transfer students, their experiences need
to be closely examined. It is important to first understand their unique needs before effective
strategies to support and assist them can be developed (Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock, 2004). A
clear understanding of their transfer experiences in interacting with support services personnel
provides further insight into the notion of student persistence, therefore adding to the existing
literature on the persistence of transfer students.
Through one-on-one interviews with 14 transfer students at GSU, this investigation
provides insightful information for student affairs professionals and administrators to allow
them to better understand students’ experiences and the factors that both hindered and supported
their persistence in the transfer to public, four-year universities. It will help administrators at
both community colleges and public, four-year universities to develop more effective strategies
to assist transfer students on their campuses, which may increase their educational outcomes,
persistence and success and ultimately lead to better socioeconomic outcomes for transfer
students in California and in our nation.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 14

Background on Two-Year Colleges and Public, Four-Year Universities
Two-Year Colleges
The 112 community colleges of California have the potential to make a significant
contribution toward achieving national graduation goals (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008; Zappia,
1999). Undergraduate demand for public higher education in California is expected to grow by
380,000 students by 2019, and many of the students will seek enrollment at community colleges
(California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). Many of the transfer students from
community colleges will apply for transfer to public, four-year universities, given its large
enrollment numbers (Bound, Lovenheim, & Turner, 2009; Coley, 2000; Vaughan, 2003). In
2009, 26% of transfer students applied for admission to a public, four-year university (State of
California, 2012). However, with the drastic budget cuts to higher education since 2008,
transferring from a community college to a public, four-year university may become more
difficult for students to access in the future.
Public, Four-Year Universities
The four-year university system, known as the California State Universities (CSU), make
up the largest system of public higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, approximately
400,000 students and 50,000 faculty and staff (California State University, 2012). The public,
four-year universities award nearly 100,000 degrees annually and, since the system’s creation in
1960, has conferred nearly three million degrees (California State University, 2012). Based on
the latest available data, GSU enrolled the highest percentage of transfer students in the state
university system; 20% of the undergraduate enrollment had transferred from a community
college (National Center for Education Statistics, 2012).
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 15

Golden State University. GSU has a mission to provide students with education,
scholarship, and service that are, by design, accessible and transformative (California State
University, 2012). Due to the recent financial challenges at public, four-year universities in
California, GSU’s ability to provide access to all students has been limited. For the fall 2012
term, GSU received applications from 9,000 students, of which GSU had to waitlist 3,000
students. These statistics are significantly different when compared to the fall 2007 term, when
GSU received applications from 800 students, and none were waitlisted students.
Financial Challenges to Public, Four-Year Universities
In March 2012, the Chancellor’s Office for the CSU system announced that it would face
more cuts, including reducing enrollment, laying off employees, reducing classes, and the
elimination of some academic programs (California State University, 2012). Those were among
the options being considered by the Board of Trustees as the state system planned for a potential
200 million dollar trigger-cut from the state, set to take effect in the middle of the academic year
if the governor’s November tax proposal was not approved (California State University, 2012).
State support for public, four-year universities has been cut by almost one billion dollars
or 30% over the past four years, with student tuition increases covering only about half of the
lost revenue (California State University, 2012). To fill the budget gap, public, four-year
universities have implemented numerous cost-cutting measures as well as increased efficiencies.
Over the past four years, its system has decreased the total number of faculty and staff by over
3,000, or about 6% of its workforce (California State University, 2012). In addition, class sizes
have increased, faculty have been asked to teach more, and administrative functions are being
consolidated (California State University, 2012). Despite these efforts, college officials warn
that further measures are necessary:
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 16

We must consider other drastic options if our budget is cut again. Those would include
reducing enrollment, cutting the number of classes that are offered, and further reductions
in the size of WSU’s workforce. By the 2013-14 academic year, these reductions could
involve another 2,500 to 3,000 faculty and staff. These are terrible choices, and we will
need to start making many decisions before we know the outcome of the election
(California State University, 2012, para. 5).
Public, four-year universities plan to cut enrollment for 2013-2014 by 20,000-25,000
students, first by eliminating spring admissions for most campuses (California State University,
2012). Eight of the public, four-year universities will take applications only for community
college transfer students who complete the Associate Degree for Transfer, which was made
possible through recent legislation Senate Bill 1440 (California State University, 2012). Drastic
cuts such as these are just some of the reasons why understanding the barriers prospective
transfer students face at community colleges and public, four-year universities is critical. With
college officials and policymakers understanding the transfer barriers that impact students,
prospective transfer students will have a better chance at transferring in less than six years and
gaining admittance to public, four-year universities.
Impact on Students
To date, little is known about how limited social capital directly affects transfer students’
persistence from community college to public, four-year universities. Social capital is defined as
a network of relationships possessed by an individual and the set of resources embedded within it
that help individuals to share interpersonal knowledge (Bourdieu, 1986; Chiu, Hsu, & Wang,
2006; Coleman, 1990). Adolescents from families with a lower socioeconomic status, which fits
the profile of many transfer students, are only half as likely to aspire to go to college than those
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 17

with a higher socioeconomic status (Castaneda, 2010; Gebel, 1995; Grubb, 1991). Wassmer,
Moore, & Shulock (2004) assert that students of underrepresented minority populations are less
likely to have high levels of cultural and social capital due to the lower educational attainment
and experience of their parents, other family members, and home communities, which leave
them without the information and resources needed to successfully navigate the higher education
system (Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock, 2004). Without social capital, students of
underrepresented minority populations also lack college knowledge, which pertains to the
information needed to navigate the college process (Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock, 2004). With
the recent budget cuts to higher education and the limited enrollment capacity of public, four-
year universities, students at community colleges have a difficult time making a timely transfer
from community college to public, four-year universities. Although public, four-year
universities continue to offer admission to the most qualified transfer applicants, campuses and
programs are increasingly impacted, which forces applicants to explore other educational options
and serves as a transfer barrier for students who are not as knowledgeable about ways to navigate
an increasingly competitive process (Bryant, 2001; Shulock & Moore, 2005; Wassmer et al.,
2004). This qualitative study helps determine how transfer students can be better assisted with
navigating through the process and transfer in less than the six-year average.
Once enrolled in a community college, students face institutional barriers that can be
impediments to their ability to persist and transfer (Banks, 1992; Bauer & Bauer, 1994;
Townsend & Wilson, 2006). The relationship between social capital and the college transfer
process has not been studied. Therefore, this study is necessary to provide an in depth
understanding of the transfer process experiences of students at community colleges, knowledge
of which will further the purpose of providing solutions to address the institutional factors that
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 18

affect their persistence into public, four-year universities. Improving the success of prospective
transfer students in community colleges may lead to increased transfer rates, degree attainment,
employment, and higher salaries.
Limitations and Assumptions
The limitations of this study were that the investigation took place at one public, four-
year university in California and consisted of interviews with 14 participants. Conducting the
investigation at GSU, an institution that enrolls the most number of transfer students in the entire
public, four-year university system, provided a snapshot of prevalent themes within the study
population, but only examined the experiences of a small study sample. The 14 participants,
although a diverse group, may not have provided an all-encompassing depiction of the transfer
experiences typical of all transfer students. Assumptions that I had prior to conducting research
stem from my professional experience in the field of public higher education, working with
transfer students and the transfer process, in the course of which I developed my own set of
perceptions about transfer centers and the services offered.
Definitions
The following terms were used in this qualitative study:
1. College knowledge – includes, but is not limited to, information about the college process
such as the application process, financial aid process, and academic roadmaps (Conley,
2005; Hooker & Brand, 2010; Stafford, 2010)
2. Financial aid – funding that is intended to help students pay education-related expenses
such as tuition and fees, books and supplies, and cost of living while enrolled in college
(Dynarski, 2002; Heller & Laird, 2000; Turner, 2004)
3. Institutional barriers – any factors in the sending and receiving institutions that can be
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 19

impediments to the transfer process of prospective transfer students (Banks,
1992; Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Townsend & Wilson, 2006)
4. Social capital – benefits, such as assistance with academic or career advancement, that
are a result of the relationships within one’s network (Bourdieu, 1986; Chiu, Hsu, &
Wang, 2006; Coleman, 1990)
5. Support services – includes, but is not limited to, programs at the college that provide
support in areas of academics and the transfer process; academic support such as

academic advisors, peer mentors, and tutors (Cohen, 2003; Cohen & Brawer, 1996;

Coley, 2000)

6. Transfer process – the process by which prospective transfer students complete necessary
tasks required for transfer to another college or university (e.g., filling out an application,
registering for an orientation, signing up for a registration workshop) (Bradhurn & Hurst,
2001; Cuseo, 1998; Frey, 2010)
Summary
This chapter provides the background, purpose, and significance of this dissertation
study. Chapter Two is a review of the literature and research related to transfer students with
specific attention to social capital and institutional barriers. Chapter Three will discuss the
methodology and procedures used to gather data regarding the transfer process experiences of
transfer students at community colleges. The findings from the study will be presented in
Chapter Four. Chapter Five summarizes the study and findings, draws conclusions from the
findings, presents a discussion of the results, and provides recommendations for further study.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 20

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
This chapter presents a context for this study by providing an overview of areas pertinent
to the transfer process from community colleges to public, four-year universities. First, the
settings of both community colleges and the California Community College (CCC) system will
be covered, to highlight any institutional factors that can serve as transfer barriers to the success
of transfer students. Second, the literature that addresses the social capital of community college
students and the characteristics crucial to their success in higher education, will be examined.
Third, the institutionalized programs and services intended to create a process for a seamless
transfer will be addressed.
Currently, the majority of students enrolled in community colleges and who are able to
transfer to a public, four-year university do so in six years (California Community Colleges
Chancellor’s Office, 2012). The present study is a qualitative study of transfer students who
have transferred from the CCC to Golden State University (GSU).
The purpose of the study is to determine the knowledge base, skill sets, and support
systems that are needed in order for students to persist and transfer from community college to a
public, four-year university. The following research questions were used to inform and direct
this study:
1. What student support services contributed to the successful transfer of students to Golden
State University from community colleges?

2. What did transfer students at community colleges know about the transfer process?
a. Was this information provided by family and/or friends or school officials?
b. What information would have been useful to better assist with the transfer process,
enabling a faster transfer time?
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 21

3. In what ways were transfer centers involved with the transfer objectives of students at
community colleges?
a. At what point in students’ college careers were transfer centers introduced?
b. What types of services were implemented to help students transfer to their specific
college of choice?
4. What other college-based student support services were available at community colleges
to assist with the transfer process?
Community Colleges
To understand the transfer experiences of students from community colleges, a review of
the background of the community college system and its mission is necessary. The development
of community colleges occurred over the course of the 20
th
century and was intended to serve as
a solution to the nation’s need to develop trained service workers (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008;
Zappia, 1999). Community colleges were developed with the dual mission of providing a
liberal arts education as well as vocational training (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008; Zappia, 1999).
In most states, students who are academically prepared tend to enroll directly in four-year
universities (Bauman, 2007; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000). Most students who attend
community colleges are the first in their families to enroll in postsecondary education (Bauman,
2007; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000). Open admissions is generally available at
community colleges and offers access without barriers to minority groups, women returning to
college, and students who struggled to complete their high school diploma or their General
Education Development (GED) (Bauman, 2007; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000).
Furthermore, community colleges are effective in preparing students for public, four-year
universities by offering remedial and introductory courses (Bauman, 2007; Cohen & Brawer,
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 22

1996; Coley, 2000). Students who are not capable of successfully completing remedial or
introductory courses are filtered from the cohort and were unable to move forward with the
transfer process to a four-year institution (Bauman, 2007; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000).
Because community colleges are intended to provide open access without issues of selectivity, its
students tend to have more remedial learning issues and are at a greater risk for failure, which
results in low numbers of students transferring or graduating (Bauman, 2007; Cohen & Brawer,
1996; Coley, 2000). Some faculty members believe that the community college’s real agenda
is political, and is designed to fail minority students of a lower socioeconomic status or place
them into low-status service jobs (Bauman, 2007; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000).
Today, about half of all undergraduate students attend or have attended a community
college, and many speak highly of the education they received there (Bauman, 2007; Cohen &
Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000). Funding for community colleges comes from state general funds
(De La Graza, 2000; Little Hoover Commission, 2000; Murphy, 2004). However, community
colleges are receiving less funding than is truly needed in order to serve its growing student
population (De La Graza, 2000; Little Hoover Commission, 2000; Murphy, 2004). As the
number of students requiring access to community college increases, community colleges are
unable to receive the level of funding needed to meet the demands. At the same time, public,
four-year universities in some states have had to limit enrollments due to funding constraints;
this has forced a growing number of students to enroll in community colleges where even less
funding is available for programs, courses, and student support (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008;
Zappia, 1999). Should this trend continue, community colleges will not be able to keep up with
the educational needs of the nation.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 23

Funding constraints may hurt the neediest students most (Coley, 2000; Phillippe &
Eblinger, 1998; Vaughan, 2003). Enrollment caps, or the limiting of class capacities, are usually
first instituted by community college presidents at the first sign of over capacity in classes
(Coley, 2000; Phillippe & Eblinger, 1998; Vaughan, 2003). Students who manage to enroll in
classes are often those who understand and are best able to navigate the community college
system (Coley, 2000; Phillippe & Eblinger, 1998; Vaughan, 2003). Conversely, many minority
students lack social capital and the benefits that are embedded in those relationships, and do not
possess the information and resources needed to successfully navigate the postsecondary
education system (Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock, 2004). Such situations leave a disproportionate
number of minority students of a lower socioeconomic status without access to community
college classes.
According to Melguizo et al. (2011), proponents of community colleges argue that
democratization of education occurs by expanding access to community colleges. However,
Bauman (2007) asserts that the accommodation of all students should not be the mission.
Community colleges are too willing to teach any student under any condition, too willing to
squeeze more bodies into classes, and too willing to build extension campuses or turn main
campuses into industrial buildings (Bauman, 2007). Community colleges should not go to great
lengths in expanding their campuses to accommodate all students, when many of the students are
not adequately prepared for post-secondary education (Bauman, 2007). On the other hand,
community colleges may also divert seemingly qualified students away from starting at public,
four-year universities (Melguizo et al., 2011). Though community colleges cannot be blamed for
students’ tendency to choose community college first rather than public, four-year universities,
the reality is that more support may be available at public, four-year universities that help
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 24

students persist to graduation (Melguizo et al., 2011).
California Community Colleges
To understand the transfer experiences of students from community colleges, a
background of the community college system, particularly in California, is necessary. The
California Community College (CCC) system makes up the largest system of higher education in
the world (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008; Zappia, 1999). With two and a half million students at
112 colleges, the community college’s mission is complex: to offer general education and two-
year degrees, prepare students who plan to transfer to four-year universities; provide
occupational education and certification to students who wish to improve job skills; and offer
classes to help improve skills, and provide a sense of enrichment (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008;
Zappia, 1999). The CCC underwent a comprehensive reform with the passage of legislation in
the late 1980s (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008; Zappia, 1999). The legislation defined the multiple
missions of the colleges, their place within the California Master Plan for Higher Education, and
the centrality of the colleges to the overall quality of life in California (Collins, 2002; Jones,
2008; Zappia, 1999). The reform helped move the colleges away from their K-12 roots, raised
minimum qualifications for faculty, extended probation for new faculty members from two to
four years, strengthened faculty evaluation through mandated peer review, and established
expectations and funding streams for faculty professional development and curricular innovation
(Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008; Zappia, 1999). The results of the reform include increased
confidence among businesses, the public, and transfer institutions regarding the integrity of
educational offerings, certificates, and degrees at community colleges (Collins, 2002; Jones,
2008; Zappia, 1999).

