CSU encourages community college students to sign up for Transfer Success Pathway program
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As the new academic year approaches, the California State University system is encouraging recent high school graduates who plan to attend community college to consider enrolling in the Transfer Success Pathway, a program designed to simplify and strengthen the transfer process to a CSU campus.
The dual admission program guarantees participating students admission to a selected CSU campus and eligible program if they complete all requirements within three years.
"The other great thing about this program is it connects students early with the interested California State Universities, so the California State Universities know who those students are once they start community college," said April Gromo, assistant vice chancellor for strategic enrollment management. "So it helps them in connecting with them, providing support for them."
Students who wish to participate must sign up during their first semester of community college, between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31.
All 22 CSU campuses participate in the program, although not every major is available through the pathway.
Gromo said the program was developed in response to statewide data showing that many students who hope to transfer from community colleges never complete the process.
"All of the data within the state of California shows that only about one in five students that start at a community college that are interested in transferring actually do so," Gromo said. "So we're really trying to make sure that we are connecting with those students on the transfer pathway way earlier in the process, so that we can help them."
Once enrolled, students are paired with their chosen CSU campus and receive support throughout their community college experience.
That can include academic advising, transfer planning assistance and invitations to campus events.
"They may schedule semester by semester appointments with them, invite them to events or online events at that CSU campus to help them through that transfer process and kind of get connected to the CSU that they're interested in earlier," Gromo said.
CSU officials say the program is also intended to help students transfer more efficiently, reducing the risk of exhausting financial aid eligibility before completing a bachelor's degree.
"We want students to be able to make sure that they have financial aid left, so that when they transfer, they still have Pell Grant or Cal Grant left," Gromo said. "Because students that stay at the community college for six years end up using most of their financial aid, and by the time they get to us, it's harder for them to finish. So we really want them to get through that process as quickly and as efficiently as possible."
Students can sign the Transfer Success Pathway agreement through the CSU Transfer Planner and begin building their transfer plan during their first semester of community college.
You can learn more by clicking here.
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