The Academic Performance of Transfers from Blue Ridge Community College at

.
The Academic Performance of Transfers from
Blue Ridge Community College at
James Madison University
1992-93 to 2011-12
Conducted by:
Frank J. Doherty, Ph.D.
October 2013
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 1 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Results ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Discussion .............................................................................................................................................................. 17 THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF TRANSFERS
FROM BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY, 2011-12
Introduction
The college-parallel transfer program is a central aspect of the mission of the Virginia Community College
System. While tuition increases moderated in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the budget crisis in the
Commonwealth in the last few years resulted in significant tuition increases. Tuition in Virginia’s public higher
education institutions is among the highest in the nation, resulting in students who are forced to take out large
loans to afford a college education. The importance of the college transfer program has increased because of
the quality of instruction provided, the greatly reduced price of the first two years of instruction at the community
colleges, and increasing demands of Virginia citizens for higher education. National data have shown that the
1
average college graduate earns $11,000+ more annually than a person with an associate’s degree . If a student
lives at home and attends classes at a Virginia community college, the cost of his or her first two years would be
approximately one third of that which is required at the Virginia senior institutions. The costs are so much lower
because a community college student does not pay the fees that a student at the four-year institutions pays.
BRCC is an attractive alternative for people in a baccalaureate program because of the focus on teaching and
the undiluted concentration on lower division general education. Finally, the community college is a good
alternative for the more mature student to begin his or her education because of the more individual attention and
the more convenient times the courses are offered. Close proximity to senior institutions like JMU is a distinct
advantage for the BRCC transfer.
The college transfer program has been offered at Blue Ridge Community College for more than 35 years. The
college maintains close partnerships with Virginia's public senior institutions because the college parallel transfer
program is designed to prepare students to transfer successfully to the senior institutions. Many Virginia fouryear institutions and BRCC have articulation agreements that enable transfers with the associate’s degree to be
exempted from general studies courses at the four-year institution. More than 2,000 students who attended
BRCC have enrolled in these institutions since 1993-94. Numerous studies conducted by this author (19) for
Blue Ridge Community College, two other community colleges, and at James Madison University since 1984
have demonstrated conclusively that a student who performs well academically at a Virginia community college
can perform well at the Virginia senior institutions.
In 1988 the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) mandated that the Virginia community
colleges annually study the academic performance of their transfers at the Virginia senior institutions. SCHEV
guidelines require senior institutions to annually share information on transfer students with Virginia's statesupported two-year colleges. The purpose of this annual report continues to be to describe the results of an
analysis of the academic performance of BRCC transfers at James Madison University between 1992-93 and
2011-12. Next year we anticipate continuing the study other four-year institutions in which BRCC students enroll.
This year most of the tables were reorganized to display results by blocks of years. The purpose was to
determine whether the performance of transfers has improved over the years, especially in most recent years.
1
“Median Annual Income, by Level of Education, 1990-2010 –
http://www.infoplease.ccom/ipa/A0883617)
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
2
Research Questions
The following research questions have been developed and refined during the 18 years of this study.
•
How many former BRCC students were enrolled at JMU during the 1992-93 to 2011-12 regular
sessions? What percentage of the BRCC transfers to JMU transferred 30 or more credit hours?
•
What percentage of the transfers had a BRCC GPA greater than or equal to 2.750? How well did the
transfer students performed academically at JMU? What is the academic status of the transfers? What
is the average GPA of students JMU? What is the average GPA of the transfers in each discipline area
at JMU?
•
How does the average BRCC GPA compare with the other VCCS colleges (third time this year)?
•
What percentage of 2000-01 through 2008-09 transfers graduated from JMU by August 2013? How
does the BRCC rate compare with the other VCCS colleges?
•
How do BRCC students who would have enrolled at JMU under the “Guaranteed Admissions
Agreement” perform at JMU?
The methodology employed to answer these research questions is described below.
Methodology
The State Council of Higher Education directed the Virginia public senior institutions to develop data sharing
agreements with two-year institutions that transferred 5 or more students to the senior institution beginning with
the 1988-89 academic year. Blue Ridge Community College developed agreements with many senior
institutions.