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 25

Lack of adequate resources has been devastating to the CCC system in recent years
(Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008; Zappia, 1999). Under the state’s Master Plan, the CCC is allocated
less funding than other public institutions of higher education (De La Graza, 2000; Little Hoover
Commission, 2000; Murphy, 2004). The average state allocation for community colleges is
about half of what community college administrators deem appropriate to provide quality
support services and academic preparation for all students (De La Graza, 2000; Little Hoover
Commission, 2000; Murphy, 2004). About 80% of the 112 CCCs rely heavily on state
appropriations, which comprises 25% or more of the institutions’ core revenues (National Center
for Education Statistics, 2012). Per-student funding at the CCC system is among the lowest of
all educational sectors (Bradburn et al., 2001; Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008). Public, four-year
universities receive $10,000-$20,000 per student, followed by public secondary schools which
receive about $8,000, and community colleges receive $5,000 (California Community Colleges
Chancellor’s Office, 2012). Such low funding levels have resulted in the CCC turning away
thousands of students, many of whom are African American and Latino students, whose primary
gateway into postsecondary education has been community colleges (Melguizo, 2007). For
students who were fortunate enough to gain admission to a community college, yearly mid-year
budget cuts over the past several years have forced the CCC to eliminate nearly 600,000 of
course-section offerings, which excluded an estimated 90,000 students from taking classes
(Bound, Lovenheim, & Turner, 2009; Coley, 2000; Vaughan, 2003). Such situations make it
difficult for students to transfer from a community college in less than six years.
California Community College Student Profile
One in five students at the CCC is a recent immigrant or a non-native English-language
learner (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008; Zappia, 1999). Forty-six percent of students enrolled in
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 26

2010-2011 were also non-traditionally aged (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s
Office, 2012). Table 2 presents the age groups for all enrolled students at the CCC during the
2010-2011 academic year.
Table 2
2010-2011 Age of California Community College Students
Age Group Student Count Student Count (%)
Total 2,610,212 100%
1 - < 18 139,969 5%
18 & 19 503,710 19%
20 to 24 761,720 29%
25 to 29 350,561 13%
30 to 34 208,273 8%
35 to 39 150,284 6%
40 to 49 235,875 9%
50+ 258,630 10%
Unknown 1,190 0.1%

Most community college students attend on a part-time basis. Sixty-three percent of students
enrolled during the fall 2011 term managed work and family responsibilities (California
Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). Table 3 presents the full-time and part-time
unit load for all enrolled students at the CCC during the fall 2011 term.
Table 3
Fall 2011 California Community College Full/Part Time Unit Load of Enrolled Students
Unit Load Student Count Student Count (%)
Total 1,651,175 100%
0 Units 155 0.01%
0.1 – 2.9 115,547 7%
3.0 – 5.9 372,455 23%
6.0 – 8.9 277,515 17%
9.0 – 11.9 242,578 15%
12.0 – 14.9 342,749 21%
15+ 140,997 9%
Non-Credit 159,179 10%

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 27

Collins (2002) found that in 2002, 75% percent of students of color who pursue higher education
in California did so at the CCC and attributed such high numbers to the reputation of community
colleges being a “gateway institution to higher education, employment, the opportunity for a
living wage, and a richer, more satisfying life” (Collins, 2002, para. 2). Table 4 presents the
ethnicities for all enrolled students at the CCC during the 2010-2011 academic year.
Table 4
2010-2011 Ethnicity of California Community College Students
Ethnicity Student Count Student Count (%)
Total 2,610,126 100%
African American 197,373 8%
American Indian /
Alaskan Native
15,307 1%
Asian 301,674 12%
Filipino 78,407 3%
Hispanic 881,600 34%
Multi-Ethnicity 57,336 2%
Pacific Islander 15,258 1%
Unknown 223,644 9%
White Non-Hispanic 839,527 32%

The personal demographic of being a first-generation college student is often linked with
ethnicity. A 2005 study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that 36%
of minority students at the CCC are also first-generation college students (Jones, 2008).
California Community College students who transfer to a public, four-year university do
as well or even better than students who began their higher education at the four-year level, as
indicated by grade point averages (Collins, 2002; Melguizo, Kienzl, & Alfonso, 2011).
Furthermore, 80% of students who graduated from both sectors of the public, four-year
universities in California started their education at community colleges (Bradburn, Hurst, &
Peng, 2001; Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008). Many of its graduates play essential roles in society
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 28

and contribute significantly in capacities such as fire, police, emergency medical, and nursing
personnel, as well electrical workers, plumbers, and providers of information technology
services (Collins, 2002; Jones, 2008; Zappia, 1999).
Social Capital
To understand the transfer experiences of students from community colleges, an
exploration of social capital is necessary to understand the ways in which limited social capital
can serve as a transfer barrier. For this reason, social capital will be used as the framework for
this study. Social capital is defined as the network of relationships possessed by an individual
and the set of resources embedded within it that help individuals to share interpersonal
knowledge (Bourdieu, 1986; Chiu, Hsu, & Wang, 2006; Coleman, 1990). Bandura posits that
individuals' behaviors are a product of their social network (Bandura, 1986; Chiu et al., 2006;
Coleman, 1990). Through close social interactions, individuals are able to increase the depth,
breadth, and efficiency of mutual knowledge exchange (Bourdieu, 1986; Chiu et al., 2006;
Coleman, 1990). One school of thought was influenced by Bourdieu, who defined social capital
as “the aggregate of the actual or potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable
network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition”
(Baum & Ziersch, p. 320; Bourdieu, 1986; Stone, 2001). This definition focuses on the
resources that are accrued by individuals as a result of their membership in social networks
(Baum & Ziersch, 2003; Bourdieu, 1986; Stone, 2001). More information about postsecondary
education can be better disseminated between young adults aspiring to attend college, but who
are not well informed of the ways to go about the process, through the possession of social
capital and through participation in social networks (Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock, 2004).

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 29

Among young adults, relationships with peers are important both for generating benefits,
commonly referred to as social capital, and for psychosocial development (Chang & Chuang,
2011; Steinfield, Ellison, & Lampe, 2008; Zhao, Lu, Wang, Chau, & Zhang, 2012). Social
capital is an elastic construct used to describe the benefits an individual receives from
relationships with other people, thus constant social interaction with peers has been found to be
closely related to the formation and maintenance of social capital (Chang & Chuang, 2011;
Steinfield et al., 2008; Zhao et al., 2012). As relationships are developed between individuals,
their willingness to share more information increases, and includes information such as
application deadlines to college (Chang & Chuang, 2011; Steinfield et al., 2008; Zhao et al.,
2012). Social peer interactions have also been found to be associated with distinct measures of
bridging social capital, which emphasizes the informational benefits of a heterogeneous network
of weak ties, and bonding social capital, which emphasizes emotional benefits from strong ties to
close friends and family (Chang & Chuang, 2011; Steinfield et al., 2008; Zhao et al., 2012).
Self-esteem may operate as a moderator of the relationship between peer interaction and social
capital (Chang & Chuang, 2011; Steinfield et al., 2008; Zhao et al., 2012). That is, young people
with lower self-esteem appear to benefit more from social peer interactions than those with
higher self-esteem. As such, social peer interactions are highly beneficial for many young
adults, such as students of a lower socioeconomic status at community colleges.
At community colleges, many of the students are from a lower socioeconomic status.
Students from a lower socioeconomic status are only half as likely to aspire to go to college than
those with a higher socioeconomic status (Castaneda, 2010; Gebel, 1995; Grubb, 1991).
Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock (2004) found that students of underrepresented minority
populations are less likely to have high levels of cultural and social capital due to the lower
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 30

educational attainment and experience of their parents, other family members, and home
communities, which leave them without the information and resources needed to successfully
navigate the postsecondary education system (Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock, 2004). Although
colleges in California continue to offer admission in their systems to most qualified transfer
applicants, there are still the obstacles of the limited capacity and high admission requirements of
academic programs. The impaction of programs redirect applicants and serve as transfer barriers
for prospective transfer students with limited social capital (Bryant, 2001; Shulock & Moore,
2005; Wassmer et al., 2004).
At Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), which are defined by the government as non-
profit institutions that enroll at least 25% Latino students, more support is available for
minority students of a lower socioeconomic status and who lack social capital (Nunez, Sparks, &
Hernandez, 2011). Some HSIs receive additional government funding, such as the Title V grant,
to provide extra services to such student populations (Johnson, Conrad, & Perna, 2006; Nunez et
al., 2011). Although the research with HSIs is still limited in number, there are some indicators
that students attending HSIs have more positive experiences and outcomes than those attending
non-HSIs (Nunez et al., 2011). In California, minority students who attend an HSI graduate at
higher rates than those enrolled in non-HSIs (Laden, 2001; Laden, Hagedorn, & Perrakis, 2008;
Nunez et al., 2011). One of the contributing factors of this is perhaps that HSIs have a higher
proportion of diverse faculty, who have an enhanced understanding of students’ cultural
backgrounds and can serve as mentors (Laden, 2001; Nunez et al., 2011).
Many students who lack social capital are also unaware of all necessary components of
the financial aid process (Melguizo & Chung, 2012). The availability of financial aid is one of
the factors that is strongly associated with college enrollment and baccalaureate attainment of
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 31

students of a lower socioeconomic status (Dynarski, 2002; Heller & Laird, 2000; Turner, 2004).
However, the perception of college costs and financial aid availability varies significantly by
socioeconomic status and ethnicity (Melguizo & Chung, 2012). De La Rosa (2006) found that
students’ awareness of college opportunities are grounded in their family background and school
culture, so minority students can be limited by their lack of social capital in and outside of their
family. Minority students are less likely to enroll and persist in college due to a lack of financial
support, because they may not be well informed about financial aid options available to them
(Melguizo & Chung, 2012). Venegas (2006) notes that even though minority students have
access to computers, they lack the skills necessary to navigate the available financial aid
resources online, as well as at the institutions.
Coleman’s (1988) social capital was used as the framework in this study. It identifies
social capital in three forms: obligations and expectations, information channels, and norms and
effective sanctions (Coleman, 1988). Table 5 presents the three forms of social capital,
according to Coleman.
Table 5
Three Forms of Social Capital
Construct Definition
Obligations
and
Expectations
This form of social capital depends on two elements: trustworthiness of the
social environment, which means that obligations will be repaid, and the
actual extent of obligations held.
Information
Channels
This form of social capital provides information that facilitates action.
Norms and
Effective
Sanctions
This form of social capital is internalized; in others, they are largely
supported through external rewards for selfless actions and disapproval for
selfish actions.

Furthermore, Coleman (1988) explains that social capital can be used to form human capital,
which is defined as changes in a person that bring about skills and capabilities that make them
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 32

able to act in new ways. Coleman (1988) asserts that social capital in the family and in the
community have roles in the creation of human capital in our future generations. Table 6
presents the formation of human capital through the use of social capital, according to Coleman.
Table 6
Formation of Human Capital
Construct Definition
Social Capital
in the Family
Family background analytically separated into three different components:
financial capital, human capital, and social capital.
Social Capital
outside the
Family
Found outside of the family as well as in the community consisting of the
social relationships that exist among parents, in the closure exhibited by
this structure of relations, and in the parents' relations with the institutions
of the community.

