From Community College to a 4-Year Urban University:
African American Male Transfer Students’
Degree Attainment
Toya Roberts-Conston
Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow
belongs to those who prepare for it today.
Malcolm X
The purpose of this study is to examine whether a
predictive relationship exists between institutional GPA,
credits earned at time of transfer and 6-year graduation
rates for African American male community college
transfer students at a four-year university
Significance of Study
• Research has suggested that community college students
are more likely than those attending 4-year institutions
to be from low-income, first generation,
historically underrepresented racial and ethnic
minority groups
• Disadvantaged students often times lack academic
resources, degree aspirations, and social capital
in comparison to higher income peers
• Community colleges are used as ‘gateways’ to 4-year
universities
• Postsecondary education is increasingly important
to employers and will continue to be in high demand
(Carnevale & Rose, 2012).
African American Males
• Often comparatively less prepared than others
for the rigors of college level academic work
(Bonner II & Bailey, 2006; Loury, 2004; Palmer, Davis & Hilton, 2009;
Harper, 2012)
• Completion rates are lowest among both sexes
and all racial/ethnic groups in U.S. higher
education (Harper, 2006a; Strayhorn, 2010; Harper, 2012)
Research Questions
RQ1)Who comprises the African American
transfer cohort at the urban university
during the 2006-2007 academic year?
RQ2)For African American males, is the number
of credits earned and community college
GPA at time of transfer predictive of
graduation from the Urban University within
6-years of matriculation?
Methodology
• Archival Data from 2006-2007
• Sample population
- African American
- 141 Males; 212 Females
- 219; Transfer from 2-year college
RQ1)
RQ2)
Descriptive Statistics
Logistic Regression Model
RESULTS
Characteristics & Description of Sample
Results
Graduation Rates of CC Transfer Students
Results
Logistic Regression Analysis (Total Sample)
Results
Logistic Regression (Male CC Transfers Only)
Results
Logistic Regression (Female CC transfer Only)
Results
Total Sample
AGE: A one-unit decrease in age results in 7.8%
increase in the odds of being a graduate from Urban
University.
GPA at time of Transfer: A one-unit increase in
cumulative GPA results in a 71.5% increase in the
odds of being a graduate from Urban University
No. of credits at Transfer: A one-unit increase in
the number of credits earned at time of transfer
results in a 1.8% increase in the odds of being a
graduate from Urban University
Results
African American Male Two Year CC Transfers
AGE: A one-unit decrease in age results in 14.8%
increase in the odds of being a graduate from Urban
University.
No. of credits at Transfer: A one-unit increase in
the number of credits earned at time of transfer
results in a 3.4% increase in the odds of being a
graduate from Urban University
Results
African American Female Two Year CC Transfer
GPA at time of Transfer: A one-unit increase in
cumulative GPA results in a 5.10 increase in the odds
of being a graduate from Urban University.
No. of credits at Transfer: A one-unit increase in
the number of credits earned at time of transfer
results in a 2.2% increase in the odds of being a
graduate from Urban University
Discussion
GPA at time of Transfer
No. of Credits at time of
Transfer
a. significant predictor for total
sample
a. significant predictor for total
sample
b. significant predictor for
African American female two
year CC transfers
b. significant predictor for African
American female two year CC
transfers
c. not a significant predictor for
African American male two year
CC transfers
c. a significant predictor for African
American male two year CC
transfers
Age
a. significant predictor for total sample
b. not a significant predictor for African American female two year CC
transfers
c. Significant predictor for African American male two year CC transfers
Limitations
L1) Sample taken from single institution
L2) Definition of graduation status
L3) Narrow amount of data available from Urban
University’s Office of Institutional Research
L4) Limited accuracy of the prediction models
Implications for Research
• Further investigation to examine why 72% of the
African American transfer cohort did not stay and
graduate from Urban University within 6-years
• Further investigation to examine if GPA is an
accurate predictor for African American male
transfer students
• Further investigation to examine enrollment
patterns of African American non-traditionally aged
two-year CC transfer students
Implications for Practice
• Programs for two-year CC transfer students that
assist with navigation of the four-year university
system
• Introducing the transfer process to students
early on at the two-year CC
• Ensure college level work on the CC level is as
rigorous as college level work at the University
level
Questions & Answers