Each institution provides student-identifiable information to BRCC as long as BRCC agrees to comply with the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as it applies to the sharing of data. Releases or waivers
from individual students were not required under this arrangement. The focus of this study is primarily on
students who took 30 or more credits at BRCC and transferred to JMU. BRCC faculty members believe that only
these students should be considered BRCC transfers. The data analysis was performed on a microcomputer
using Microsoft Access®, Microsoft Excel®, Tableau® and SPSS®.
As in studies conducted in 1995 through 2011, the large tables are placed in appendices. Due to the
confidentiality of the data in the appendices, this report will not contain appendices when it is shared with other
institutions.
Results
As in past studies, the results are presented in a format that relates the findings to the guiding research
questions. Each question presented in the introduction is stated again and is followed by tables and explanations
that relate to it.
•
How many former BRCC students were enrolled at JMU during the 1992-93 to 2011-12 regular
sessions? What percentage of the BRCC transfers to JMU transferred 30 or more credit hours?
Table 1 shows the number of credits accepted by JMU between 1992-23 and 2011-12. From 1992-93 to 199798 66 percent of the transfers had 30 or more BRCC credits. By 2011-12 this percentage had increased to 86
percent. These data clearly demonstrate that the BRCC transfers are earning more credits at BRCC and are
more likely to have the Associate’s degree than in 1992-93.
3
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Hours >=30
Hours < 30
Grand Total
Percent >=
30
07-08 to
11-12
11-12
10-11
09-10
08-09
07-08
02-03 to
06-07
97-98 to
01-02
Hours
Transferred
Prior to
97-98
Table 1
Transfers from BRCC to JMU by Number of BRCC Credits Taken
1992-93 to 2011-12
Grand
Total
211
109
320
303
88
391
506
92
598
120
21
141
122
19
141
107
13
120
101
28
129
150
24
174
600
105
705
1,620
394
2,014
66%
77%
85%
85%
87%
89%
78%
86%
85%
80%
•
What percentage of the transfers to JMU had a BRCC GPA greater than or equal to 3.00? How well have
the transfer students performed academically at JMU? What is the academic status of the transfers? What
is the average GPA of students at JMU? What is the average GPA of the transfers in each discipline area at
JMU?
•
How does the average BRCC GPA compare with the other VCCS colleges?
These are important questions because they relate to the primary assessment concern, the academic
performance of the students. Table 2 shows that the percentage of BRCC transfers to JMU with a BRCC GPA
>= 3.000 since 1992-93 varied from a high of 90 percent in 2010-11 to a low of 49 percent in 1997-98. When
viewed in five-year blocks, the percent of transfers with GPAs >=3.000 increased from 64 percent in 1992-93 to
1996-97 to 82 percent in 2007-08 to 2011-12.
Table 2
Number and Percentage of JMU Transfers with BRCC GPA>=3.00 and BRCC Credits >=30
Year (group)
Prior to 97-98
97-98 to 00-01
02-03 to 06-07
11
>=3.000
21
Grand Total
32
Percent
>=3.000
66%
9394
8
17
25
68%
9495
13
35
48
73%
9596
23
33
56
59%
9697
21
29
50
58%
Total
76
135
211
64%
9798
29
28
57
49%
9899
24
27
52
52%
9900
22
35
57
61%
0001
23
36
59
61%
0102
35
44
79
56%
Total
133
170
303
56%
0203
30
70
100
70%
0304
18
46
64
72%
0405
22
86
108
80%
0506
28
76
104
73%
0607
43
87
130
67%
Total
141
365
506
72%
Year
9293
<3.000
4
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Year (group)
07-08 to 11-12
34
>=3.000
86
Grand Total
120
Percent
>=3.000
72%
0809
25
97
122
80%
0910
21
86
107
80%
1011
10
91
101
90%
1112
21
129
150
86%
Total
111
489
600
82%
461
1,159
1,620
72%
Year
0708
<3.000
Grand Total
Table 3 displays the GPA ranges at JMU in ranges of years. Prior to 1997-98 33.2 percent of the transfers
had an average GPA less than or equal to 2.50. Between 2007-08 and 2011-12 the percentage with an
average GPA less than or equal to 2.50 declined to 25.7 percent. The percentage of transfers with a GPA
greater than 3.000 prior to 1997-98 increased from 42.6 percent to 48.9 percent between 2007-08 and
2011-12.