Community College Transfer Process
To understand the transfer experiences of students from community colleges, an
exploration of the transfer process is necessary to identify the ways in which lack of a clear
course articulation can serve as a transfer barrier. There are many procedural barriers in
California that serve as transfer barriers and make transferring a more complex process than in
many other states (Bradhurn & Hurst, 2001; Cohen, 2003; Shulock & Moore, 2005). For
example, there is no common transfer curriculum across institutions, and until Senate Bill 1440,
there was no Associate of Arts transfer degree. Instead, institutions used a cumbersome
articulation process that required individual campus-to-campus evaluation of individual courses
(Bradhurn & Hurst, 2001; Cohen, 2003; Shulock & Moore, 2005). However, several revisions
have been made to the California Master Plan to improve the transfer process. In 1991, Senate
Bill 121 called for the governing boards of public, four-year universities to make certain that
transfer students receive priority admission and to ensure adequate upper division placements for
community college transfer students to all public, four-year universities (Harrison, 2003;
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 33

Shulock & Moore, 2005; Wellman, 2008). The state mandates that the public, four-year
universities maintain at least 60% of their enrollment in the upper division level to keep access
open to transfer students (Harrison, 2003; Shulock & Moore, 2005; Wellman, 2008).
In recent years, community colleges have streamlined the transfer process by developing
articulation agreements with public, four-year universities, specifying which courses will count
toward a baccalaureate degree and simplifying acceptance for respectable performers (Bradhurn
& Hurst, 2001; Cohen, 2003; Frey, 2010). A recent example is the Student Transfer
Achievement Reform Act (Senate Bill 1440) that was signed into law in 2010 (State of
California, 2012). The law allows eligible students to receive an associate’s degree and to
transfer in their area of study after completing 60 units (California Community Colleges
Chancellor’s Office, 2012). The law provides students with guaranteed admission to a public,
four-year university as a junior where they will only be required to take an additional 60 units to
receive a baccalaureate degree (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012).
Other states are also working to improve the transfer process. The Education Commission of the
States (ECS) has found that 30 states have some form of legislation related to the transfer
process, 40states have cooperative transfer agreements, 33 states mandate transfer data reporting,
18 states provide incentives and rewards to colleges for streamlining their transfer processes, 26
states have statewide articulation guides, 23 states have common core courses, and eight states
have common core courses numbering (Cohen, 2003; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000).
Studies of the student transfer process have found some ways in which the process can be
improved, including community college faculty and administrators doing a better job of
preparing students for transfer, making them more aware of the rigor of four-year level courses
as compared to community college courses, as well as developing transfer centers that will
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 34

facilitate the process of transfer (Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Berger & Malaney, 2003; Townsend &
Wilson, 2006). Berger & Malaney (2003) note that there is an emphasis on the importance of
public, four-year universities facilitating transfer students' adjustment. However,
recommendations for improved practice at the universities are limited, and focus primarily on
providing community colleges with current information about admissions and institutional
expectations for prospective transfer students; they do not focus upon specific demographic
variables that may affect a transfer student's success (Berger & Malaney, 2003).
Remediation as a Transfer Barrier
An attractive feature of community colleges is the ability for students to take the same
courses needed at public, four-year universities, but at a lower cost. Once they transfer to
complete their baccalaureate degree at a public, four-year university, these students’ overall costs
are relatively low (Bradhurn & Hurst, 2001; Cuseo, 1998; Frey, 2010). However, as research
shows, this narrative is far from the reality that actually occurs at community colleges.
The majority of students attending the CCC are able to transfer only after six years, and not two
years (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). The 2005-2006 cohort has a
transfer rate of 42% of students transferring after six years (California Community Colleges
Chancellor’s Office, 2012). Frey (2010) found student affairs administrators believed that their
colleges help transfer students flourish and that those needing extra help get it on their campuses
through various departments, such as advising. However, Melguizo, Hagedorn, & Cypers (2008)
bring to light that most transfer students spend a substantial amount of time at community
colleges taking remedial and nontransferable courses, which delays transferring to a four-year
institution and results in students transferring after six years, if at all (Melguizo, Hagedorn, &
Cypers, 2008).
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 35

About half of all high school graduates who attend postsecondary education take at least
one remedial course in either math or English (Melguizo, Bos, & Prather, 2011). Between 25% -
40% of first-year students at community colleges enroll in remedial courses (Melguizo et al.,
2011; Parsad & Lewis, 2003; Spann, 2000). However, the statistics from a national
longitudinal study prove that this percentage might be even higher. In the early 1980s, about
64% of students who started at the community college needed remedial courses (Melguizo et al.,
2011; Wirt, Choy, & Provasnik, 2001). In addition, the statistics suggest that by 1995 almost
all community colleges offered remedial education, and almost 75% of four-year universities
offered at least one remedial course (Melguizo et al., 2011; Parsad & Lewis, 2003). There has
been substantial debate on the negative effects and benefits of remediation in college.
Proponents of remediation argue that it enables inadequately prepared high school students to
attain the necessary academic preparation to succeed in a college setting (Lazarick, 1997;
Melguizo et al., 2011). Critics contend that there is a cost of remediation incurred by students.
Melguizo et al. (2008) suggest that although the cost of tuition and fees at community colleges
are relatively low when compared to four-year universities, the real cost for students is the
substantial amount of time they spend completing remedial courses. Students with the most
developmental needs spend an average of five years before transferring to a four-year university
(Melguizo et al., 2011). When students do transfer, they only transfer a year’s worth of courses
since the majority of the coursework they have completed are nontransferable remedial courses
(Melguizo et al., 2011).
Community College Transfer Centers
To understand the transfer experiences of students from community colleges, an
exploration of transfer centers is necessary to understand the ways in which students are
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 36

receiving the necessary services and support. One factor affecting the transfer process itself is
the creation and maintenance of articulation agreements, whether at the state, institutional, or
programmatic level. There is abundant literature about the value of these agreements in
facilitating what is termed a “seamless transfer,” which generally means transfer without loss of
credits (Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Berger & Malaney, 2003; Townsend & Wilson, 2006). Although
this phrase alludes to transfer of credits, it could also be viewed as an ideal for the literal transfer
and integration of community college students into the receiving institution. Advising by both
the sending and receiving institutions, availability of support services, and opportunities to
become socially and academically integrated are all factors that help to facilitate a seamless
transfer (Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Berger & Malaney, 2003; Townsend & Wilson, 2006). Tinto's
theory of retention suggests that academic and social integration of students assist with their
seamless transfer at the receiving institution (Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Berger & Malaney, 2003;
Townsend & Wilson, 2006).
Community college transfer centers are focused on helping prepare students for transfer.
“The successful progression of students from the lower-division level to completion of the
baccalaureate…is a basic tenet of Higher Education” (Cohen, 2003, p. 4; Cohen & Brawer,
1996; Coley, 2000). Unfortunately, due to lack of funding, community college students may be
deterred by transfer centers since there is a lack of quality services being offered and lack of
staff availability (Townsend & Wilson, 2006). Community college students report that transfer
centers need to improve the process by providing more accurate information and aid to
prospective transfer students in understanding which community college courses will transfer
(Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Berger & Malaney, 2003; Townsend & Wilson, 2006).

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 37

Transfer Student Support Services
Transfer centers generally have a mission or vision statement that informs campus and
external communities of the services and goals of the center (California Community Colleges
Chancellor’s Office, 2012). Services that are offered to students consist of counseling and
advising, university representative visits, and transfer information workshops (California
Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). These services are offered by professional
staff who serve in the capacity of advisors, coordinators, counselors, or officers (California
Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). Training is offered to professional staff
through the Chancellor’s Office (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012).
Other student support services, beyond the transfer center, that are generally available to students
at community colleges include the Extended Opportunity Program and Services (EOP&S).
EOP&S is a state-funded program that is intended to encourage the enrollment, retention, and
transfer of students who may have limitations, ranging from economic and education
disadvantages, and helps facilitate the successful completion of their goals in college (California
Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012). There are additional counseling and support
services offered at community colleges that are also intended to provide transitory and academic
assistance to the entire student population of each campus, including orientation and counseling
departments (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, 2012).
Upon Transfer to a Public, Four-Year University
Melguizo et al. (2011) wanted to know whether community college transfer students have
similar educational outcomes as their native counterparts from the four-year university. Their
findings suggest that there are no statistical differences in educational attainment between
transfer students and natives of the four-year university (Melguizo et al., 2011). In addition,
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 38

community college transfer students earn an equivalent number of non-remedial credits and
attain baccalaureate degrees at rates similar to native students at four-year universities (Melguizo
et al., 2011). Melguizo et al.’s findings suggest that community colleges can provide the
necessary academic preparation for students to succeed at the four-year level (Melguizo et al.,
2011). An even more hopeful set of findings stem from Glass and Harrington’s (2010) research,
which shows that transfer students from other community colleges in the nation have an equal or
better performance than their native counterparts at the end of their lower division coursework.
Transfer students possessed a grade point average equal to or greater than their native
counterparts (Glass & Harrington, 2010; Melguizo et al., 2011). This study shows that transfer
students can do as well or even better than native students at the four-year universities (Glass &
Harrington, 2010; Melguizo et al., 2011).
Contrary to the preceding glowing reviews of the performance of transfer students once
at a four-year university, Laanan (2001) posits that transfer students face what is called “transfer
shock.” Transfer shock is defined as the temporary dip in transfer students’ academic
performance, as measured by their grade point average, in their first or second semester at the
four-year university (Laanan, 2001). Due to transfer shock, transfer students are likely to
experience a complex adjustment process, which includes academic, social, and psychological
adjustments because of the difference in environment from community college to a four-year
university (Laanan, 2001). The amount of attention and services dedicated to transfer students’
arrival are limited, and efforts by receiving institutions to orient students are typically limited to
a one-day orientation, which not all students attend, and there is little or no effort to provide
other assistance in making the initial transition (Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Berger & Malaney, 2003;
Townsend & Wilson, 2006). Students may desire more help from the receiving institution after
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 39

they transfer, such as more information about campus resources and opportunities to meet other
students (Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Berger & Malaney, 2003; Townsend & Wilson, 2006). At large
receiving institutions, transfer students often feel anonymous and have difficulty making social
connections with fellow students, as well as academic connections with faculty (Bauer & Bauer,
1994; Berger & Malaney, 2003; Townsend & Wilson, 2006).
Services that are generally available to transfer students at the transfer centers of
receiving institutions are campus resources such as academic advising, student life, and career
center (California State University, 2012). Services are offered by professional staff who serve
in the capacity of coordinators or officers (California State University, 2012). Other student
support services, beyond the transfer center, that are generally available to transfer students at
public, four-year universities are the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and Student
Support Services (SSS). EOP is a state-funded program that is intended to provide transitory and
academic assistance to students who are of a lower socioeconomic status and are first-generation
college students (California State University, 2012). With a similar mission, SSS is a federally-
funded program that is intended to provide transitory and academic assistance to students who
are of a lower socioeconomic status and are first-generation college students (California State
University, 2012). In some programs, services are provided to transfer students as early as
summer through the facilitation of a Transfer Bridge program, providing transition assistance to
incoming transfer students (California State University, 2012).
Institutional Barriers at Two-Year Colleges and Public, Four-Year Universities
To understand the transfer experiences of students from community colleges, an
exploration of institutional factors is necessary to understand the ways in which institutions and
personnel can serve as transfer barriers. While preparing prospective transfer students
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 40

academically to transfer to public, four-year universities and facilitating the transfer process has
always been a major responsibility of community colleges, public, four-year universities are
increasingly being viewed as also responsible for students' successful transfer and transition
(Banks, 1992; Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Townsend & Wilson, 2006). According to Tinto, after
helping students transfer, the receiving institutions are responsible for orienting, advising, and
providing support services to students, as well as ensuring their academic success by providing
opportunities for the academic and social integration deemed necessary for their retention
(Banks, 1992; Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Townsend & Wilson, 2006). According to Kuh, transfer
students are often ignored in retention efforts including activities as basic as orientation to the
campus (Banks, 1992; Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Townsend & Wilson, 2006). These are just some
of the ways that institutions serve as barriers to the success of transfer students.
Many of the incentives for and inhibitors to transfer occur at the institutional level. A
major inhibitor is that transfer students are not necessarily able to matriculate in any program
they choose (Cohen, 2003; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000). Some public, four-year
universities have “impacted, selective or highly competitive majors” that require “significant
major preparation course work and a higher GPA” (Cohen, 2003, p. 6). Another systemic
problem relates to the number of courses that community college students may transfer to the
four-year level (Cohen, 2003; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000). There is a difference in the
percentage of curriculum that is articulated between community colleges and public, four-year
universities and that are transferrable (Cohen, 2003; Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Coley, 2000).
Because of the different requirements in curriculum, the most that public, four-year universities
accept overall is 70% of the courses students complete at community colleges (Cohen, 2003).
And the gap between the public, four-year universities’ course acceptance rate has widened
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 41

(Cohen, 2003). A second reason is that some public, four-year universities’ course scheduling is
less compatible with the pattern familiar to community college students and there may be fewer
night classes, for example (Cohen, 2003). The preceding examples show the ways in which
institutions serve as transfer barriers to prospective transfer students. Prospective transfer
students are doing their part to make the transition; however, both community colleges and
public, four-year universities need to effectively streamline the transfer process and articulation
agreements to ensure the same level of access from one institution to the other.
Summary
Clearly, there is still a need for additional research conducted on a seamless transfer from
community colleges to public, four-year universities by transfer students. Overall, this chapter
provides a framework that was used to examine the transfer experiences of transfer students
from the CCC upon transferring to a public, four-year university. The central framework rests
on the notion that institutional factors, such as campus climate, faculty contact, peer interaction,
and student connections within the institution, all of which are termed either social capital or
institutional factors, play a prominent role in the academic success of transfer students. This
review examined the context of transfer students and their unique characteristics that impact their
success with transferring to a public, four-year university. The review further included an
examination of the institutional barriers that can impede the academic success of transfer
students. By addressing the unique characteristics of transfer students, as well as the limitations
of community colleges and public, four-year universities, this study draws a compelling reason
as to why, more than ever, the transfer experiences of transfer students must be examined.
Chapter Three will discuss the methodology used for this qualitative study.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 42

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences of transfer students
transferring from community college to a public, four-year university. This study will add to our
understanding of how best to serve prospective transfer students during times of diminished
resources and limited enrollments. The study took place at Golden State University (GSU),
which in the CSU system enrolls the largest number of transfer students from community
colleges. For the fall 2012 term, GSU received applications for transfer from students at 500
higher education institutions (National Center for Education Statistics, 2012). Utilizing
techniques from grounded theory, this study sought to understand the unique characteristics and
needs of transfer students and institutional barriers, which hindered their transfer process
experience. With grounded theory, the researcher began with a particular incident from an
interview, field notes, or document and compared it with another incident in the same set of data
or in another data set (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Creswell, 1998; Merriam, 2009). These
comparisons led to tentative categories that were then compared to each other and to other
instances. Comparisons were constantly made within and between levels of conceptualization
until a theory was formulated (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Creswell, 1998; Merriam, 2009).
This qualitative study reveals a deeper understanding of the experiences of transfer
students with the transfer process. Specifically, this study explored the students’ experiences
regarding their use of social networks, transfer centers, and support services at community
colleges. The following research questions were used to inform and direct this study:
1. What student support services contributed to the successful transfer of students to Golden
State University from community colleges?

