How many students transfer from community colleges to 4-year colleges?

I'm trying to understand the likelihood of community college students making the jump to a four-year college. Does anyone know if there's a significant number of students transferring this way? What are the main hurdles they face in this process?

Quite a number of community college students do transfer to four-year institutions. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center tracked a cohort of students who first entered college in fall 2010 and found that within six years, about 39% of all students who started at a public two-year institution transferred to a four-year institution. However, only 14% of students completed a degree at a four-year institution within that timeframe.

One of the main hurdles faced by students looking to transfer from a community college to a four-year college is credit transfer. The course credits accumulated during the first two years of study at community colleges may not necessarily be accepted for equivalent courses at the four-year college. This can extend the period of study and increase costs, which may hinder some students' ability to transfer.

Another challenge could be meeting the admissions requirements of the four-year college. Some universities have competitive admissions for transfer students and they may require a higher GPA from transfer applicants than from high school applicants.

Lastly, adjusting to a new academic and social environment can also pose a challenge. The rigor of coursework often intensifies from community college to four-year institutions, which can be daunting. Plus, social integration can be more difficult for transfer students as they are entering an established environment.

It's essential for students planning to transfer to work with academic advisors at their community college and the four-year college to ensure a smooth transition. With early planning and careful selection of community college courses, many of these hurdles can be overcome to successfully make the transition to a four-year college.