Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to focus on college counselors’ perspectives and insights when transferring credits from dual enrollment, advanced placement, and International Baccalaureate programs and the impact on at-promise groups in California.
Theoretical Framework. The CIPPO model, which consists of context, input, process, product, and outcomes, provided the conceptual lens and parameters for this study. The model was designed to assess programs, intended and unintended outcomes, and positive and negative outcomes.
Methodology. A phenomenological approach was used to explain the shared experiences of the college counselors’ perceptions of the credit transfer of the three college-bearing programs. Semistructured interviews with college counselors provided the data. Participants were recruited via email from multiple campuses in Southern California. All participants were from a Southern California community college.
Findings and Conclusions. Through the analysis of the data, three themes were developed from the significant statements and formulated meanings by the counselors. The overarching themes included implementation of practices, feeder school policies, and transferable credits. Together, these themes highlight the three college-bearing programs and the need for strong and consistent communication between feeder high schools, community colleges, and 4-year universities with strong discussion on transfer credit alignment.
Recommendations. This study confirmed the need to work with feeder patterns of the high schools, community colleges, and 4-year universities to enhance the alignment and transfer of credits for the students. Campuses need to actively encourage consistency and support counselor endeavors to align their knowledge, policies, and expectations for the college-bearing programs. If the college campus has an academic probation policy by which students with Ds and Fs are not allowed to take the next course in the program until they have remediated for forgiveness the first course and have attended a tutoring program, the feeder high school and the college campus should have the same academic probation policy instead of waiving the policy because they are in high school. The reinforcement of expectations and systems across the feeder pattern would limit the number of students who do not receive the credits or are financially impacted by the failure to pass.