2. What did transfer students at community colleges know about the transfer process?
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 43

a. Was this information provided by family and/or friends or school officials?
b. What information would have been useful to better assist with the transfer process,
enabling a faster transfer time?
3. In what ways were transfer centers involved with the transfer objectives of students at
community colleges?
a. At what point in students’ college careers were transfer centers introduced?
b. What types of services were implemented to help students transfer to their specific
college of choice?
4. What other college-based student support services were available at community colleges
to assist with the transfer process?
A qualitative interview approach was utilized in this study. According to Corbin and
Strauss (2008), questioning is fundamental to analysis. Every researcher wants to ask good
questions that will enhance the discovery of new knowledge (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Creswell,
1998; Merriam, 2009). Asking questions enables the researcher to probe, develop provisional
answers, critically examine content, and become acquainted with the data (Corbin & Strauss,
2008; Creswell, 1998; Merriam, 2009). The researcher began by asking an initial question
such as, how were you introduced to the transfer process and by whom? The researcher then
asked follow-up questions, probing and allowing the participants to critically think and reflect on
their transfer experiences.
Sample and Population
Population
This study worked with the transfer population at GSU. The study participants
transferred to GSU from a California Community College (CCC) and transferred from the fall
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 44

2011 term. By recruiting study participants from the fall 2011 term, the researcher ensured that
participants have had substantial experiences at GSU in order to answer the interview questions.
Location
According to the Carnegie Classification of institutions of higher education, GSU is a
Baccalaureate College primarily providing baccalaureate degrees and some master’s degrees
(National Center for Education Statistics, 2012). GSU is an urban campus, classified as a
Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), and has a total student population of over 14,000
1
students
(National Center for Education Statistics, 2012). Its mission is to provide education,
scholarship and service that are, by design, accessible and transformative (California State
University, 2012). GSU serves as the receiving institution for this study because of its high
percentage of admitted transfer students, which is 20% from its entire undergraduate enrollment
(National Center for Education Statistics, 2012). Many transfer students from the CCC apply
for transfer to GSU given its larger number of transfer student enrollments (Bound, Lovenheim,
& Turner, 2009; Coley, 2000; Vaughan, 2003). For the fall 2012 term, GSU received
8,700 applications for transfer from students at 500 higher education institutions (National
Center for Education Statistics, 2012).
Sampling
This study examined the experiences of a sample of 14 participants at GSU who
transferred from a CCC. Qualitative studies typically focus in depth on relatively small samples
(Patton, 1990). In depth information from a small sample can be very valuable, especially if the
information is rich in content (Patton, 1990). The type of sampling that was used is purposeful
sampling, with the researcher obtaining student referrals in the form of names and email

1
Some demographic information has been rounded to conceal the identity of the institution.
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 45

addresses from the Office of Admissions and Records at GSU. Creswell (1998) states that in a
grounded theory study, the research must start with a homogeneous sample and individuals who
have commonly experienced a process (Creswell, 1998). After developing the theory, the
researcher must then select and study a heterogeneous sample (Corbin & Strauss, 2008;
Creswell, 1998; Merriam, 2009). The rationale for studying this heterogeneous sample was to
confirm or disconfirm the conditions of the transfer process from CCC to GSU, both contextual
and intervening, under which the model holds (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Creswell, 1998;
Merriam, 2009). The criteria for selection included being a transfer student from a CCC
who has transferred to GSU for the fall 2011 term. Due to this broad criterion, the study
participants were of a demographically diverse background. The researcher determined eligible
study participants using a data report provided by the Office of Admissions and Records, which
included demographic and academic information of prospective study participants.
The recruitment strategy began with the researcher obtaining approval from GSU’s
Institutional Review Board (IRB) to conduct the study on campus. Once approval was obtained,
the researcher sent an email communication (Appendix A) to recruit transfer students who have
recently transferred from a CCC. The email introduced the researcher’s role in the study and
affiliation with the University of Southern California (USC). It provided details about the study
and the level of participation needed for the study. A pre-survey link was provided for
prospective study participants to complete in order to be considered for the study (Appendix B).
The researcher’s contact information was provided to any prospective study participants or
referrals. Study participants were then selected from the pool of surveys received. The
sample that was selected were those among the respondents of the pre-survey whom the
researcher filtered as eligible study participants based on these criteria, such as being a transfer
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 46

student from a CCC. Since there were more than 14 eligible study participants from the survey
pool, the researcher selected 14 participants from the list of eligible participants using certain
criteria as filters, such as gender and socioeconomic status, and ensured that there was a balanced
representation of all of the criteria items within the study sample. Prospective study participants
were then invited to a face-to-face interview. After conducting the face-to-face interviews,
saturation from the responses of study participants was achieved; therefore, there was no need
for the researcher to go back to the list of eligible study participants to yield more participants
using the set criteria.
Interviews
The method for the interview was structured. The researcher asked a series of questions
that the study participants responded to in an open-ended manner; however, there was a pre-
existing set of questions that were asked (Appendix D). There was one face-to-face interview
that was approximately one hour in length, and its purpose was for the researcher to ask the
interview questions and to understand the transfer experiences of the study participants. The
researcher then met with the study participants in a quiet and private location on the GSU
campus. This was important in order to secure the confidentiality of study participants, as well
as to provide them with an environment where they were able to reflect on their transfer
experiences.
Instrumentation and Tools / Source of Evidence
Interview Protocol
This study examined the experiences of a sample of 14 participants at GSU who
transferred from a CCC, using an interview protocol (Appendix D).

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 47

Instruments and Tools
An Information Sheet that introduced the researcher’s role in the study and affiliation
with University of Southern California (USC) was given to each study participant prior to the
interview (Appendix C). Study participants were informed that they could cease participation at
any time.
Data Collection Process
The approach to data gathering was to conduct face-to-face interviews in a quiet and
private location on the GSU campus and record the one-hour interviews using an audio recorder,
upon receiving the consent of study participants. The researcher also captured notes using a
notepad. At the conclusion of the interviews, the researcher thanked the study participants for
partaking in the study, reassured them that their identities will be concealed for the purposes of
the study, and provided them with GSU memorabilia as a survey incentive. The audio
recordings were then professionally transcribed. The transcribed interview material and
interview notes were then coded by the researcher using an excel spreadsheet for the researcher
to analyze.
The researcher also conducted a one-hour observation at the Transfer Center of GSU to
determine the services offered to transfer students and the use of services by transfer students.
At the completion of the observation, the researcher’s notes were then coded by the researcher
using an excel spreadsheet for the researcher to analyze.
Data Analysis
The researcher interpreted the data using constant comparative method of data analysis,
which is used as the means of grounded theory (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Creswell, 1998;
Merriam, 2009). A grounded theory consists of categories, properties, and hypotheses that are
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 48

the conceptual links between and among the categories and properties (Corbin & Strauss, 2008;
Creswell, 1998; Merriam, 2009). Because the basic strategy of the constant comparative method
is compatible with the inductive, concept-building orientation of all qualitative research, the
constant comparative method of data analysis has been adopted by many researchers who are not
seeking to build substantive theory (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Creswell, 1998; Merriam, 2009).
The basic strategy of the method is to do what its name implies – constantly compare.
The researcher begins with a particular incident from an interview, field notes, or document and
compares it with another incident in the same set of data or in another data set (Corbin & Strauss,
2008; Creswell, 1998; Merriam, 2009). These comparisons lead to tentative categories that are
then compared to each other and to other instances. For example, in this study, participants may
state that they encountered difficulty with accessing pertinent information on the transfer
process. This would suggest a category of accessibility. Comparisons are constantly made
within and between levels of conceptualization until a theory can be formulated (Corbin &
Strauss, 2008; Creswell, 1998; Merriam, 2009). This type of theory is called substantive theory,
which is theory that applies to a specific aspect of practice (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Creswell,
1998; Merriam, 2009). Since the theory is grounded in the data and emerges from them, the
methodology is called grounded theory (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Creswell, 1998; Merriam,
2009).
To enable the development of a grounded theory, Merriam (2009) suggests three phases
of coding – open, axial, and selective (Merriam, 2009). The first phase of open coding is to tag
any unit of data that might be relevant to the study; the second phase of axial coding is to relate
any categories; the third phase of selective coding is to develop core categories. The three
phases of coding are further defined. Table 7 presents the three phases of grounded theory.
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 49

Table 7
Three Phases of Grounded Theory
Phase Definition
Open coding The process of tagging any unit of data that might be relevant to the study;
done at the beginning of data analysis.
Axial coding The process of relating categories and properties to each other, refining the
category scheme.
Selective
coding
The process of developing a core category, propositions, or hypotheses.

In order to maintain the confidentiality of study participants, pseudonyms were assigned.
All transcribed and coded data were stored in the researcher’s home office in a filing cabinet. In
order to maintain validity within the study, the researcher took extra steps such as recording data
accurately, including all data in the final report, and seeking feedback. Recording data
accurately, the researcher developed detailed notes during the interviews rather than after
(Wolcott, 1990). Including all data in the final report allowed the researcher to provide all pieces
of information for the reader to develop his or her conclusions (Wolcott, 1990). Seeking the
feedback of professional colleagues helped ensure that the information was reported accurately
and completely (Wolcott, 1990).
Researcher Biases and Limitations
My role as the researcher was to develop research questions and the interview protocol.
The training that I have received includes the graduate level courses that were taken for my
master’s degree in Education and my doctorate degree in Higher Education Administration. The
biases that I brought to this study are my preconceived notions about the unique characteristics
and needs of transfer students, such as limited social capital. I also brought the bias of believing
that I know what the transfer process entails since I have worked with transfer students with the
admission process at a public, four-year university. In order to limit my bias during my data
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 50

collection and analysis, I made a conscious effort to not make connections to the study using
my professional experiences. In addition, I utilized member checking where I checked my
findings and interpretation with the study participants (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Creswell, 1998;
Merriam, 2009).
Sampling issues that I may have experienced while conducting this study included not
being able to yield a diverse group and enough study participants. I was dependent on the
respondents of the email communication, and as a new transfer student to GSU, many transfer
students may have felt too overwhelmed with their transition to commit extra time for the
interview. Another limitation of this study was my lack of rapport with study participants.
Given that my initial interaction with them was the email communication, there was not a strong
rapport between me and the study participants. Therefore, the level of comfort needed for the
study participants to provide me with open and honest responses may have not been established
at the time of the interviews. I reassured the study participants that their responses are strictly
confidential, which may have promoted more open and honest responses from them. Lastly,
because the study population are transfer students who have made the transfer from community
colleges to GSU, the study sample was inclusive of students who were successful in transferring
and not those who were unsuccessful or are still awaiting transfer.
Summary
This chapter outlined the process for data collection, analysis, and interpretation of this
qualitative study. Data collection began with the researcher obtaining approval from GSU’s
IRB, obtaining a list of transfer students from GSU’s Office of Admissions and Records, sending
email solicitations to the transfer students, and conducting the interviews with the participants
that the researcher deemed as most qualified. The researcher then had the audio recording of the
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 51

interviews professionally transcribed and coded the data. Using grounded theory, the coded data
were compared with one another to determine any emerging themes. Chapter Four will discuss
the findings for this qualitative study.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 52

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS
This chapter presents the data results from interviews with transfer students from
California Community Colleges (CCC). A review of the study’s purpose and research questions
will be provided, followed by the study’s methodology. A brief profile of each participant is
then presented, which provides information on participants’ personal and academic backgrounds.
This chapter is then organized by the emerging themes from the data results, and concludes with
a summary. The research questions that guided this study are:
1. What student support services contributed to the successful transfer of students to Golden
State University from community colleges?

2. What did transfer students at community colleges know about the transfer process?
a. Was this information provided by family and/or friends or school officials?
b. What information would have been useful to better assist with the transfer process,
enabling a faster transfer time?
3. In what ways were transfer centers involved with the transfer objectives of students at
community colleges?
a. At what point in students’ college careers were transfer centers introduced?
b. What types of services were implemented to help students transfer to their specific
college of choice?
4. What other college-based student support services were available at community colleges
to assist with the transfer process?
Summary of Methods
Fourteen transfer students were interviewed for this study. All 14 participants are current
students at Golden State University (GSU) and had transferred from a CCC in the fall 2011 term.
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 53

All interviews were recorded and then transcribed. During the interviews, participants
were asked to reflect on their unique experiences as transfer students, focusing on their prior
level of college knowledge and the support services that were made available to them throughout
the transfer process. The interview recordings were transcribed by a professional transcriber. I
then read the transcriptions provided by the transcriber in order to identify the emerging themes
utilizing techniques from grounded theory. I began with a particular incident from an interview
and compared it with another incident in the same set of data or in another data set (Corbin &
Strauss, 2008; Creswell, 1998; Merriam, 2009). The emerging themes were coded in an Excel
spreadsheet and the responses of participants were noted for their inclusion in this chapter. The
emerging themes and responses from the interviews were then compared with field notes from an
observation of GSU’s Transfer Center. Interview data and observation data were finally grouped
together to identify any commonalities.
Interview responses of participants were reviewed and analyzed to determine the area
of the social capital framework to which they corresponded. The areas relate to Coleman’s
(1988) model of social capital, which identifies social capital in three forms: obligations and
expectations, information channels, and norms and effective sanctions (Coleman, 1988).
Obligations and expectations is when two individuals in a network have obligations with one
another and trust that the obligations will be fulfilled by both parties. It is a system of debits and
credits, in which one person’s assistance to another then creates a debt that must later be repaid.
In an academic setting, an example would be: Student A takes notes for Student B while Student
B was out sick from class, so Student A can expect to have notes taken by Student B at a future
date as a way of being repaid. Information channels are social relations used to acquire
information where social relationships are used for one’s benefit. In an academic setting, an
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 54

example would be: Student A meets with an advisor regularly, so Student A should be able to
complete degree requirements sooner than students not meeting with an advisor, since the
advisor provides Student A with access to information. Norms and effective sanctions facilitate
actions that are either rewarded or disapproved. In an academic setting, an example would be:
Student A was not passing more than half of his/her classes for the semester, where passing
classes is an established norm, so Student A seeks tutoring at the university’s tutoring center to
increase his/her likelihood of passing his/her classes and not having his/her financial aid affected,
which is an effective sanction for students who do not pass more than half of their course load.
Coleman (1988) notes that social capital can be used to form human capital, which is defined as
changes in a person that bring about skills and capabilities that make them able to act in new
ways. Human capital is important to transfer students because of the resources that are afforded
to students with regard to understanding the transfer process – hopefully enabling a shorter
process. Furthermore, Coleman (1988) adds that human capital is developed through social
capital in the family and social capital outside the family. Social capital in the family is divided
into three categories: financial capital, human capital, and social capital. Financial capital is
measured by family income; human capital is measured by parents' education; social capital is
the relations between children and parents or other family members. Social capital outside the
family is any family members’ relations outside the home – in the relationships of family
members with the community.
Introduction of the Participants
The participant sample is made up of 14 transfer students from GSU. Their demographic
information is provided in Table 8.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 55

