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Transfer rates this year for PCC students to California universities have dropped by nearly 20 percent compared to last year, according to Dina Chase, Director of degree and transfer services.

PCC only transferred 1,475 students to the University of California and to the California State University’s in the 2012-2013 year. “The school sent 572 students to UCs and 903 students to Cal States,” said Chase. As for the transfer data for the 2012-2013 to independent and out-of-state institution, the numbers have not yet been released.

PCC, which transferred 1,834 students in the 2011-2012 year, dropped from fourth in transfers to fifth in the state.

The decrease in transfer rates is not something only affecting PCC but other Community Colleges as well, said Chase.

The decline in transfer rates can be attributed to a number of things, according to Cynthia Olivo, dean of Counseling. The admission preferences of the CSU system, which gives students applying from designated service areas preference and enforces higher admission requirements for students applying from outside their service area, have contributed to the decline, she said.

“Our local CSUs are Cal State LA and CSU Northridge. Our students have to meet slightly higher admission requirements for nearly every CSU,” Olivo said.

The amount of applicants and international students might also play a role, Olivo said.

“The college that has the most transfers to the UC system—Santa Monica College—had over 1,000 applicants to nearly each UC school,” Olivo said. “Coincidentally, they have three times the amount of international students enrolled at their college than PCC. International students pay nearly four times the amount of in-state fees and are on a strict timeframe to complete transfer goals.”

To help boost transfer rates, Olivo said PCC is in the process of implementing an automated degree auditing system. Colleges with higher transfer rates have an automated degree auditing system, which allows the college to counsel students and identify if they have met transfer requirements electronically.

“It helps support and remind students about the transfer process,” Olivo said. “Students are also able to use the system to monitor their own progress.”

Some students who plan on transferring feel that the some of the problem lies within the current system not having enough counselors and believe an automated degree auditing system would greatly help.

Keanu Moningka, communications, who is planning on transferring, has not visited the counselors office because of how busy it can get. He thinks an automated degree auditing system would be more helpful to students.

“I’ve never spoken to my counselor,” he said. “I’m just winging it and taking classes which I know will help me transfer.”

Paola Munoz, biochemistry, who plans on transferring to UC Riverside, has also never visited a counselor and feels an automated degree auditing system would better help guide students toward their transfer goals. “It’s usually really busy,” said Munoz.  “I’m kind of just going with the list of classes I need to take to transfer and later I’ll go see a counselor.”

Paul Ochoa
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7 Replies to “PCC transfer rates drop 20 percent”

  1. Are we supposed to be surprised by this news? It’s almost comical to read how the cult of admin make excuse upon excuse but simply do not admit that WE LOST STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY KILLED WINTER!

  2. So, per Dean Olivo, our transfer degrees actually make it harder for our students to transfer? Good thing we went through all the trouble of putting those programs together.

  3. LOL. Anything would be better than the dysfunctional counseling system set up now. More training for the councilors wouldn’t hurt either. The real cause though. Not offering enough general ed. classes and directing students to take useless classes just to get priority registration. winning!

  4. The sad news that transfer rates are 20% below previous levels reflects the woeful mismanagement of the college calendar. The college has been found to be in violation of the law. President Rocha was warned on many occasions that unilateral and illegal cancellation of winter would be disastrous for students. He refused to listen to students and faculty, and now we all suffer. Is it any wonder that there have been three votes of no confidence against him, and that the Pasadena Weekly named him “turkey of the year’ for cancelling winter and putting severe hardship on students? How long with this blatant disregard for students and faculty continue? When will the institutional bleeding stop?

    1. I fully agree, but would add that it’s not just mismanagement of the calendar: I’d add NCNs, block scheduling, realignment, the pre-req and registration blunders–all hurt students. No wonder our numbers are down; who wants to come to a college where the administration actively works against you?

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