How does the transfer rate compare for community college students vs high school students?

I'm debating between going straight to a university from high school or starting at a community college first. Can someone explain if there's a significant difference in transfer rates or success rates for each path?

When considering the path from high school to four-year college versus the community college to four-year-college route, it's important to look at the success rates in terms of completion of a bachelor's degree.

A report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center states that about 46% of students who start at a four-year college right after high school finish their bachelor's degree in six years, as compared to 13% of those starting at a community college. Keep in mind, these numbers do not take into account the reasons why students might not complete their degree, such as finances or other personal issues, and not every student who starts at a community college intends to get a bachelor's degree. So these overall averages might not give a complete picture.

Additionally, some university systems have articulation agreements with community colleges that guarantee admission to the university for students who have completed an associate degree or met certain course requirements. This can make the transfer process smoother for community college students and increase their likelihood of success at the university. In fact, according to the Community College Research Center, about 46% of all students who completed a 4-year degree had been enrolled at a 2-year institution at some point in the past 10 years. So while starting at a community college might delay obtaining a bachelor's degree, it is not an unusual or unsuccessful path.

It's important to mention that your personal circumstances, goals, and factors such as finances, preparation for university-level work, and the quality of the community colleges and four-year colleges available to you will also play huge roles in determining what path is best for you. So while these numbers can provide some context, the "right" answer will be different for each individual.