Table 8
Transfer Student Demographic Information
Demographic Data Sample Count Sample Count
(%)
Gender
Female 9 64%
Male 5 36%
Ethnicity
African American 4 29%
Asian American 3 21%
Caucasian 1 7%
Latino 5 36%
Pacific Islander 1 7%
First-Generation College Student
Yes 14 100%
No 0 0%
Special Admit Student
Yes 2 14%
No 8 57%
Unknown 4 29%
Enrollment Status
Full-time 12 86%
Part-time 2 14%
Class Standing
Junior 13 93%
Senior 1 7%
Number of Community Colleges Attended
1 10 71%
2 4 29%

Their backgrounds and experiences are described below. To protect their identities, pseudonyms
were assigned.
Participant Profiles
In order to understand the unique experiences of the participants regarding their transfer
process, each participant was asked about their prior level of college knowledge and the support
services that were made available to them throughout the transfer process. Their unique
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 56

experiences help provide an understanding of the support services they utilized at the community
college and GSU. All 14 participants were currently enrolled at GSU with the objective of
attaining their baccalaureate degree. The 14 participants comprise nine female students
and five male students. Their level of social capital varied – one participant had a relative who is
a college graduate and acquired transfer information from that individual, while the majority of
participants relied heavily on the support services from the community college and GSU.
Although three out of the 14 participants identified themselves as special admits to GSU, it does
not appear that their admission status has affected their transition in any way differently from the
other participants. Other factors related to their respective backgrounds such as the number of
community colleges previously attended and their enrollment status are covered in the individual
profiles below.
Shannon is an African American student who identifies herself as a first-generation
college student. She is unsure as to whether she was a special admit to GSU and is enrolled on a
full-time basis as a junior level student. Prior to transferring to GSU, Shannon concurrently
attended two community colleges. She has a cousin who attended college at University of
California, Los Angeles (UCLA), so she was provided with information regarding the transfer
process through her cousin. While at GSU, Shannon was able to learn about support services
through meetings with counselors and campus-wide advertisements.
Devon, a junior at GSU, is an African American student. He was enrolled in one
community college before transferring to GSU. Devon is not sure if he was a special admit to
GSU, and is the first in his family to attend college. He attends GSU full-time. At the
community college, Devon had a great experience. He received a lot of support from Extended
Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S) and faculty. Devon has had a great experience at
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 57

GSU as well, and has not experienced any challenges.
Nicole, an Asian American student, was a regular admit to GSU. Although she is a first-
generation college student, she was able to transfer to GSU where she is now enrolled as a full-
time student at the senior level. Nicole attended one community college prior to transferring to
GSU. She received guidance with the transfer process as early as high school as she knew that
she would begin her postsecondary education at the community college. However, once at
GSU, Nicole found herself researching information about the support services on her own.
Rebecca attends GSU part-time and is a Latina student. She is a first-generation college
student and is unsure as to whether she was a special admit to GSU. Currently, Rebecca is
working to complete her junior year. Her community college experience was comprised of
attending two community colleges. Rebecca had to concurrently attend multiple community
colleges due to the budget cuts since the courses she needed were not being offered at her
original community college of enrollment. She learned about the transfer process through
college outreach efforts. At GSU, Rebecca’s business major helps her find ways to get socially
connected and ways to network on campus.
Jason is an Asian American, first-generation college student who was a regular admit to
GSU. He is a junior at GSU and attends full-time. Jason was also concurrently enrolled in two
community colleges before transferring to GSU. Jason did not speak favorably about his transfer
experiences. Jason felt as though his meetings with counselors were always rushed. Overall, he
has not been satisfied with the availability and quality of support services.
Erica, a Pacific Islander student, attends GSU full-time and was not a special admit to
GSU. She is the youngest of her siblings and is the only one who has attended college. Erica is
now in her junior year of college. She attended one community college prior to transferring to
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 58

GSU. Erica received assistance with the transfer process from a counselor. At GSU, she
participates in many social activities and sorority events.
Carlos, a special admit to GSU, is a first-generation Latino student. He is a full-time
junior at GSU. Before transferring, Carlos was enrolled in one community college. He felt that
the orientation provided to him at GSU was very helpful with informing him of the available
support services. Unfortunately, Carlos experienced difficulty with accessing his financial aid,
which caused him to have to take out school loans.
Sharon is an African American student who attends GSU as a full-time student. She was
admitted to GSU as a regular admit and identifies herself as a first-generation college student.
Sharon attended one community college prior to transferring to GSU and is currently a junior.
She has a very busy schedule; therefore, she does not utilize the support services on campus very
often. However, Sharon is aware that the services are available, and the times that she did utilize
the services she had positive experiences. She is also a single mother of two young children.
Eric was enrolled in one community college before transferring to GSU and is a
Caucasian student. His parents attended college, but never finished. Eric was not a special
admit to GSU. He is completing his junior year and is enrolled full-time. Eric is satisfied with
the counseling services he has received, though he has not been satisfied with the services he has
received from the Office of Financial Aid. Eric reports that his financial aid came late and did
not receive good customer service when seeking assistance.
Karen, a Latina student, is a first-generation college student. She attended one
community college prior to transferring to GSU, where she was a regular admit. Currently,
Karen attends GSU as a full-time student and is at junior level. She did not experience any
challenges with the transfer process and has no major concerns about GSU. Karen’s experience
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 59

has been positive, overall.
Monique is an African American student who was enrolled in one community college
before going to GSU. She identifies herself as a first-generation college student and was
admitted to GSU as a special admit. Monique is enrolled at GSU full-time and is currently a
junior. She benefitted greatly from the orientation she received at the community college and
GSU. At GSU, Monique’s major department is tracking and ensuring her timely degree
progress.
Michael is unsure as to whether he was a special admit to GSU. He is a Latino student
who is the first in his family to attend college. Michael attends GSU part-time and is a junior.
Before transferring, he was attending one community college. Michael does not have any
concerns with his transfer process. He has met with a counselor to learn about the requirements
that he must meet while at GSU.
Emily, an Asian American student, is a first-generation college student. She is enrolled
at GSU full-time after transferring from two community colleges. At GSU, Emily was a regular
admit and is now at the junior level. She had to research the transfer process by herself when she
was ready to transfer to GSU. Through this process, Emily was informed of Assist.org, which is
her favorite transfer advising tool since it allowed her to see which courses were necessary and
available for her to complete.
Veronica is a first-generation Latina student who is a junior at GSU. She attends GSU on
a full-time basis. Veronica was not a special admit to GSU. Prior to transferring to GSU, she
attended one community college. Veronica attributes her ability to transfer to the college
outreach that was done by GSU at her community college. Through meeting with a counselor,
she was also extensively informed of the different transfer processes of the different college
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 60

systems.
Findings
This section summarizes the responses of the study participants. Research questions that
guided the study are: 1) What student support services contributed to the successful transfer of
students to Golden State University from community colleges? 2) What did transfer students at
community colleges know about the transfer process? 3) In what ways were transfer centers
involved with the transfer objectives of students at community colleges? 4) What other college-
based student support services were available at community colleges to assist with the transfer
process?
The emerging themes from the interviews are detailed below. Table 9 shows the number
of responses that were tied to the social capital framework: obligations and expectations,
information channels, and norms and effective sanctions; social capital in the family, and social
capital outside the family.
Table 9
Emerging Themes from Interviews
Theme Number of Student
Responses
Forms of Social Capital
Obligations and Expectations 0
Information Channels 40
Norms and Effective Sanctions 4
Formations of Human Capital
Social Capital in the Family 3
Social Capital outside the Family 1

The table provides a visual of the frequency of the responses. The emerging themes help provide
an understanding of the participants’ transfer experiences and are discussed to provide context to
the data analysis.
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 61

Obligations and Expectations
Participants were asked to describe any obligations and expectations as a form of social
capital that helped them with successfully transferring to GSU. Obligations and expectations is
when two individuals in a network have obligations with one another and trust that the
obligations will be fulfilled by both parties. Coleman (1988) describes obligations and
expectations as, “If A does something for B and trusts B to reciprocate in the future, this
establishes an expectation in A and an obligation on the part of B.” This form of obligation can
be considered as a credit slip held by A for performance by B. In an academic setting, an
example would be: Student A takes notes for Student B while Student B was out sick from class,
so Student A can expect to have notes taken by Student B at a future date as a way of being
repaid.
None of the 14 participants provided a response related to having obligations and
expectations during their transfer process. This is perhaps due to the nature of the support that is
provided to students by the community college and GSU. The role of school officials is to assist
students with their transfer and degree objectives, not to benefit from a “return” as a result of
helping students along.
Information Channels
Participants indicated that information channels as a form of social capital were crucial to
their success with transferring to GSU. Information channels are social relations used to acquire
information where social relationships are used for one’s benefit. Coleman (1988) describes
information channels as an important form of social capital where the potential for information
acquisition is a result of social relations. Information is important in providing a basis for action,
but acquisition of information is costly. One means by which information can be acquired is
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through the use of social relations that are maintained for other purposes (Coleman, 1988). In an
academic setting, an example would be: Student A meets with an advisor regularly, so Student A
should be able to complete degree requirements sooner than students not meeting with an
advisor, since the advisor provides Student A with access to information. The majority of
participants felt that both the community college and GSU were invested in their transfer
process.
All participants mentioned developing relationships with school officials and accessing
information channels throughout their transfer process at least once. For the participants, support
came in various forms. Karen, Monique, and Carlos all agreed that they were able to develop
relationships with the transfer center staff and were provided with access to information channels
at the onset of their community college experience. Karen noted, “The transfer process was
introduced to me by the transfer center staff at the beginning of my experience at the community
college through a half-day orientation.” Additionally, Monique and Carlos went on to discuss
their orientation experiences and how they were able to meet with a counselor who provided
them with access to information channels. Monique commented:
The transfer process was introduced to me on the first day of orientation as a first-year
student. The orientation really helped me to understand the basic necessities of the
campus like where the library was at, where offices are located, how to access
counselors, and so forth. At the end of the orientation, I was able meet with a counselor
who taught me all about the transfer process.
Although Carlos did not utilize the information he received regarding the transfer process, he
describes meeting with a counselor and being provided with access to information channels:
The transfer process was brought up during my first year at the community college during
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the orientation. During my first year, I sat down to meet with my counselor to find out
about the classes I needed to be taking. I, however, did not pay much attention to it till
my third year as the first two years I was back and forth between various majors that I
wanted to pursue.
Shannon shared regarding the individualized support she received with the transfer process as a
result of her relationship with her counselor:
The one support that I appreciated my counselor sharing with me and stood out to me
most was the assistance I received with seeing which classes I was taking at the
community college were transferrable to universities and which of the same classes
would take the place of a pre-requisite or core class.
Similarly, Nicole responded favorably to the relationship and access to information channels that
was provided to her by her counselor:
The type of support I received from my counselor with the transfer process was giving
me ideas of what classes I needed to take before I was able to transfer. She also assisted
me with filling out my transfer applications.
Michael also expressed similar feelings about his counselor and having access to information
channels. “I was aware of the support that was available to me at the transfer center. My
counselor told me about what they offered and how to accomplish my goal of transferring to
GSU.”
Rebecca indicated that she received access to information channels through her relationships
with the community college and GSU staff:
The transfer process was introduced to me via representatives in the transfer center at my
community college, as well as representatives from universities. They always made an
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effort to see how far along I was with completing my courses. When it was time to apply
for transfer, I completed the application online. One application was equal to six
automatic applications to six different universities. As an added benefit, the transfer
applications and first three transcripts were free of charge through my community
college.
Veronica shared of the ways in which the transfer center staff made her fully aware of the
transfer process through the use of information channels and that GSU staff made frequent visits
to her community college to also assist her with the transfer process:
I was definitely aware of the different support available to me at the community college.
The transfer center staff on campus provided me with the transfer guidelines in two
particular plans: Plan A) for students transferring to a UC or out-of-state university, and
Plan B) for students transferring to a CSU within the state of California. While both
plans provided proper guidelines, the transfer center provided me with the benefits in
attaining a four-year degree and encouraged me to transfer to a four-year university…
I think what helped my transfer process were the visits GSU staff would make to the
community college I was at. I knew what to do in order to transfer and once I transferred
to GSU, there was an orientation that gave me all the information I needed to know as a
new student to their campus.
Devon provided an excellent report about the comprehensive support and access to information
channels he received at the community college as a result of his relationships with community
college staff, administrators, and faculty:
At the community college I attended, the staff and administrators were very capable and
friendly, always willing to help guide me on the right path of attaining financial
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assistance from financial aid, EOPS, scholarship departments, Project Launch, or with
tutoring programs on campus. I felt that I had plenty of support from programs that I
mentioned like EOPS and Project Launch. There were faculty and staff who were willing
to help tutor me for free. I made sure that I utilized every opportunity to get assistance
with financial aid, my classes, and the transfer process. I have to say that the process was
well done – the faculty and staff were more than willing to help and lend assistance to
help me achieve my goals of transferring to a four-year university.
Erica described her access to information channels at the community college through her
relationship with counselors:
I was aware of the support available through the transfer center. The benefits associated
with transferring were often mentioned to me as early as my first year at the community
college via the transfer center. The counselors helped me with explaining the required
courses that I needed to take in order to transfer. Their advice obviously helped since I
am now a student at GSU.
Emily and Eric used an alternative route to accessing support services through online forms of
information flow. Despite the lack of an actual physical relationship, their situations show that
students are able to access information channels in electronic forms. Emily described how her
counselor facilitated her access of an online form of information flow:
I actually looked into the transfer process when I was about to receive my AA and had
decided to transfer. This was when I had all of my units in order. I met with a counselor
and she showed me the website Assist.org, which helped me with accessing information
regarding course requirements.

