Overcoming Barriers to Transfer for California Students
FoundationCCC’s Success Center launched an interactive website in 2024, Five Barriers to Transfer for California Students: Why Coordination Is the Path Forward, in collaboration with the Chancellor’s Office and with support from the College Futures Foundation.
This tool leverages the latest data and research to address one of the most pressing issues facing California’s higher education system: the challenges students face in navigating their transfer pathway from community college to a four-year institution.
“I would ask my counselor, ‘Do I really need to take all of these courses [beyond outlined transfer requirements]?’ And she’s like, ‘You don’t, but yes, you do. At the same time, you need to be competitive, you need to stand out.” — Transfer Student, California Community Colleges
The resource identifies five systemic barriers impeding students’ ability to transfer efficiently and equitably. By breaking down these challenges, the platform offers actionable insights for educators, policymakers, and institutional leaders, emphasizing the need for greater coordination across California’s higher education ecosystem. It also positions California’s community colleges as a cornerstone for the state’s economic and social mobility efforts.
This initiative aligns with the California Community Colleges Vision 2030 priorities by:
- Enhancing workforce development through clear data that shows how improving transfer pathways can lead to more students earning degrees.
- Promoting equity in education by highlighting the impact of transfer barriers on marginalized groups, including first-generation, low-income, and undocumented students and advocating for systemic change.
- Ensuring the academic and career success of all Californians by providing resources to implement tailored solutions for opportunities statewide.
The Success Center is a strategic initiative of FoundationCCC, serving as a catalyst for systemic change across California’s community college system. Through its work, the Success Center advances FoundationCCC’s mission of improving student outcomes, fostering innovation, and advancing equity statewide.
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