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What’s Wrong With Transfer?

About This Video

This animated explainer is part of a yearlong Chronicle visual series that highlights the challenges facing students from underrepresented and underserved communities. The series is part of the Different Voices of Student Success project, which is supported by the Ascendium Education Group.

The video was created and animated by Crudo Creative. The script was written by Graham Vyse, a Chronicle staff reporter, and edited by Maura Mahoney, a Chronicle senior editor. Erica Lusk, senior photo and media editor, directed the project. Carmen Mendoza, senior web producer, assisted with web production.

An overwhelming majority of community-college students hope to continue their education at a four-year institution, yet despite decades of concern and dedicated efforts to improve the process, transferring from a two-year to a four-year institution remains stubbornly problematic. Only a small number manage to make the leap — and an even tinier fraction eventually graduates. The transfer pathway is particularly difficult to navigate for those students who are low income, first generation, and/or from underrepresented backgrounds.

Why do these obstacles endure? And how can colleges do a better job eradicating the barriers standing in students’ way? Watch our explainer to gain a concise — yet comprehensive — understanding of the hurdles many transfer students encounter, and what can be done about them.