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Similarly, Eric shared:
I decided to meet with a counselor, so that I could be sure that I was meeting all the
requirements. She helped me in person, but she also showed me the online college
catalog. In my own time, I looked through it and learned all about my major and
graduation requirements through the catalog.
Despite Sharon’s busy schedule, she discussed how her professors and counselors have remained
readily available:
I hardly ever see administrators and that is because I am the type of student who shows
up to class and leaves immediately for work afterwards. I do not have time to explore the
campus and utilize the different services available. My professors and counselors have
been highly accessible, though – before, during, and after class, whether it be through
appointments or just randomly dropping in. They have always been willing to help me
with school work or making sure that I am meeting the graduation requirements.
Rebecca noted that the business department staff at GSU has provided her with access to
information that would further advance her skills in the business field. “Being a student with a
business major, my counselor and professors told me to network with other business students.
That is primarily the way that I am getting socially connected on campus and building my
network.”
Similarly, through Monique’s relationship with her major advisor and the department’s secretary,
she was able to know how far along she is with meeting her degree objectives:
My major department’s secretary often keeps track of my progress toward obtaining my
degree. I also am required to meet with my major advisor every semester. Both of them
let me know if I am missing any of the graduation requirements and which classes I
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should be registering for.
Erica shared of how her relationship with student organization leaders served as information
channels that helped her network on campus:
Being involved in a sorority, the leads are always informing me of different events or
activities that I could participate in. I have gone to a few and they have helped me to
become more social and develop my group of friends at GSU who are also in college,
which is nice.
Norms and Effective Sanctions
Participants were asked to describe any norms and effective sanctions as a form of social
capital that helped them with successfully transferring to GSU. Norms and effective sanctions
facilitate actions that are either rewarded or disapproved. Coleman (1988) notes that norms
exist, and when effective constitute a powerful though sometimes fragile form of social capital.
Norms in a community that support and provide effective rewards for high academic
achievement in school can be effective at facilitating the school's goals. In an academic setting,
an example would be: Student A was not passing more than half of his/her classes for the
semester, where passing classes is an established norm, so Student A seeks tutoring at the
university’s tutoring center to increase his/her likelihood of passing his/her classes and not
having his/her financial aid affected, which is an effective sanction for students who do not pass
more than half of their course load.
Four out of the 14 participants provided a response related to having norms and effective
sanctions during their transfer process. Norms and effective sanctions came in various forms for
each participant. Sharon described how her being a transfer student at GSU, as well as a single
mother, has greatly changed her study behaviors to ensure that she is able to manage her
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obligations, both as a student and a mother, and maintain enrollment at GSU:
I found that making the transfer to GSU has definitely required a lot more commitment of
me. I have two young boys who require a lot of my time, which was not ever too much
of a problem when I was at the community college. But, I am finding that being at an
actual university, there is a lot more effort and time that I have to put into my school
work. I now have them in daycare, so that I actually have time to go to class and time to
do my homework… I have made it as far as transferring to GSU, I do not want to risk
that in any way by not doing well here and getting kicked out.
Carlos found himself not being able to access his financial aid award in time to pay for his tuition
at GSU, so he made some financial changes to ensure that he maintained enrollment in his
courses:
I was not aware that I had to submit a document for my financial aid, so when I finally
submitted them to the office, it was considered late. This caused me to not get my
financial aid until several weeks after the beginning of fall semester. After meeting with
the Financial Aid Office, I decided to request an emergency school loan. It was the first
time I had to take out a loan just for school, but I did not want to be dropped from my
classes and end up not having any classes in my first semester.
Formation of Human Capital
Participants indicated that the social capital that helped them with successfully
transferring to GSU was located outside their families. The majority accessed social capital
through their community college or GSU.
Social Capital in the Family. Three out of the 14 participants named a family member
who was able to assist them with the transfer process. Assistance came in various forms for each
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participant. Shannon described how her cousin, who is a college graduate, was able to assist her
with transferring:
The first person to introduce me to the transfer process was actually my cousin who had
transferred from a community college to UCLA. Even though she transferred to a UC,
she was able to tell me about the steps I needed to take with transferring, and she was
able to give me tips from her experience with transferring.
Social Capital Outside the Family. Only one out of the 14 participants named someone
outside of their family as a person who was able to assist them with the transfer process. Nicole
explains how her mom’s job at the high school Nicole attended helped with getting assistance
even prior to starting her postsecondary education at the community college:
My mom worked at the high school that I was going to, so she knew a lot of the teachers.
Since she knew some of the teachers, I was able to get some guidance with the transfer
process from one of the teachers who was close to my mom and has a son who also went
to a community college.
Transfer Challenges
Two out of the 14 participants mentioned challenges that they encountered throughout the
transfer process, but provided the ways in which their relationships with both community college
and GSU staff kept them informed of their alternatives. Rebecca shared how her counselor
informed her of her ability to be concurrently enrolled at multiple community colleges in order to
take the courses she needed:
The community college that I attended did not offer summer or winter sessions because
of the budget cuts. So, my counselor advised me to go to another community college to
take the classes I needed and assured me that they would all be transferrable, which they
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were. Knowing about taking classes at other community colleges definitely helped me to
get ahead.
Eric expressed his challenges with his financial aid, but said that a Financial Aid Advisor
provided him with a solution:
My financial aid check did not come through until one-three months after the start of fall
semester. This was a hindrance, but a Financial Aid Advisor advised me to apply for an
emergency school loan in order to pay for my courses in the meantime. It was still
stressful, but having access to the loan helped.
Three out of the 14 participants mentioned challenges that they encountered throughout
the transfer process with regard to accessing information channels that should be resolved for the
future. Nicole shared about how she simply did not have access to information channels at GSU
since she had to research information about services on her own, “I did not hear about support
services at GSU, I had to research it out for myself.”
Both Eric and Jason tried to access information channels at GSU, but were not provided with
quality support. Eric shared of his experience trying to access quality information channels to
assist him with the financial aid process:
The main challenge that I would say I experienced with my transfer process was
dealing with the Financial Aid Office staff. The times that I visited their office for help,
they had poor customer service with assisting students with their needs.
Similarly, Jason experienced challenges with accessing quality information channels to assist
him with his general academic advising needs:
My transfer to GSU did not go over as smoothly as I had hoped for. Acquiring my
transcripts and meeting with a counselor was always difficult. My experiences with
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counselors always seemed limited and not as personal as I would have liked them to be. I
felt like I was always being rushed during my appointments.
Transfer Center Observation
As part of the data collection process, I conducted an observation of the Transfer Center
at GSU. Specifically, I was allowed to sit-in on an appointment between a Counselor at the
Transfer Center and a prospective GSU student. Appointments are advertised to students
through the staff’s visits to community colleges, the GSU website, redirecting of calls from the
Information Services Center, and emails sent by the Transfer Center. Appointments are
available Mondays through Thursdays, and walk-ins are allowed on Fridays. Appointments are
typically 30 minutes in duration.
Transfer Center Services
This observation of the Transfer Center at GSU was conducted on a regular business day
at the start of the spring semester. I observed Lawrence, a Counselor at the Transfer Center, as
he met with Sarah, a prospective GSU student. The location of the appointment was in
Lawrence’s office, which allowed for privacy and a quiet location. The appointment began with
Lawrence asking what college or colleges Sarah had attended, what her intended major is, and
what she was hoping to accomplish with the appointment. To assist Sarah, Lawrence looked at
her transcripts, which she brought to the appointment. He then performed a computation of her
transferrable units and completion of transfer requirements (e.g., grade point average, units,
Golden Four requirements).
After discussing Sarah’s transcripts, Lawrence provided her with access to information
channels to facilitate her action with the transfer process. He informed her of the next steps,
which were to provide official transcripts and to complete any outstanding courses. Lawrence
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took time to show Sarah Assist.org, which is a website that provides the course articulation for
courses between community college and GSU. He went on to discuss her major and the various
programs offered by GSU for the specific major. Lawrence informed Sarah of the Career Center
on campus, which could further assist her with determining the appropriate major for her career
objectives. At the conclusion of the appointment, Lawrence invited Sarah to return for a tour of
the services that would be available to her at GSU. Throughout the appointment and at its
conclusion, Sarah asked about the requirements Lawrence informed her that she needed to meet
in order to be admitted to GSU as a transfer student. She did this as a way of seeking
confirmation and to check her understanding of her next steps.
Utilizing Coleman’s (1988) social capital framework, the construct used by Lawrence to
assist Sarah with her transfer process was information channels. He did not use obligations and
expectations when assisting her because he was not expecting anything in return from Sarah as a
result of his guidance. Lawrence did not use norms and effective sanctions when assisting Sarah
because there would be no direct sanction(s) that she would be subject to, should she not meet
one or more of the transfer requirements. Through the relationship Lawrence developed with
Sarah in his capacity as a Transfer Center Counselor, he provided her with information regarding
the transfer process to enable her action with transferring to GSU.
Summary
This chapter provided a review of the research questions, a description of participant
backgrounds, and data collection methods. The emerging themes of the study were categorized
into five social capital categories: obligations and expectations, information channels, norms and
effective sanctions, social capital in the family, and social capital outside the family. Findings
were presented where participant responses were used to support the themes. Conclusions and
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recommendations gathered from the data analysis to be used for future research opportunities
will be presented in Chapter Five.

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CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS
This study identified the transfer experiences of students who were successful in
transferring from community college to a public, four-year university. The study sought a better
understanding of the prior level of college knowledge students possessed, as well as the support
services that helped them with the transfer process.
This study is significant because it helps us understand the lived experiences of
successful transfer students – the knowledge they had of the transfer process and the services that
they utilized and found most helpful. The findings reveal the services that were significant
enough in the experiences of the transfer students to contribute to their persistence to a public,
four-year university. The researcher was able to identify the support services that students found
most beneficial with their transfer process and the ways in which they were effectively made
accessible to students. Lastly, the researcher uncovered any improvements necessary to existing
services, as well as additional services that could further assist future students with the transfer
process. This final chapter of the study includes the research questions, data collection methods
utilized by the researcher, discussion of the results, and suggestions for future research and
recommendations for practice.
The purpose of this study was to get an understanding of the experiences of transfer
students who transferred from a California Community College (CCC) to Golden State
University (GSU). The study captured the transfer experiences of students through qualitative
interviews with the 14 participants. The following research questions guided the study:
1. What student support services contributed to the successful transfer of students to Golden
State University from community colleges?

