TRANSFER STUDENTS

For many students, community college is just the first step of a post-secondary education.

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College has long been a great place for students to acquire a transferable two-year associate degree. Many students earn these degrees and transfer to any number of public or private colleges or universities.

“It’s not a secret that the cost of higher education has gone up,” said President Spalding. “It’s certainly more and more important to make sure that the program you’re pursuing is going to provide a reasonable return on investment.”

For many parents, it is increasingly difficult to figure out how they will be able to afford the cost of the college degree for their children. The rising costs of a college education present barriers to even middle class families.

“Students are savvy consumers, and they’re seeking a two-year degree as a means of scaffolding their credentials in ways that make sense for them,” said Janet Spriggs, the College’s chief operating officer and leader of the new Division of Student Success and Service Excellence. “More and more, students are customizing their education.”

Long gone are the days where the only path to a four-year degree was to go directly to a university. In fact, nearly half of all students graduating with a four-year degree in the 2013-14 school year had some experience within a two-year institution. High-quality and affordably priced classes are persuading more students to begin their quest for a bachelor’s degree at a community college.

“About half of all Rowan-Cabarrus students intend to transfer and complete a Bachelor of Arts,” said Spriggs. “Our 18:1 faculty-student ratio means that our instructors – educated with a minimum of a master’s degree – can give each student the individual attention they deserve.”

Making the transfer process seamless and painless for students has become a big focus for the College. More and more students are transferring to earn bachelor’s degrees – in fact, the College has had an increase of three percent from last year, and an average increase of more than six percent over the last five years.

Rowan-Cabarrus also tends to prepare students better for their coursework at their ultimate transfer institution. For instance, 64 percent of Rowan-Cabarrus transfer students had a first year GPA of 2.5 or higher versus 56 percent for the system average.