Table 3
GPA Earned at JMU
First Enrolled During 1992-93 through 2011-12
Transfers with BRCC Credits >=30
Prior to 97-98
GPA Ranges
HC
Percent
97-98 to 01-02
HC
Percent
02-03 to 06-07
HC
Percent
07-08 to 11-12
HC
Percent
Grand Total
HC
Percent
4.000 - 3.501
38
18.0%
42
13.86%
73
14.34%
136
22.55%
289
17.77%
3.500 - 3.001
52
24.6%
58
19.14%
122
23.97%
159
26.37%
391
24.05%
3.000 - 2.501
51
24.2%
78
25.74%
140
27.50%
153
25.37%
422
25.95%
2.500 - 2.001
36
17.0%
66
21.78%
85
16.70%
86
14.26%
273
16.79%
2.000 - 1.501
24
11.4%
29
9.57%
49
9.63%
34
5.64%
136
8.36%
1.500 - 1.001
4
1.9%
16
5.28%
14
2.75%
15
2.49%
49
3.01%
1.000 or Less
6
2.9%
14
4.62%
26
5.11%
20
3.32%
66
4.06%
Grand Total
211
303
509
603
1,626
<=2.50
70
33.2%
125
41.3%
174
34.2%
155
25.7%
524
32.2%
Between
3.001 and
4.000
90
42.6%
100
33.0%
195
38.3%
295
48.9%
680
41.8%
5
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Table 4
Average GPA, First Enrolled Year at JMU
BRCC and Other Virginia Two-Year Institutions
Thirty or More Credits Transferred to JMU, Irregardless of Source
Prev School BRCC and
Other
Prior to 0203
0203 to 0607
0708 to 1112
Grand Total
Blue Ridge C C
Headcount
145
619
695
1,459
Blue Ridge C C
GPA
2.75
2.81
2.95
2.87
Other 2-Year
Headcount
387
1,205
1,547
3,139
Other 2-Year
GPA
2.66
2.71
2.81
2.75
Table 4 shows the average GPA at JMU in blocks of years. This GPA is for their first year at JMU. The average
GPA of the BRCC transfers prior to 2002-03 increased from 2.75 to 2.95 between 2007-08 to 2011-12. The
overall GPA for the BRCC transfers since 1992-93 is 2.87. The overall GPA for the 3,139 other Virginia two-year
institution transfers was 2.75. The average GPA of BRCC transfers was higher than for transfers from the other
two-year institutions.
Table 5 compares the average GPAs of transfers by gender and by institution (BRCC vs. all other two-year
Virginia institutions). For the students that transferred 30 or more credits, the women’s average GPA was higher
than the men’s at both BRCC and the other Virginia two-year institutions. The average GPA’s of men and
women from BRCC exceeded those of students from the other two-year institutions.
6
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
The average GPA of male BRCC transfers increased from 2.76 in 2002-03 to 2.85 from 2007-08 to 2011-12.
Female BRCC transfers average GPA increased from 2.88 to 3.06 during this same time period. The average
GPAs of BRCC males and females were greater than from the other two-year institutions.
Table 5
Average GPA by Gender, BRCC Transfers, and
Number of Credit Hours Transferred to JMU
2002-03 to 2011-12 Transfers
Blue Ridge
>=30
>=30
HC
GPA
Other 2-Year
<30
HC
<30
>=30
GPA
HC
>=30
<30
GPA
<30
Gender
Year (group)
Male
0203 to 0607
354
2.76
8
2.80
635
2.64
HC
68
GPA
2.55
Male
0708 to 1112
371
2.85
11
2.32
837
2.76
46
2.67
Male
Total
725
2.81
19
2.54
1,472
2.71
114
2.60
Female
0203 to 0607
264
2.88
11
3.01
566
2.78
47
2.72
Female
0708 to 1112
324
3.06
17
3.06
702
2.87
58
2.88
Female
Total
588
2.98
28
3.04
1,268
2.83
105
2.82
7
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Table 6 below compares the average GPAs for BRCC and other Virginia two-year institutions by the major
in which they first enrolled at JMU. The majors in which the BRCC transfers had higher GPAs are
highlighted in yellow.