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 75

2. What did transfer students at community colleges know about the transfer process?
a. Was this information provided by family and/or friends or school officials?
b. What information would have been useful to better assist with the transfer process,
enabling a faster transfer time?
3. In what ways were transfer centers involved with the transfer objectives of students at
community colleges?
a. At what point in students’ college careers were transfer centers introduced?
b. What types of services were implemented to help students transfer to their specific
college of choice?
4. What other college-based student support services were available at community colleges
to assist with the transfer process?
This qualitative study explored the experiences of transfer students with the goal of
providing descriptions of their lived experiences. Interviews with the 14 participants were used
to collect data about the students’ successful transfer process, and an observation of GSU’s
Transfer Center was conducted to determine the services being offered to prospective students by
the center. The interviews with the 14 participants were recorded and then professionally
transcribed. Transcriptions were reviewed and analyzed using Creswell’s (1998) grounded
theory, which allowed the researcher to compare themes with one another in the same data set.
Discussion of the Findings
The discussion of the findings is based on the emerging themes from students’ responses
to the interview protocol. The framework used to develop the interview protocol was Coleman’s
(1988) social capital framework, which identifies social capital as existing in three forms:
obligations and expectations, information channels, and norms and effective sanctions (Coleman,
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1988). Each form of social capital describes how an individual can possess social capital under
different conditions. Obligations and expectations allow individuals within a network to have
trust among each other by fulfilling any “owed” obligations. Information channels allow
individuals to access information used to their benefit through the social relationships that they
maintain. Norms and effective sanctions allow individuals to act in a certain way that will either
be rewarded or disapproved. In addition, Coleman (1988) notes that social capital can be used to
form human capital, allowing for changes in a person that bring about skills and capabilities that
make them able to act in new ways. This takes the form of social capital in the family and social
capital outside the family. Each form is tied to an individual’s familial situation. Social capital
in the family is directly linked to parents’ financial capital, human capital, and social capital.
Social capital outside the family is directly linked to family members’ relations outside the
home.
Obligations and Expectations
When asked to describe their transfer experiences and the specific assistance they
received with the transfer process, none of the 14 participants provided a response related to
having obligations and expectations. This could be due to the nature of the support that is
provided to students by the community college and GSU. The role of school officials is not to
benefit from a “return” as a result of helping students with the transfer process; they are simply
there to assist students with their transfer and degree objectives.
Information Channels
Hsieh-Yee (1995) found that students ranked their relationships with school officials first
in terms of their importance in being able to access information channels. In addition, she also
found this to be the case with students who were seeking intellectual stimulation and academic
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success (Bahr, 2012; Borden, 2004; Hsieh-Yee, 1995). In this study, all of the 14 participants
attested to how their relationships with school officials were effective with providing them with
access to information channels and with assisting them with the transfer process from
community college to GSU. Nicole, who transferred during the fall 2011 term like all other
participants, is now in her senior level at GSU because she received exceptional assistance with
determining which courses were required for transfer, as well as assistance with her transfer
applications. All other participants are in their junior level, but are making great strides in their
persistence to graduation. Participants mentioned a number of avenues that were used to provide
them with access to information channels: 1) first year introductions to the transfer process and
transfer center staff and services, 2) visits from university representatives, 3) orientation
programs, 4) individualized advising (e.g., course requirements, application process), 5)
supplemental support services (e.g., Extended Opportunity Programs and Services – EOP&S,
Project Launch), 6) accessible and helpful faculty and staff, 7) online forms of information flow
(e.g., Assist.org, online college catalog), 8) campus-wide communication efforts (e.g.,
informational fairs, student emails).
Norms and Effective Sanctions
Chen (2009) indicates that group norms impact an individual’s behavior or intentions by
way of how group members will judge their behavior. In addition, normative messages are
shared through the process of interpersonal communication among a group of individuals and
norms become effective when they are enforced through social sanctions (Chen, 2009; Keeling,
2000; LaBrie, Hummer, Grant, & Lac, 2010). Only a small portion of participants in this study
indicated that they were subject to norms and effective sanctions during their transfer process.
Participants discussed having to change their study habits in order to successfully complete all
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courses and prevent themselves from being dis-enrolled from GSU due to poor academic
performance, as well as changing their financial plans to ensure that their tuition is funded and
prevent themselves from being dropped from their courses.
Formation of Human Capital
Social Capital in the Family. Carrasco (1988) notes that a large number of students are
not receiving the information they need to make a rational decision about their educational
futures. Students from households of a lower socioeconomic status are often uninformed of the
college process, from the sequencing of courses to student programs that allow for access to
universities, due to their parents’ limited knowledge about the college process (Carrasco, 1988;
Chen & Berdan, 2006; Vellymalay, 2012). In this study, a small portion of participants
mentioned someone within their family who was able to assist them with the transfer process.
Participants identified the recounting of a parent’s uncompleted college experience, and a college
graduate from the extended family as a source of information with their transfer process. Eric
shared:
Both of my parents attempted their college degrees, but they were not able to finish
because they already had two young children – myself included. I know that they want
me to have the opportunity of finishing unlike they did. So, even though they do not
have all the information to help me, they do their best to motivate me along the way.
Social Capital Outside the Family. Carrasco (1988) adds that parents of a lower
socioeconomic status are interested in their children succeeding in life, but simply do not have
the necessary resources and network to help. This is due to the fact that, for many parents, their
highest level of education was high school (Carrasco, 1988; Chen & Berdan, 2006; Vellymalay,
2012). Only one participant from the study mentioned someone outside their family as a person
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who was able to assist them with the transfer process. The association of Nicole’s mother with
teachers through her job at the high school is what provided Nicole with the network to receive
an understanding of the community college and the transfer process even prior to her enrollment
at the community college.
Transfer Center Services
In Chapter Two, I opened with the premise that the amount of attention and services
dedicated to transfer students’ arrival are very limited, and efforts by receiving institutions to
orient students are typically limited to a one-day orientation, and there is little or no effort to
provide other assistance in making the initial transition (Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Berger &
Malaney, 2003; Townsend & Wilson, 2006). This study discovered that this was not the case
with GSU. GSU’s Transfer Center advertises their appointments to students through the staff’s
visits to community colleges, the GSU website, redirecting of calls from the Information
Services Center, and emails sent by the Transfer Center. Appointments are available Mondays
through Thursdays, and by walk-in on Fridays. Appointments are typically 30 minutes in
duration.
During an appointment, students can receive pre-admission advising by one of the
Transfer Center Counselors. Counselors will evaluate transcripts to compute transferrable units
and determine the successful completion of all transfer requirements. Students are informed of
the next steps of the application process, the various programs offered by GSU for specific
majors, and a tour of the services that are available to students at GSU.
Through the relationships prospective GSU students are able to develop with Transfer
Center Counselors, they are provided with information channels regarding the transfer process,
which enable their action with transferring to GSU. Through this interaction and relationship,
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students increased their social capital using resources outside the family.
Budget Cuts
In Chapter One, I discussed the current budget cuts to public, four-year universities, and
the impact this has had on the persistence of transfer students. State support for public, four-year
universities had been cut by almost one billion dollars or 30% over the past four years, with
student tuition increases covering only about half of the lost revenue (California State University,
2012). To fill the budget gap, public, four-year universities had implemented numerous cost-
cutting measures, as well as increased efficiencies. Over the past four years, the California State
University (CSU) system had decreased the total number of faculty and staff by over 3,000 or
about 6% of its workforce (California State University, 2012). In addition, class sizes had
increased, faculty had been asked to teach more, and administrative functions were being
consolidated (California State University, 2012).
Fortunately, the governor’s November tax proposal was approved and eliminated the
need for a potential 200 million dollar trigger-cut to public higher education from the state
(California State University, 2012). However, in the case of the 14 student participants, this
budget relief to the public, four-year universities did not arrive soon enough as many of them
discussed the ways in which the budget cuts have served as the main contributor of their lengthy
transfer process. Six out of the 14 participants mentioned how the budget cuts affected their
transfer process – nearly half of the study sample. Shannon encountered challenges related to the
budget cuts as early as her time at the community colleges:
Because of the budget cuts, my community college did not offer summer or winter
sessions, so I had to go to another community college to get the classes I needed. It was
the only way I could take all the classes I needed and transfer in less time than I was
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already taking.
Because Carlos had to take out school loans to pay for his courses while his financial aid was
being processed, he found the entire budget situation very challenging as he transitioned to
GSU:
I have to say that it was a little difficult for me to transfer to GSU. Before I was able to
fix my financial aid, I had to deal with the high fees for my tuition, textbooks,
transportation, you name it… Not to mention, there was a limited availability of classes.
It was so hard for me to develop a class schedule my first year because I technically
did not have seniority at GSU and the classes were limited as it was.
Despite the overall great transfer experience Devon had, he, too, mentioned how the budget cuts
serve as a hindrance to transfer students, “Budget cuts have made it more difficult for transfer
students to take the classes that they need both at the community college and at GSU.”
Michael agrees and adds his experience of actually being enrolled in classes:
Budget cuts have affected my schooling at GSU. Because of the budget cuts, some of my
required classes are not offered, and when they are, they are overly packed. It makes it
hard to learn when there are so many students all in one classroom.
Even though Monique’s major department is assisting her by tracking her academic progress
with meeting all major requirements, she still has been subject to the unavailability of required
courses. “The only challenge I faced as a transfer student so far would probably be all the
waitlists for my major classes. They were mostly full by the time I was able to register for
classes.”

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 82

Institutional Factors
In Chapter One and Chapter Two, I discussed several institutional factors that could serve
as transfer barriers, which can be found in the literature. Examples of such institutional factors
are: remediation, articulation agreements, impaction, and transfer shock – all of which, the
findings show, are insignificant in the case of the 14 participants.
It is important to note that the 14 participants possessed transfer experiences that are
unique to the general transfer student population. For the most part, the experiences of the 14
participants were positive, whereas previous studies find that transfer students often encounter
challenges that contribute to a negative experience, such as the studies discussed in Chapter One
and Chapter Two. One difference that the 14 participants have from the general transfer student
population is that most of them attended only one community college and not numerous colleges;
perhaps this allowed for a smoother experience in transferring from a community college to
GSU. Some of the 14 participants faced some minor challenges at GSU.
In Chapter Two, I discussed remediation, and how the community college’s system of
open access can both assist and hinder the transfer processes of transfer students. Because
community colleges are intended to provide open access without issues of selectivity, its students
tend to have more remedial learning issues and are at a greater risk for failure, which results in
low numbers of students transferring or graduating (Bauman, 2007; Cohen & Brawer, 1996;
Coley, 2000). My findings show that remediation did not serve as an institutional factor for
the 14 participants as none of the participants mentioned remediation as a challenge.
Another area of discussion was articulation agreements and how a lack of its
institutionalization and understanding can prevent students from transferring in a timely fashion.
One factor affecting the transfer process itself is the creation and maintenance of articulation
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 83

agreements, whether at the state, institutional, or programmatic level. There is abundant
literature about the value of these agreements in facilitating what is termed a “seamless transfer,”
which generally means transfer without loss of credits (Bauer & Bauer, 1994; Berger &
Malaney, 2003; Townsend & Wilson, 2006). This is another area where my findings show
insignificance. As the 14 participants mentioned, time and time again, they were very well
informed about the transfer process through the relationships they shared with community
college and university staff, which greatly assisted them with making the transfer and doing so
with minimal challenges.
In Chapter Two, I also discussed the impaction of many universities, and how this can
attribute to transfer students requiring years to transfer because they are unable to get admitted to
such highly impacted universities and majors. Some public, four-year universities have
“impacted, selective or highly competitive majors” that require “significant major preparation
course work and a higher GPA” (Cohen, 2003, p. 6). Impaction also did not appear to be
significant, based on my findings. However, in the case of the 14 participants, they may have
not encountered impaction as a challenge simply due to the fact that GSU is currently not an
impacted university. The one area where the 14 participants were affected is with the May 1
st

deadline that was instituted for prospective transfer students to indicate their intent of attending
the university. Only after students indicate their intentions were they allowed to register for
courses, which could be why the 14 participants had difficulty with finding courses their first
year and are still considered at the junior level.
The last area discussed was transfer shock, and how its effects can greatly impact the
transition of transfer students and their ability to perform well academically and socially at GSU.
Due to transfer shock, transfer students are likely to experience a complex adjustment process,
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 84

which include academic, social, and psychological adjustments because of the difference in
environment from community college to a four-year university (Laanan, 2001). Transfer shock
did not appear to be significant in the case of the 14 participants. Although some of the
participants faced challenges during their transition (e.g., needing to make adjustments to their
study behaviors, not having access to courses), participants did not report this to cause a complex
adjustment process as in the case of transfer shock.
The fact that none of the areas discussed above affected the transition of the 14
participants supports Melguizo et al.’s (2011) test findings that was conducted to determine
whether community college transfer students have similar educational outcomes as their native
counterparts from the four-year university. Their results suggest that there are no statistical
differences in educational attainment between transfer students and natives of the four-year
university (Melguizo et al., 2011). Thus, Melguizo et al.’s and this study’s findings make the
poignant suggestion that community colleges and public, four-year universities together can
provide the necessary academic preparation for students to succeed at the four-year level
(Melguizo et al., 2011).
Research Questions
Research question one asked, “What student support services contributed to the
successful transfer of students to Golden State University from community colleges?” Students
discussed a number of the resources offered by both the community college and GSU to help
facilitate their successful transfer. Examples include orientations, the availability of staff,
counselors, and faculty and campus-wide communications regarding available support services
or ways to get socially connected on campus. Students attribute the different media used and the
specific times that they were used to their ability to transfer. For example, while students were at
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 85

the community college, they were assisted with the transfer process by both community college
and GSU staff. Prior to starting as a student at GSU, students were provided with an orientation
that informed them of campus and academic related information. Twice a semester, there were
campus-wide communications that were distributed to all students informing them of ways to get
socially connected and the support services that are available to them, which they could access at
any time during their transition.
Research question two asked, “What did transfer students at community colleges know
about the transfer process? Was this information provided by family and/or friends or school
officials? What information would have been useful to better assist with the transfer process,
enabling a faster transfer time?” Student participants had a comprehensive understanding of the
transfer process. Through the community college and university outreach efforts, they were
made aware of the course requirements needed for transfer, as well as the application process.
This information was provided to students primarily by college or university staff, outreach
officers, counselors, faculty, and administrators with the exception of four participants who
possessed social capital in or outside the family and received prior assistance through members
of their family and extended family. Lastly, the interview protocol did not include an explicit
question that asked for student suggestions on services that would have enabled a faster transfer
process. However, as discussed in the Findings, many transfer students attributed the length of
time required of them to transfer to the budget cuts. Rebecca remarked:
The main challenge that I experienced as a transfer student is that it took much longer to
transfer due to the budget cuts. Certain classes were not available at my community
college, so I either had to wait until next semester or attend a different college that did
offer the classes I needed.
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 86

Research question three asked, “In what ways were transfer centers involved with the
transfer objectives of students at community colleges? At what point in students’ college careers
were transfer centers introduced? What types of services were implemented to help students
transfer to their specific college of choice?” Students in this study indicated that the transfer
centers at the community colleges were very much involved with their transfer objectives.
Students described the primary services offered as assistance with determining course
requirements and assistance with the transfer application process. Students mentioned that the
transfer centers were introduced to them during their first year at the community college. Types
of implemented services that helped students transfer were access to advising through the
transfer centers, orientation programs, supplemental support services, assistance from faculty,
and frequent visits from university representatives.
Research question four asked, “What other college-based student support services were
available at community colleges to assist with the transfer process?” Only one of the participants
explicitly mentioned other student support services at the community college that assisted him
with the transfer process. Devon provided a glowing report of the assistance he received through
supplemental services at the community college:
At the community college I attended, the staff and administrators were very capable and
friendly, always willing to help guide me on the right path of attaining financial
assistance from financial aid, EOPS, scholarship departments, Project Launch, or with
tutoring programs on campus. I felt that I had plenty of support from programs that I
mentioned like EOPS and Project Launch… I have to say that the process was well done
– the faculty and staff were more than willing to help and lend assistance to help me
achieve my goals of transferring to a four-year university.
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 87

Recommendations for Practice
Hardin (2008) states that there are not enough student structured services to meet the
growing enrollment demands of transfer students. She adds that administrators need to identify
appropriate student support services for transfer student populations to succeed in their
educational settings (DiMaria, 2008; Hardin, 2008; Wagner, 2002). When administrators, both
at the community college and the university level, have an understanding of what transfer
students need to persist in their transfer objectives, it gives them an opportunity to develop and
implement campus-wide practices that can enable a faster transfer time for future transfer
students. Although it is the mission of community college and university transfer centers alike to
provide an information flow to prospective and current students regarding the transfer process,
this study found that beyond the college knowledge provided by both community colleges and
GSU, most of the students were not entering the higher education system with any college
knowledge of their own or from their parents. In this study, developing relationships with school
officials and accessing information channels through these relationships allowed students to
persist with their transfer objectives. While all of the participants were successful in transferring,
this study found that the majority of them attributed the assistance they received with the transfer
process with the actual transfer center and not the other support services on campus, since most
did not know that other services existed. At GSU, where participants were aware of the other
support services, this study found that they still were unable to utilize the services due to their
busy schedules as transfer students. Most importantly, contrary to the premise that I opened with
in Chapter One and Chapter Two, this study found that it is not due to students’ lack of social
capital that they are requiring long periods of time to transfer. As the data results show, it is not
so much in the students’ level of social capital that prevented them from transferring in a timely
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 88

manner; rather, it was largely due to the budget cuts to public higher education and their lack of
access to courses.
The above are several important points for administrators who work in higher educational
settings to be aware of when considering the needs of the transfer student population. Although
the participants in this study were successful with transferring to a public, four-year university,
they identified key issues, which potentially could have allowed for an even smoother and
perhaps shorter transfer process. Four recommendations emerge from this study that could
improve the transfer experiences of future transfer students and shorten their overall time to
degree.
Recommendation 1: College Workshops at the High School Level
The results of the study indicate a need for students to be provided with college
knowledge prior to their enrollment in postsecondary institutions. In this study, the majority of
participants did not possess social capital in, but rather outside the family. They were informed
of the transfer process through college officials while at the community college. While this
finding highlights the great work of community colleges and universities to inform students of
the transfer process, higher education administrators should evaluate whether students should be
provided with this information much sooner. Just as college bound students are provided with
presentations and workshops, the same should be facilitated for prospective community college
students. This could be accomplished through the high school’s college center or through high
school visits of community college representatives. In this way, even if students do not have
social capital in their families to know about the transfer process sooner, they will at least be
informed of the process while at the high school level and not when at the community college –
learning the process as they go.
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 89

