MI Transfer Pathways: Are they Affordable and Navigable for Michiganders?

A functioning and equitable college transfer pipeline can help students to lower college costs, minimize student debt, and get credit toward a four-year degree. These benefits are crucial for students and families who pursue postsecondary education for upward economic mobility. However, in the face of a complex maze of policies and practices that students need to navigate to get credit for completed coursework, less than a quarter of students who enter community colleges with the explicit intention to move on to a four-year degree successfully transfer.  

Our new primer on student transfer options in Michigan provides an in-depth review of the myths and realities transfer students face in the state, proven national strategies to improve transfer success, and the impact of Michigan’s current transfer policies on students, institutions, and the state workforce. The primer also offers recommendations for increased transfer affordability and completion tailored to the higher education system in Michigan.