Table 6
Average GPA by JMU Major Discipline
BRCC and Other Virginia Two-Year Institutions
2002 to 2011-12
0203 to 0607
BRCC
Hour
s At
JMU
Accounting
Anthropology
Art and Art History
Major Name
Other VCCS
GPA
Hour
s At
JMU
435
3.01
332
2.78
372
3.26
Athletic Training
Biology
550
2.49
Chemistry
Communication
Sciences
Communication
Studies
Computer Information
Systems
Computer Science
Dietetics
007-08 to 1112
Other VCCS
GPA
Hour
s At
JMU
GPA
BRCC
GPA
Other
2Year
GPA
304
2.76
1,370
2.87
2.91
2.85
0.06
86
2.87
377
2.71
2.80
2.81
(0.01)
667
3.39
1,466
3.22
3.34
3.14
0.20
161
2.86
2.66
1,528
2.52
2.58
2.44
0.14
2.2
154
2.34
2.14
2.58
(0.44)
388
2.97
2.86
3.04
(0.18)
2.74
2.58
0.16
GPA
Hour
s At
JMU
1,019
2.82
369
2.91
900
3.01
129
2.69
1,115
2.34
664
243
2.74
116
Diff
Positiv
e#=
BRCC
2.79
213
2.86
591
3.09
287
2.73
452
2.69
639
2.75
727
2.51
239
2.91
819
2.58
294
2.51
1,159
2.75
2.69
2.68
0.01
377
3.15
677
2.64
552
2.85
1,229
2.78
2.97
2.73
0.24
96
2.71
396
2.86
104
3.23
538
3.21
2.98
3.06
(0.08)
57
3.27
3.27
2.82
0.45
2.71
2.52
0.19
Earth Science
Economics
BRCC
0203 to 1112
Total GPA and
Difference
218
2.74
491
2.39
Engineering
423
2.66
238
2.7
2.70
English
740
3
1,460
2.92
494
3.07
1,055
3.03
3.03
2.96
0.07
Finance
813
2.93
1,511
2.9
396
2.74
1,088
2.74
2.87
2.83
0.04
Foreign Languages
158
3.49
255
3.28
114
3.14
149
3.53
3.34
3.37
(0.03)
General and Individual
Studies
204
2.78
556
2.78
319
3.02
318
2.86
2.93
2.81
0.12
Geography
190
3.04
422
3.03
228
2.96
165
2.99
3.00
3.02
(0.02)
276
2.82
127
2.9
348
2.7
2.90
2.75
0.15
717
2.96
1,144
2.71
930
2.79
1,685
2.65
2.87
2.67
0.20
111
2.41
81
2.8
260
2.6
3.05
2.54
0.51
Geology
Health Sciences
Health Service Admin
History
461
2.57
832
2.56
771
2.95
1,326
2.89
2.81
2.76
0.05
Hotel Tourism MGT
305
2.9
400
2.76
52
3.1
523
2.55
2.93
2.64
0.29
Integrated Science
and Technology
276
2.89
311
2.35
324
2.9
639
2.84
2.90
2.68
0.22
127
2.81
Intelligence Analysis
2.81
Interdisciplinary
Liberal Studies
716
3.01
1,063
2.59
1,154
3.1
1,803
2.84
3.06
2.75
0.31
International Affairs
128
3.15
347
2.45
183
3.03
563
2.61
3.08
2.55
0.53
International Business
109
3.12
345
2.47
69
2.8
379
2.54
3.00
2.51
0.49
8
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
0203 to 0607
BRCC
007-08 to 1112
Other VCCS
BRCC
0203 to 1112
Total GPA and
Difference
Other VCCS
BRCC
GPA
Other
2Year
GPA
Diff
Positiv
e#=
BRCC
2.63
2.57
2.48
0.09
1,918
2.75
2.79
2.66
0.13
2.79
2,218
2.83
2.69
2.75
(0.06)
341
2.83
1,448
2.78
2.78
2.73
0.05
2.62
81
3.39
430
2.59
3.01
2.60
0.41
752
2.76
372
2.69
759
2.99
2.62
2.87
(0.25)
3.05
214
2.98
51
3.72
397
3.4
3.37
3.25
180
2.7
385
2.99
820
3.37
1,175
3.04
3.25
3.03
0.22
Philosophy and
Religion
151
2.88
281
2.95
68
3.01
300
3.14
2.92
3.05
(0.13)
Physics
104
2.33
126
2.5
110
2.98
139
2.83
2.66
2.67
(0.01)
Political Science
150
2.57
656
2.52
196
2.59
821
2.62
2.58
2.57
0.01
Psychology
612
2.83
2,114
2.88
1,063
3.18
2,699
2.71
3.05
2.78
0.27
Public Administration
160
2.88
154
2.73
169
3.05
485
2.66
2.97
2.67
0.30
Recreation
Management
119
2.73
70
2.69
69
2.68
128
2.85
2.71
2.79
(0.08)
Social Work
233
2.96
490
2.84
350
3.32
497
3.03
3.18
2.94
0.24
Sociology
551
2.59
988
2.66
373
2.66
452
3.03
2.62
2.78