Recommendation 2: Advertisement of Student Support Services
The researcher found that the majority of participants were not aware of other student
support services at the community college. Therefore, they did not utilize them, but rather
utilized the services of the transfer center. Although the transfer center services greatly
contributed to the students’ successful transfer, student support services are just as important and
a valuable resource to transfer students with assisting them to complete their transfer objectives,
especially for students requiring more assistance (e.g., low-income, disabled, single parent). As
the participants commented in their interviews, the transfer centers were introduced to them
during their first year at the community college. The researcher recommends that at the same
time as transfer centers are being introduced (e.g., during orientation), information on student
support services should also be provided. By doing this, students will be well informed of all the
services that are available to help them with more specific needs, aside from their transfer
objectives.
Recommendation 3: Availability of Student Support Services
GSU does an outstanding job of informing students about student support services.
However, while participants are aware of student support services at GSU, they are unable to
utilize those services due to their busy schedules. Student support services are just as important
and a valuable resource to transfer students with assisting them to complete their baccalaureate
requirements, especially for students requiring more assistance (e.g., low-income, disabled,
single parent). As the participants commented in their interviews, they did not utilize the
services due to their limited scheduling availability. Student support service programs should
offer accommodating hours rather than the typical Monday through Friday, 8-5 schedule since
most transfer students’ schedules do not always fit perfectly within this window of time. Instead,
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 90

these programs should provide extended evening hours and even weekend hours. If their
departmental budgets allow, these programs should also offer online advising alternatives. This
way, students will be able to utilize all of the services that are available to them through the
college and hopefully shorten their overall time to degree.
Recommendation 4: Priority Registration for Transfer Students
In Chapter One, I opened with the premise that there has been little known about how
limited social capital of transfer students directly affects their persistence from community
college to public, four-year universities. Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock (2004) assert that students
of underrepresented minority populations are less likely to have high levels of cultural and social
capital due to the lower educational attainment and experience of their parents, other family
members, and home communities, which leave them without the information and resources
needed to successfully navigate the higher education system (Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock,
2004). However, what the researcher found is that the recent budget cuts to higher education and
the limited enrollment capacity of public, four-year universities, is what is making it difficult for
transfer students to transition from community college to public, four-year universities – not
their level of social capital, which this study discovered is being provided to students in the form
of social capital outside the family.
As the participants commented in their interviews, once they were finally able to transfer
to GSU, they were faced with the unavailability of courses, waitlists, or overly crowded
classrooms. Public, four-year universities should provide transfer students with priority
registration. Transfer students should not be provided with registration appointments in the same
way freshmen or new students are provided with registration appointments. Transfer students
are far along in their academics and are not new to the higher education system. Once at the
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 91

major level, it is critical that they are able to enroll in classes since all other degree requirements
would have been met. When transfer students are provided with priority registration upon their
transfer to the university, it will not be long until they are able to finally meet their degree
objectives.
Future Research Opportunities
This research serves as an invitation for other researchers to explore, through empirical
research, other crucial areas related to transfer student needs, the transfer process, and support
services. This study also suggests that additional research is needed to examine the effects of
higher education practices on the persistence of transfer students from community college to the
university setting.
There are several avenues of research that could be pursued based on the findings of this
study. First and foremost, the study could be replicated with transfer students who were not
successful with the transfer process and who are still at the community college. It would be
valuable information to compare what attributes contributed to a successful transfer to a public,
four-year university and what attributes contributed to students remaining at the community
college. Further research might explore these study findings by creating a study designed to gain
a deeper understanding of the most effective services transfer students utilized at the transfer
center since this resource was found to have such a significant impact on the transfer experiences
of the participants. This study found that students reported the transfer center as a means of
support with the transfer process. Thus, it follows that gaining a more in depth look at this factor
could help higher education institutions to improve the transfer experiences and shorten the time
to transfer for future transfer students.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 92

Another way to broaden this study would be to include interviews with transfer center
staff. In doing so, a more complete depiction of the services being provided could emerge. This
type of study would likely not only highlight the services found most beneficial by students, but
could provide an understanding of how the staff and the relationships they build with students
are instrumental to the persistence of transfer students. A final area of study would be to return
to each participant to request longitudinal data. It would be interesting to see how the students
fare while at GSU, and how long it is before they are able to attain their baccalaureate degrees.
Each of the above ideas could further the research that was done in this study.
Summary
This chapter began with a statement of the problem and a review of the methodology. An
analysis and discussion of the results were then presented. Included in the discussion, were the
experiences of the participant sample with regard to their transfer process. Students’ usage of
services were discussed and recommendations for improvement in certain areas of the services
were offered. This was followed by a presentation of future research opportunities.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 93

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TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 102

Appendix A
Email Solicitation

Transfer Students from California Community Colleges: A Narrative Approach to
Understanding the Social Capital and Institutional Factors that Lead to a Timely Transfer
to a Public, Four-year University

Hello. My name is Katrina Hermoso, a doctoral student at the University of Southern California
– USC. The purpose of this email is to inform you about a research project called “Transfer
Students from California Community Colleges: A Narrative Approach to Understanding the
Social Capital and Institutional Factors That Lead To a Timely Transfer To a Public, Four-Year
University.”

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the transfer experiences of students at the
California Community Colleges. Approximately 12-16 students will be interviewed for this
research study. Your participation in this study is voluntary. You must be a transfer student of
the California Community College system from the fall 2011 term to participate.

You must complete a pre-survey by visiting: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y9JSV6V. If
selected, I will discuss the process with you more in detail over the phone, and if applicable, an
appointment will be set-up to meet with you for a one-hour face-to-face interview at the GSU
campus.

If you would like to know more about this study, please contact me at hermoso@usc.edu.
I appreciate your time and consideration. Thank you!

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 103

Appendix B
Pre-Survey Questions

1. Please provide your first name.

2. Please provide your contact number.
a. When would be the best time to reach you?

3. Please provide your gender.

4. Please provide your ethnicity.

5. Are you the first in your family to attend college?

6. When did you transfer to Golden State University (GSU)?
a. Were you admitted to GSU under special conditions (e.g., did not meet all necessary
requirements needed for transfer)?

7. What is your current enrollment status at GSU (e.g., full-time or part-time; junior or
senior)?

8. What community college(s) did you attend prior to GSU?
a. How many semesters did you attend at this community college(s)?
b. Were you ever enrolled in two or more community colleges at the same time?

9. If selected for a face-to-face interview, when would be the best time to interview you?

10. If selected for a face-to-face interview, would you allow the researcher to audio record
your interview?

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 104

Appendix C
Information Sheet

INFORMATION SHEET FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH

Transfer Students from California Community Colleges: A Narrative Approach to
Understanding the Social Capital and Institutional Factors that Lead To a Timely Transfer
to a Public, Four-year University

You are asked to participate in a research study called “Transfer Students from California
Community Colleges: A Narrative Approach to Understanding the Social Capital and
Institutional Factors That Lead To a Timely Transfer To a Public, Four-Year University” with
Katrina Hermoso (doctoral student at the University of Southern California – USC and Dr. Tracy
Tambascia in USC’s School of Education).

You were selected for this study because you are a transfer student who has recently transferred
from the California Community College system. Approximately 12-16 students are eligible to
participate. Your participation in this study is voluntary. Even if you decide to participate, you
may still stop the interview at any time without any consequence to you.

Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to learn more about the transfer experiences of students who
transferred from California Community Colleges.

Response to the interview questions will constitute consent to participate in this
research project.

Procedures
You will be asked to share your experiences in an individual interview. The interviews will last
about one hour. The interviews will be audio-taped; if you do not want to be audio-taped, you
cannot participate. The interviews will be transcribed by the researcher, and you will have the
chance to correct the transcription. After confirmation of the transcription, the tape will be
erased, and the transcription data will only be identified by a code.

The interview will take place in a private setting at GSU at a mutually convenient time.

Risks and Benefits
There are no direct risks to you for participating in this research study. You will be given GSU
memorabilia as an incentive for participating in the study.

Confidentiality
Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be identified with you
will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your permission or as required by law.
The information collected about you will be coded using a fake name (pseudonym) or initials
and numbers, for example abc-123.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 105

Only members of the research team will have access to the data associated with this study. The
data will be stored in the investigator’s office in a locked file cabinet and on a password
protected computer.

Participation and Withdrawal
You can choose to participate or refuse to participate. If you volunteer to participate, you may
still withdraw at any time without any consequence to you.

Alternatives to Participation
Your alternative is to not participate. Your grades will not be affected whether or not you
participate. Faculty, staff, or administrators of GSU will not have access to any data associated
with this research study.

Identification of Investigators
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please contact Dr. Tambascia at
(213) 740-9747 or tpoon@usc.edu, USC Rossier School of Education, WPH Room 1003C,
Los Angeles, CA 90089 or Katrina Hermoso at hermoso@usc.edu.

Rights of Research Subjects
You may withdraw your consent at any time and discontinue participation without penalty. You
are not waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your participation in this research
study. If you have any questions about your rights as a study subject or you would like to speak
with someone independent of the research team to obtain answers to questions about the
research, or in the event the research staff cannot be reached, please contact the University Park
Institutional Review Board, Office of the Vice Provost for Research Advancement, Stonier Hall,
Room 224a, Los Angeles, CA 90089, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 106

Appendix D
Interview Protocol

In this interview, I would like to focus on your experiences related to the transfer process coming
from a community college to Golden State University.

1. I’d like to start by learning more about your overall transfer experience at the community
college. (Background)

[Follow Up]: Have the budget cuts to public higher education affected your
transition from community college to GSU, as well as your experiences so far at
GSU? If so, in what ways?

[Follow Up]: Have you encountered any challenges with your financial aid,
whether it be receiving aid or maintaining eligibility for aid?

2. I’m interested in understanding the level of support that was offered to you at the
community college you attended. How would you describe your interactions with staff
and administrators? (Support factors, RQ1)

3. One of the main focuses of this study is to understand the level of support you received in
completing the transfer process. How were you introduced to the transfer process and by
whom? For example, was the information provided to you by someone within your
family such as an older sibling or someone from outside of your family such as a church
member? (Social capital and transfer process, RQ2, RQ3) (Coleman: obligations and
expectations; information channels; social capital in the family; social capital outside the
family)

[Follow Up]: At what point during your time at the community college was the
transfer process introduced? (Coleman: obligations and expectations; information
channels)

[Follow Up]: Were you aware of the type of support available at the transfer
center at the community college? If so, were you aware of the benefits associated
with transferring? (Coleman: obligations and expectations; information channels;
effective sanctions)

[Follow Up]: What type of support was offered to help with the transfer process?
(Coleman: obligations and expectations; information channels)

[Follow Up]: Was the transfer process adjusted to meet the application
requirements for the college you wished to transfer to? If so, in what ways?
(Coleman: obligations and expectations; information channels)

4. Were there any other college-based student support services available at the community
college to assist with the transfer process? (Student Support Services, RQ4)
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES 107

[Follow Up]: Did you utilize these services?

[Follow Up]: If so, how helpful do you feel the services were to your overall
transfer process?

5. The last area that this study seeks to understand is with regard to your transfer experience
so far at GSU. How has your transfer experience to GSU been so far? (Support factors,
RQ1)

[Follow Up]: In what ways have you been informed about the requirements that
you need to complete at GSU in order to attain your baccalaureate degree?

[Follow Up]: In what ways have you been informed about the student support
services available to you on campus?

[Follow Up]: In what ways have you been informed about how to get socially
connected on campus?

[Follow Up]: Are you making use of any of the services and social opportunities
provided to you on campus?

6. What are some of the challenges (if any) you experience as a transfer student at GSU?
(Support factors, RQ1)

7. In what ways has GSU ensured that your transition to the University was a smooth
transition? (Support factors, RQ1)

[Follow Up]: What experiences have you had that makes you feel this way?

8. Is there anything else you’d like to add? Is there anything you feel I should’ve asked you
about your experience at the community college and GSU? (Concluding)

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The unique experiences of community college transfer students have not been explored at public, four-year universities. Most of the research on the experiences of community college students is based on quantitative research methods, which fail to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nature of students' lived experiences. This qualitative study contributes to the literature by exploring the experiences of successful transfer students after they have enrolled at a public, four-year university. ❧ This study will add to our understanding of how best to serve prospective transfer students during times of diminished resources and limited enrollments. The study took place at Golden State University (GSU), which enrolls the largest number of transfer students of any public university in the state of California. Utilizing techniques from grounded theory, this study sought to understand the unique characteristics and needs of transfer students and institutional barriers, which hindered their transfer experiences. This study discovered that community college transfer students do possess social capital, mostly in the form of information channels. The most prominent institutional factor that hindered their transfer processes was the recent budget cuts to public higher education.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Hermoso, Katrina Virata (author)

Core Title Transfer students from California community colleges: a narrative approach to understanding the social capital and institutional factors that lead to a timely transfer to a public, four-year univ...

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 07/24/2013

Defense Date 05/08/2013

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag higher education administration,OAI-PMH Harvest

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Tambascia, Tracy Poon (committee chair), Kim, Samuel (committee member), Tobey, Patricia Elaine (committee member)

Creator Email hermoso@usc.edu,kvhermoso@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-298793

Unique identifier UC11293598

Identifier etd-HermosoKat-1840.pdf (filename),usctheses-c3-298793 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-HermosoKat-1840.pdf

Dmrecord 298793

Document Type Dissertation

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Hermoso, Katrina Virata

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA