Metric Four

Metric 4: Transfer Admissibility and First-Term Grade Point Average at Receiving USG Institutions

Student transfer to USG senior institutions is an integral part of the mission of the state college sector institutions of the University System of Georgia. Transfer is also important in SGSC's current Moving Forward: 2019-2024 Strategic Plan, Goal 3. The data below shows that for all academic years, most SGSC students who transfer out are enrolling at comprehensive universities rather than at another state college, indicating that they are either transferring upon graduation from SGSC or transferring before graduation from SGSC to pursue a bachelor's degree. In either case, students gaining admission to senior USG institutions and transferring from SGSC are considered to have been prepared at SGSC for admission to a USG institution with higher admissions requirements than those of SGSC.

The second year of the pandemic impacted the number of SGSC students transferring to other USG institutions (2021-22), especially to comprehensive and state universities. No one expected the pandemic to continue for as long as it did, and the impact has lingered. Students were questioning their plans to attain a four-year degree in the first place due to perceptions of rising costs, increased burdens of student debt, and a stronger labor market, even for unskilled workers.

Analysis and Evaluation of Metric 4

In terms of academic performance, the data below shows that the significant data point compares grade point averages in the last term at SGSC and the first term at the receiving institution. For all but the academic year 2020-2021, SGSC students transferring to other USG institutions achieved a higher first-term grade point average at receiving institutions than in their last term at SGSC. SGSC is preparing students well for the continuation of their academic endeavors. For the overall USG state college sector, higher (or the same) grade point averages have been achieved in the first term at receiving USG institutions for every academic year. Before FY 2021-22, at which time SGSC transfers had the highest average GPA in the state college sector at receiving institutions, the state college sector average GPAs had been higher than those of students transferring from SGSC. SGSC has highly active tutoring, STEM, writing, and student success centers on both campuses, as well as an expanding early alert system and residential student achievement program to provide students with the tools needed for academic success. The five-year average SGSC transfer students' first-term GPA at receiving institutions (2.80) is the minimal threshold of acceptability for 2022-23, but SGSC aspires to maintain the average at or above 2.90.