A comparative study of transfer students from a new Texas junior college and native students at seven universities

The purpose of this study was to acquire information about the transfer of students from a newly organized junior college in Texas to four-year colleges or universities. The basic question considered was: Did junior college students who transferred to a senior institution do as well academically as those students who enrolled at a senior institution immediately following their high school graduation? In an effort to answer this question, the fifth and sixth semester GPA's and junior year GPA of students who attended a junior college for less than two years (Group II), students who attended a junior college for two years (Group III), and students who graduated from the same high schools as did a majority of the junior college students but went directly to a university (Group I) were compared to determine possible differences in academic achievement. The research question investigated was: Did the mean grade-point average (GPA) of Groups I, II, and III differ significantly during the fifth and sixth semesters (junior year) of college work? To determine whether the GPA's of the three groups were statistically significantly different, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were computed. As a result of these computations, it was found that Group I earned a significantly higher GPA during the fifth and sixth semesters and during the total junior year than did Groups II and III. The measured differences among the groups were so low, however, that they were described as being of little practical consequence. It was concluded, therefore, that the junior college students were well prepared, and that they were successful in their junior year of university work when compared to students who entered a university as freshmen. Other findings were: (1) No statistically significant difference was found in academic talent among the three groups as expressed by high school grade average, rank in high school graduation class, or ACT composite standard score. (2) High school grade average, junior college GPA, and ACT composite score correlated significantly with senior college GPA. (3) Junior college GPA was the most effective predictor of academic success at the university level for those students who had attended the junior college. (4) No statistically significant difference was found in the number of students in each group studied who were placed on academic probation or suspension during their junior year of university study. (5) The junior college GPA of those students who attended the junior college did not differ significantly from GPA earned at a university during the junior year of college. (6) There was no measurable difference between the lower division grades of the students who went directly from high school to a university and those students who completed their lower division academic work at a junior college. Recommendations presented for future research included: (1) The junior college should conduct a follow-up study to this investigation to compare the academic accomplishments of the three groups after four years of college study. (2) The junior college should replicate this study at least every four years. (3) Future research should identify adjustment factors involved in a student's transfer from junior college to senior institution. (4) Future investigations should attempt to measure differences in academic motivation between transfer and native students. (5) The junior college should survey former students who enrolled in a senior college transfer program who did not matriculate at a senior institution.