(0.16)
237
2.55
81
3.16
154
3.34
3.02
2.86
0.16
416
2.14
1.84
2.14
(0.30)
Hour
s At
JMU
GPA
Hour
s At
JMU
GPA
Hour
s At
JMU
GPA
Hour
s At
JMU
GPA
Justice Studies
126
2.08
255
1.99
382
2.74
831
Kinesiology
935
Management, OpMgtBBA
2.67
1,352
2.52
1,135
2.89
974
2.62
1,967
2.67
621
Marketing
441
Mathematics and
Statistics
2.74
1,157
2.66
137
2.79
327
Media Arts and Design
349
2.54
57
Nursing
Major Name
Music and Music
Industry
Theater and Dance
Undeclared
224
1.84
126
3.43
250
2.47
76
3.18
301
2.97
3.34
2.74
0.60
13681
2.81
28457
2.71
15180
2.95
35378
2.81
2.88
2.76
0.12
WRTC
Grand Total
0.12
Table 7 displays the average GPA for BRCC transfers at JMU and their corresponding average at BRCC. For
both males and females, the average GPA at BRCC is significantly higher than at JMU, but the average has
consistently increased over the last 15 years.
Table 7
Average Four-Year and BRCC GPAs for JMU Transfers
2007-08 to 2011-12 Transfers
GENDER
Male
Female
Grand Total
Year (group)
97-98 to 01-02
02-03 to 06-07
07-08 to 11-12
97-98 to 01-02
02-03 to 06-07
07-08 to 11-12
Total
BRCC Avg
GPA
3.10
3.21
3.29
3.14
3.29
3.36
3.27
JMU Avg
GPA
2.73
2.76
2.86
2.77
2.87
3.06
2.87
Headcount
71
283
310
67
222
289
1,242
9
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Table 8 displays the number of credits and GPAs by discipline for BRCC transfers, the other Virginia two-year
institutions, and JMU native students (those who entered as first-time freshmen). The courses at JMU are upper
division (300 and 400) only.
Table 8
Average JMU Grades by Discipline
JMU Native Students, BRCC Transfers, Other VA Two-Year Transfers
JMU Native Freshmen and Transfers
Upper Division (300 and 400) Courses at JMU (2006-07 to 2011-12)
JMU Native
Students
Type
MathOriented
HEGIS Group
Credits
Blue Ridge
GPA
Credits
Other 2-Year
GPA
Credits
GPA
Credits
Accounting
3597
2.95
173
2.74
783
2.44
Banking and Finance
4568
2.9
426
2.44
991
2.5
10037
2.96
1110
2.58
2775
5229
2.47
280
2.09
Computer Programming
2742
2.85
444
Economics
2798
2.86
Geology
1153
2.98
Information Sciences
2916
Mathematics, General
Business and Commerce,
General
Chemistry, General
(exclude Biochemistry)
Other, Science and
Technology
Physics, General (exclude
Biophysics)
At BRCC
GPA
636
2.97
2.51
1596
3.38
480
1.99
1475
3.25
2.54
834
3.02
2661
3.55
135
2.68
762
2.27
1425
3.08
212
3.3
391
3.25
240
3.09
3.41
301
2.71
998
3.06
4007
3.1
255
3.15
551
2.7
4704
2.99
7562
3.46
384
3.24
870
3.24
653
3.54
52
3.04
105
3.03
380
2.82
10
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
JMU Native
Students
Type
HEGIS Group
Subtotal
Non-MathOriented
African Studies
Anthropology
Credits
Blue Ridge
GPA
Credits
Other 2-Year
GPA
Credits
At BRCC
GPA
Credits
45262
3.02
3772
2.7
9540
2.67
16
4
1
4
1
4
GPA
13117
3.19
1284
3.31
2955
3.21
406
3.1
582
2.81
Applied Design
622
3.68
71
3.85
242
3.63
Arabic
261
3.35
33
2.64
1891
3.48
240
3.35
618
3.36
445
3.94
45
4
105
3.83
Art History and Appreciation
2494
3.53
181
3.43
528
3.21
Biology, General
6242
3.18
618
2.94
1026
2.85
3956
3.15
Business Management and
Administration
2877
3.15
486
2.83
1335
2.99
353
3.03
540
3.79
9
3.33
57
3.92
Communication Media (use
of videotape, film, etc.)
