The Meritocracy of Transfer: Admissions Requirements and Racial Disparities in Transfer to Public Universities

• In Event: Tackling Transfer: Community Colleges, Summer Melt, Rurality, and Public Universities

Abstract

Transfer has been suggested as a way to ameliorate persistent racial disparities in undergraduate enrollment at public research universities. This paper examines transfer application requirements as potential barriers to enrollment at selective public universities, particularly for racially minoritized students. Using national panel data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, we use random effects regression analysis to examine the relationships of merit thresholds on transfer rates by race and ethnicity. We find that increases in minimum academic thresholds had significant and varying associations by race, particularly negative associations with Black and Hispanic transfer rates and positive associations with Asian transfer rates.

Authors

• George Spencer, New York University
  Presenting Author

• Renni Turpin, University of Georgia
  Presenting Author

• Nyasha Hamilton, University of Georgia
  Presenting Author