The Impact of Transfer on Baccalaureate Completion

Students who pursue post-secondary study often face choices between public or private, technical or academic, two-year or four-year institutions. Making information more easily accessible and more transparent regarding differences in student outcomes, attendance costs, financial aid, and other supports can help inform student decisions. This study advances that goal by highlighting differences between students who transfer to a 4-year institution from a 2-year institution to complete a bachelor’s degree and students who directly enter a 4-year institution. The primary questions addressed by this study are: What characteristics of direct entry students facilitate successful completion of a baccalaureate degree and how are direct entry students different from transfer students on these characteristics? How do the characteristics related to degree completion for direct entry students differ from those that facilitate completion for transfer students?