Many students start community college with the hope of getting an associate degree and then transferring to a four-year institution, such as a California State University or University of California campus.
But a state audit, released today, found that the vast majority of these students never accomplish their goal. “Only about 1 in 5 students who began community college from 2017 to 2019 and intended to transfer did so within four years,” the audit states. Transfer rates are even lower for students in less affluent parts of the state and in rural areas and for students who are Black or Hispanic, according to the audit.
The state’s higher education systems are designed so that students can spend two years at community college, two years at a university, and then graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Tuition at community college is cheaper than at any Cal State or UC campus, so in theory, a student who follows this path is saving money.
Read more at CalMatters.
