Social Capital and Transfer Student Success: A Comparison of Community College Transfers and Lateral Transfers

• In Event: Transfer Student Success in Higher Education

Abstract

This quantitative study utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques to examine the relationship between college social capital and transfer students’ GPA. College social capital was measured through students’ interaction with institutional agents (e.g., faculty members, advisors, counselors, etc.). The SEM model was tested in a sample of 561 transfer students enrolled in a four-year, research-intensive, public, four-year university in Louisiana. The author further conducted the multi-group invariance test to compare the model results across two sub-groups: community college transfers and lateral transfers. Findings indicated the significant role of social capital in influencing transfer students’ GPA. Although several group differences were detected, the influences of social capital on students’ GPA were statistically identical for community college transfers and lateral transfers.

Author

• Yu Chen, Louisiana State University