Students' Sense Making of Higher Education Policies During the Vertical Transfer Process

Area of Science:

• Higher Education Policy
• Student Transfer Pathways
• Sense-making Theory

Background:

• A significant portion of students begin higher education at community colleges with the goal of earning a baccalaureate degree.
• Navigating transfer policies between institutions presents a complex challenge for many students aiming for a four-year degree.
• Existing research often overlooks the nuanced ways students interpret and act upon transfer policy information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how community college students interpret state transfer policies.
• To examine the influence of these interpretations on student behavior and transfer outcomes.
• To understand the role of sense-making theory in explaining student navigation of higher education policies.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal qualitative data collection over three years.
• In-depth interviews with community college students.
• Analysis of student interpretations of intersecting state transfer policies.

Main Results:

• Students' interpretation of transfer policies varied, falling into two primary patterns: procedural adherence or adaptive pathway creation.
• Competing institutional signals within the higher education context complicated students' understanding of policies.
• Student approaches to policy interpretation significantly impacted their success in transferring and achieving baccalaureate goals.

Conclusions:

• Student sense-making of transfer policies is a critical, yet often overlooked, factor in higher education.
• Tailored support and clearer communication of transfer policies are needed to aid community college students.
• Understanding student interpretation patterns can inform policy development and institutional practices to enhance transfer success.