Community college students who succeed in transferring and earning a bachelor’s degree are less likely to earn a STEM degree compared with students who start at a four-year institution. And Black, Hispanic, and low-income students make up a smaller share of those who transfer, complete bachelor’s degrees, and complete in STEM majors than community college entrants overall. This project examines the trajectories of successful STEM community college transfer students and the points along the pathway where there are opportunities for community colleges and four-year institutions to diversify STEM bachelor’s degree completers.
Researchers are using National Student Clearinghouse data to examine the points along the pathways from community college into STEM bachelor’s and graduate programs where students lose momentum or fall off the path and thus where postsecondary institutions should focus efforts to help transfer students earn bachelor’s and graduate degrees in STEM. The quantitative analyses are being supplemented by information on the policies and practices of community colleges and four-year institutions that perform significantly better than the national average in promoting successful transfer for Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and low-income students.
This project will generate tools and lessons that policymakers and practitioners can use to strengthen and diversify STEM outcomes for community college students generally and those from underrepresented groups in particular.