5522
3.37
340
3.22
487
3.26
Communications, General
6819
3.51
408
2.98
575
3.25
2136
3.49
Criminology
1471
3.31
96
3.48
221
3.3
Dance
1834
3.67
10
3.6
83
3.26
Dramatic Arts
1998
3.35
133
2.98
164
3.5
Education, General
7188
3.75
364
3.49
593
3.48
Elementary Education,
General
7961
3.89
622
3.84
999
3.78
243
3.58
English, General
5427
3.72
405
3.58
811
3.55
8053
3.34
640
3
8
3.5
Art (Painting, Drawing,
Sculpture)
Art Education (Methodology
and Theory)
Chinese
Family Relations and Child
Development
Foods and Nutrition (include
Dietetics)
Foreign Languages,
General
375
3.8
9
3.67
18
3.55
2956
3.82
121
3.72
602
3.75
557
3.66
51
3.28
91
3.78
French
1567
3.4
9
4
93
3.18
General Liberal Arts and
Sciences
1756
3.83
62
3.58
86
3.61
Geography
3282
3.65
470
3.32
745
3.46
566
3.54
6
4
21
2.63
27
3.22
6
3
6
3
237
3.82
4
4
4
4
1230
3.77
6504
3.08
970
3.01
1452
2.75
6102
3.26
2038
3.25
101
3.13
283
3.05
932
3.52
103
2.89
134
3.38
1163
3.88
84
3.43
106
3.52
32
3.5
501
3.92
72
3.73
96
3.92
Interior Design
598
3.7
192
3.72
155
3.7
International Business
118
2.98
3
2
9
2
International Relations
366
2.95
20
1.8
59
2.53
Italian
962
3.79
69
3.5
Japanese
42
3.71
9
4
Junior High School, General
72
3.97
6
3.67
German
Greek, Classical
Health Professions, General
History
Hospital and Health Care
Administration
Hotel and Restaurant
Management
Humanities and Social
Sciences
Industrial Arts, Vocational
and Technical Education
6
4
11
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
JMU Native
Students
Type
HEGIS Group
GPA
Credits
Other 2-Year
GPA
Credits
At BRCC
GPA
Credits
Literature, English
4637
3.22
642
3.17
801
3.02
Marketing and Purchasing
3570
3.27
459
2.95
906
2.95
Mathematics Education
(Methodology and Theory)
96
3.75
6
2.5
2053
3.96
73
3.88
275
3.95
7280
3.79
53
3.91
246
3.96
1182
3.64
5
4
34
3.65
5703
3.25
125
3.21
498
3.35
8264
3.59
865
3.64
1002
3.5
Operations Research
42
3.71
12
2.25
Other, Business Law
861
3.11
159
2.83
Other, Environmental
Science
45
3.8
3
4
719
3.69
202
3.47
Other, Gerontology
90
3.27
3
4
Other, Portuguese
3
0
3
3
369
3.92
13
4
9
2.67
6
2.85
36
3.42
15
1.6
Philosophy
1598
2.87
99
2.59
306
2.77
Physical Education
6683
3.48
844
3.2
1454
3.14
8611
3.12
691
2.6
1489
2.76
821
3.78
114
3.75
28
3.57
Military Science (Army)
Music (Performing,
Composition, Theory)
Music Education
(Methodology and Theory)
Music History and
Appreciation (Musicology)
Nursing
Other, Film Arts
Other, Teaching English as
a Second Language
Other, Technological and
Scientific Communication
Political Science and
Government
Pre-elementary Education
(Kindergarten)
57
93
2.89
3.77
Psychology, General
11268
3.6
1215
3.25
2221
3.02
Public Administration
555
3.12
145
3.04
173
2.8
21594
3.34
1435
3.11
2540
3
2825
3.94
285
3.83
346
3.87
1033
3.09
90
2.83
174
2.72
195
3.71
3
4
21
4
1470
3.83
139
3.69
183
3.75
Public Health
Reading Education
(Methodology and Theory)
Religious Studies (exclude
