Denver, May 9, 2003 – Colorado community college students transferring to the University of Colorado’s (CU) Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs campuses compare “favorably to that of transfers from other institutions and first-time freshman at all three of CU’s general campuses,” according to a CU study.
The Community College Transfer Study, completed last fall by CU’s Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs campuses, confirmed that the academic performance of Colorado community college transfer students from 13 state system community colleges and two local district community colleges is a “record of success.” The study considered the performance and relative success of 18,635 students who entered the three CU general campuses as undergraduates between the summer of 1995 through the spring of 1997. The review included 2,333 community college transfer students, 6,253 transfers from mostly four-year institutions and 10,049 first-time CU freshmen. The study considered first term and degree grade point average as well as the percentage of transfer and native students graduating.
“The overwhelming observation to be made based on these data is the recognition that students transferring from community colleges to CU’s campuses…can and do succeed,” according to the study’s executive summary.
The study’s findings revealed several important facts:
- Community college students transferring to the Boulder campus graduate with an average GPA essentially the same as those of native students;
- Community college transfer students to the Colorado Springs campus have higher first-term GPAs and graduate with GPAs nearly identical to other students. Additionally, community college transfer students graduate at a higher rate than do native students;
- At UCD, 51 percent of community college transfer students graduate compared to 40 percent of native students.
“This record of success is a trend we want to continue and upon which we would like to build,” said CU President Elizabeth Hoffman in a letter to Joe D. May, president of the Colorado Community College System.
“We have long valued our collaboration with the University of Colorado System and I am sincerely gratified that this data reflects the success rates community college students have when transferring to Colorado’s largest university system,” May said.
The Colorado Community College System comprises the state's largest system of higher education. It oversees career and academic programs in the 13 state community colleges and career and technical programs in more than 150 school districts and seven other post-secondary institutions.
Otero Junior College is a member of the Colorado Community College System. According to Jim Rizzuto, President of Otero Junior College, the recent CU study confirms statistics that Otero Junior College has compiled over the years on the success of OJC students who transfer to CU and other 4-year colleges and universities. “We have known for a number of years that OJC graduates’ GPAs rank in the top percentage of graduates at CU and other 4-year institutions in Colorado. I think we can attribute that success to the solid foundation they receive at OJC from smaller class sizes, one-on-one attention from instructors, and the efforts of our counseling staff who work with students to enroll them in classes that will transfer and be a basis for their bachelor degrees,” said Rizzuto.
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