Pathways and Place: Examining the Geography of Opportunity in Transfer Choice Sets

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 9:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Community College Transfer

Abstract

CCs serve as entry points for students seeking to complete a bachelor's degree. The study utilizes qualitative data and geographic mapping to understand community college students’ transfer choice sets within various geographic and economic contexts. Findings suggest that geography plays a variable role, with notable differences across marginalized populations and those from economically distressed development tiers. The study has significance for understanding the geography of opportunity related to socio-economic mobility and workforce development.

Authors

• Carmen Serrata, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Catherine Hartman, North Carolina State University

• Joanna D. Sanchez, Excelencia in Education

• Cathy Howell, University of North Carolina - Charlotte