It’s a bit of both. Thomas Bailey, the director of the Community College Research Center, has done a lot of work on this issue (https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Director.html). There’s no question that many of the students who enroll at community college are not college-ready, and end up getting stuck in remedial courses that they never end up passing, and drop-out. But research suggests that another major obstacle is the lack of coordination between community colleges and four-year colleges. Many transfer students find that many of their community college classes aren’t counted for credit at the four-year colleges they transfer to, resulting in wasted time and money that the student then needs to make up. This is true even in states with some form of articulation agreement between the two sectors.

In sum, however, completion rates for those students that do transfer aren’t terrible – roughly 60 percent of those that transfer end up earning a BA. The bigger problem is that about 25 percent of students actually end up transferring from a two-year to a four-year, despite the fact that the vast majority intend to at the outset.

Has any research been done about why students who attend a community college first with the intention of transferring to get a 4 year degree, are so likely to not to earn a bachelor’s? Is it because community colleges do a poor job preparing them? Or is it because students who are already less likely to complete a 4 year degree are also more likely to go to community college first?

Hi Don – thanks for the comment. I imagine you’re right, that those who start at a community college, transfer to a four-year, and end up attaining a BA have low levels of default, as they probably have a low loan burden and are receiving a wage premium in the labor market. The problem, however, is that the vast majority of students who start at a community college never end up attaining a four-year degree. Research from the Community College Research Center at Columbia University has found that over 80 percent of students entering a community college have plans to transfer to a four-year and earn a bachelor’s degree, but only 16 percent of students actually have earned a bachelor’s degree six years later (https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Community-College-FAQs.html).

Those students that do end up transferring, however, do end up graduating at relatively high rates, particularly those students who earn an AA first.

Hi Dean – thanks for the comment. You’re certainly right that more clarity is needed around the financial aid process. When we were working with high schools in Detroit, we tried to highlight those institutions that gave generous need-based aid (reducing the loans a student would have to take out), and draw a distinction for students between “good” loans (federal direct loans with low interest rates and a borrowing limit) and “bad” loans (on the private market or Parent PLUS loans with no borrowing limit).

And you’re certainly right that living at home can reduce the cost. However, a lot of research has shown that it also makes it less likely a student will end up graduating, as obstacles like transportation or pressures to help at home increase the time to degree.

One point not mentioned is that living at home lightens the room and board expense leaving just the tuition to manage plus books and possibly transportation. We need a work sheet to help see the true picture . Dean