Community college enrollments continue to swell across the country, driven in part by students who ultimately intend to earn their degrees from traditional four-year institutions, but who choose to start at community colleges”decisions motivated in part by factors such as the weak economy, slow job growth and increasing tuition at 4-year institutions. Because their sights are set on a four-year degree, however, demand for acceptance of transfer credit is likely to grow.
For many students, entering a community college is the most logical first step on their way to earning a bachelors degree. And some institutions, such as Western Governors University (WGU), an online degree program that is self-paced and emphasizes competency testing, are positioning themselves to take advantage of these trends.
WGU: Ahead of the curve?
As explained in a recent article in Inside Higher Ed, The Western Governors model is designed to attract students who need alternatives to the traditional campus approach and, for many of them, who may have gotten off track on their way to a degree." The University is focused on adult learners who desire bachelors or masters degree in areas of business, education, IT and the health care professions.
For community colleges, working with WGU has several benefits. The university honors all transfer credits from a community college”saving students significant time and money towards degree completion. This ease of transferring credit is not always the case among four year institutions, which are typically less generous about accepting community college credits”even those earned at in-state community colleges. Thanks to WGU's transfer policies and close relationships with community colleges, it has been able to develop co-branding with some community colleges to facilitate marketing to students.
Western Governor's leaders plan to harness the national completion agenda┬" with competency-based offerings aimed at working adults. For example: two new state-based versions of its online low-priced model in Missouri and Tennessee (similar to braches in Indiana, Texas and Washington), with some start-up costs fronted with state funds. State financial aid programs and WGU's discounts to in-state community college students who transfer in after obtaining their associates degrees also facilitate completion.
Help your institution evolve
AACRAO recognizes that the transfer of academic credit is an important and complex feature of American higher education. That is why AACRAO began holding its annual Transfer Conference six years ago. This year's Transfer Conference will bring together practitioners and managers from admissions, retention, enrollment management, transfer center, and registrar organizations to discuss and debate current issues and innovations in transfer--such as WGU's approach to community college partnerships. Experts will share ideas, information, and solutions for working with different transfer student populations.
This year's program combines thought provoking plenary sessions, workshops, and roundtable discussions that will help practitioners follow best-practice guidelines and suggest strategies for implementing desired outcomes. Click here to learn more and to register for the conference.