Guided Pathways and the Pursuit of Post-Transfer Success
Location
SU-215
Start Date
1-5-2026 10:10 AM
Department
Mathematics
Abstract
In the United States, over 43.1 million individuals are identified as Some College, No Credential (SCNC) students who began higher education but left before degree completion. Within this population is a subset known as Undergraduate Reverse Transfer Students (URTSs), defined as students who transfer from a four-year institution to a two-year institution prior to baccalaureate degree attainment. In Illinois, URTSs account for roughly one-fifth of all four-year students, yet nearly half of the state’s non-degree persisting population. The most recent statewide data indicate that among approximately 8,000 reverse transfer students, only 51% subsequently returned to a four-year institution, and just 24% earned a bachelor’s degree. Existing literature points to both structural barriers and institutional supports, yet how these factors interact across students’ trajectories is not fully understood. We hypothesize that URTSs who engage in Programmatic Learning Environments (PLEs)—structured academic pathways that integrate cohort models, advising, peer instruction, and professional development—may develop a stronger sense of belonging, which in turn is associated with improved persistence and post-transfer outcomes. Utilizing a qualitative multiple-case study design and an Appreciative Inquiry framework, we conducted interviews with seven engineering URTSs at a community college. Data were analyzed using Iterative Thematic Inquiry (ITI) to identify recurring patterns across cases. Each case was bounded from initial four-year enrollment through reverse transfer, PLE participation, and post-transfer outcomes where applicable. Analysis using Iterative Thematic Inquiry revealed belonging as a central theme. Across six cases, participants highlighted contrasts between their four-year and two-year experiences, identifying limited academic support, lack of community, financial strain, and major uncertainty as factors influencing reverse transfer. In contrast, the two-year PLE environment was characterized by accessible resources, structured guidance, peer networks, and consistent advising. The seventh case extends these findings longitudinally, tracing a student’s full trajectory from university departure to reverse transfer, participation in the PLE at ABC College, and return to a four-year institution, where the student secured a full-time employment offer prior to graduation. These findings suggest that structured two-year supports may foster belonging and confidence that extend beyond transition periods, shaping long-term academic and professional persistence.
Faculty Sponsor
Doris Espiritu
Guided Pathways and the Pursuit of Post-Transfer Success
SU-215
In the United States, over 43.1 million individuals are identified as Some College, No Credential (SCNC) students who began higher education but left before degree completion. Within this population is a subset known as Undergraduate Reverse Transfer Students (URTSs), defined as students who transfer from a four-year institution to a two-year institution prior to baccalaureate degree attainment. In Illinois, URTSs account for roughly one-fifth of all four-year students, yet nearly half of the state’s non-degree persisting population. The most recent statewide data indicate that among approximately 8,000 reverse transfer students, only 51% subsequently returned to a four-year institution, and just 24% earned a bachelor’s degree. Existing literature points to both structural barriers and institutional supports, yet how these factors interact across students’ trajectories is not fully understood. We hypothesize that URTSs who engage in Programmatic Learning Environments (PLEs)—structured academic pathways that integrate cohort models, advising, peer instruction, and professional development—may develop a stronger sense of belonging, which in turn is associated with improved persistence and post-transfer outcomes. Utilizing a qualitative multiple-case study design and an Appreciative Inquiry framework, we conducted interviews with seven engineering URTSs at a community college. Data were analyzed using Iterative Thematic Inquiry (ITI) to identify recurring patterns across cases. Each case was bounded from initial four-year enrollment through reverse transfer, PLE participation, and post-transfer outcomes where applicable. Analysis using Iterative Thematic Inquiry revealed belonging as a central theme. Across six cases, participants highlighted contrasts between their four-year and two-year experiences, identifying limited academic support, lack of community, financial strain, and major uncertainty as factors influencing reverse transfer. In contrast, the two-year PLE environment was characterized by accessible resources, structured guidance, peer networks, and consistent advising. The seventh case extends these findings longitudinally, tracing a student’s full trajectory from university departure to reverse transfer, participation in the PLE at ABC College, and return to a four-year institution, where the student secured a full-time employment offer prior to graduation. These findings suggest that structured two-year supports may foster belonging and confidence that extend beyond transition periods, shaping long-term academic and professional persistence.