The Effect of Articulation Agreements on Community College Transfers and Bachelor’s Degree Attainment

• In Event: Influences on the Transition From Community Colleges to Four-Year Institutions

Abstract

Over the past few decades, community colleges have seen unparalleled gains in enrolment. These increases have brought about a shift in focus toward transfer to four-year institutions, as well as the development of articulation agreements. Established in order to ease the transfer process from community colleges to four-year institutions, these agreements currently exist in more than 30 states. Via two-level, hierarchical linear modeling, this paper examines the student and school level characteristics of community colleges that affect transfer and bachelor’s degree attainment rates, as well as the impact of articulation agreements. Ultimately, while articulation agreements are not found to yield a significant effect on transfer rates, they are found to have significant, positive effects on bachelor’s degree attainment rates.

Author

• Jonathan M.B. Stern, Vanderbilt University