Theological Professions)
Russian
Secondary Education,
General
Social Sciences, General
Grand Total
Credits
Blue Ridge
GPA
178
3.43
1083
3.3
792
3.56
531
3.68
2101
3.33
9
3
12
2.75
12
2.18
Social Work and Helping
Services (other than Clinical
Social Work)
2971
3.56
477
3.57
653
3.46
Sociology
2712
3.19
518
3.13
793
2.87
Spanish
9332
3.58
309
3.54
603
3.49
Special Education, General
4527
3.91
197
3.5
265
3.72
Speech Pathology and
Audiology
5152
3.65
120
3.32
435
3.37
Subtotal
197458
3.5
15847
3.25
28365
3.19
28722
3.34
Total
242720
3.41
19619
3.15
37905
3.06
44276
3.29
12
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Table 9 displays the number of transfers who transferred at least 30 credit hours to JMU and their overall JMU
GPA by VCCS college. The average BRCC GPA, increased from years prior to 2002-03 from 2.75 to 2.95 in the
years since 2007-08, while the transfers from the other two-year institutions increased from 2.66 to 2.81.
Table 9
Average 1st Year GPA of VCCS Transfers to JMU
All Former Transfers Enrolled at JMU, Transfer Credits Accepted >=30
College
Blue Ridge
Prior to 0203
Credit
HC
Hours GPA
145
3,217
2.75
0203 to 0607
Credit
HC
Hours GPA
618 13,678
2.81
0708 to 1112
Credit
HC
Hours GPA
695 15,153
2.95
Central Virginia
12
304
2.88
37
889
2.67
39
849
2.68
Dabney Lancaster
14
334
2.57
18
432
2.62
21
512
2.99
Danville
9
252
2.78
11
274
2.81
21
458
2.88
Eastern Shore
2
33
2.05
4
108
2.17
11
248
2.44
23
542
2.39
69
1,552
2.56
90
2,011
2.69
J Sargeant Reynolds
4
94
2.91
32
807
2.72
44
1,000
2.79
John Tyler
5
114
2.59
24
558
2.44
33
784
2.88
77
1,668
2.67
275
6,141
2.74
321
7,086
2.85
2
35
2.51
2
49
2.50
Germanna
Lord Fairfax
Mountain Empire
New River
Northern Virginia
Patrick Henry
1
12
3
10
160
2.56
16
391
2.63
121
3,109
2.64
332
8,106
2.73
516
12,055
2.74
7
172
2.11
15
358
2.64
11
270
2.95
5
89
2.72
2
45
2.23
Paul D Camp
Piedmont Virginia
45
1,019
2.72
137
3,356
2.73
146
3,313
3.00
Rappahannock
1
31
3.26
7
155
2.48
19
414
2.55
Southside Va
3
67
2.85
12
216
2.57
11
235
2.47
2
53
3.15
5
119
3.06
Southwest Va
Thomas Nelson
Tidewater
Virginia Highlands
Virginia Western
Wytheville
Grand Total
n
4
90
2.94
28
702
2.47
38
949
2.92
23
624
2.65
87
2,014
2.74
104
2,465
2.74
1
29
2.6
5
116
2.85
5
92
2.90
18
479
2.92
68
1,753
2.8
60
1,396
3.04
1
26
3.24
5
95
2.02
4
96
2.96
516
12,216
2.69
1,803
41,647
2.74
2,216
50,032
2.85
What percentage of 2000-01 through 2008-09 transfers graduated from JMU by August 2013? How does
the BRCC rate compare with the other VCCS colleges?
Table 10 displays the graduation outcomes for transfers from BRCC and the other Virginia public two-year
institutions. The percent graduated for BRCC was almost exactly the same as for all the institutions. Seven
percent of the BRCC graduates also earned a post-graduate degree at JMU. Many of these were education
students who earned the Master’s degree for certification.
13
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Table 10
Graduation Outcomes of Transfers to JMU
By College, Transfers Enrolling 2000-01 to 2008-09
(Allowing Four or More Years to Graduate)
Institution
Blue Ridge
Transfers
Did Not
Graduate
Bachelors
Percent
Bachelors
Earned
Graduate
Degree
1,046
829
217
79%
74
70
54
16
77%
2
1
1
Dabney Lancaster
39
30
9
77%
2
Danville
26
22
4
85%
3
6
2
4
33%
128
107
21
84%
6
J Sargeant Reynolds
43
37
6
86%
4
John Tyler
37
30
7
81%
466
351
115
75%
3
3
17
12
5
71%
593
486
107
82%
31
Patrick Henry
27
22
5
81%
1
Paul D Camp
5
4
1
80%
237
184
53
78%
Rappahannock
13
11
2
85%
Richard Bland
College
34
24
10
71%
Southside Va
19
10
9
53%
4
4
46
38
8
83%
2
144
113
31
78%
8
8
6
2
75%
103
91
12
88%
10
8
5
3
63%
1
3,123
2476
3,123
79%
192
Central Virginia
College of Health Sci
Eastern Shore
Germanna
Lord Fairfax
Mountain Empire
New River
Northern Virginia
Piedmont Virginia
Southwest Va
Thomas Nelson
Tidewater
Virginia Highlands
Virginia Western
Wytheville
Grand Total
100%
38
100%
10
100%
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
14
In many ways the ultimate measure of transfer success is graduation from the four-year institutions. Table 11
shows the number and percentage of BRCC transfers from 2000-01 to 2008-09 who graduated from James
Madison University by August 2013. Only JMU provides data that can be used to determine whether the
transfers graduated. Seventy-nine percent of BRCC students who transferred 30 or more credits to JMU
graduated from JMU within four years. Seventy percent of the students who transferred less than 30 credit
hours graduated within four years. More than 90 percent of JMU native students who reach their junior year
graduate within six years of matriculating at JMU. Approximately 85 percent of JMU native students who reach
their sophomore year graduate within six years of matriculating.
15
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Table 11
Graduation Rates,
BRCC Transfers To JMU, 2000-01 to 2011-12
Credits Transferred >=30
Year
Graduated
Did Not
Graduate
Total
Credits Transferred < 30
Percent
Graduated
Graduated
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
37
74
85
79
100
16
18
26
18
27
53
92
111
97
127
70%
80%
77%
81%
79%
2
7
3
2
4
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
106
126
109
113
99
24
28
39
21
20
130
154
148
134
119
82%
82%
74%
84%
83%
2
4
4
3
2
2010-11
2011-12
Grand
Total
78
35
48
134
126
169
62%
21%
1,041
419
1,460
829
217
1046
2000-01 to
2008-09
•
Did Not
Graduate
Percent
Graduated
Total
2
4
7
4
3
4
50%
100%
75%
67%
100%
2
3
4
2
6
7
7
2
100%
67%
57%
43%
100%
1
4
7
5
7
20%
0%
71%
34
24
58
59%
79%
31
13
44
70%
1
1
How well do BRCC students who would have enrolled at JMU under the “Guaranteed Admissions
Agreement” perform at JMU?
On November 17, 2000 Presidents Linwood Rose of JMU and James Perkins of Blue Ridge Community College
(BRCC) signed a “Guaranteed Admission Agreement (GAA)” for transfers from BRCC to JMU. The two
institutions agreed that:
“If the GAA student completes an associate of arts and sciences degree from BRCC and meets
JMU's admissions requirements for transfers, then:
§ JMU will waive the transfer application fee.
§ All courses accepted by JMU will be applied toward a bachelor's degree from JMU.
§ Completion of an associate of arts and science degree at BRCC will satisfy all general education
requirements at JMU. The associate degree must be earned with a cumulative grade-point
average of 2.75 (4.0 scale); and a minimum grade of C must be obtained in each course the
student transfers to JMU, unless otherwise indicated.
§ JMU will guarantee acceptance of all transferable credits from BRCC and grant the GAA student
junior standing at JMU.” (JMU Media Relations)
The minimum GPA has since been raised to 3.00.
Table 12 summarizes the academic performance of BRCC transfers at JMU who met the admission
requirements since 2000-01 (including the author’s son).
Between 2000-01 and 2008-09 the average GPA and graduation rate of transfers who met the GAA
requirements were higher than for those who did not meet the requirements. In particular, the average GPA of
the GAA-eligible transfers at JMU was 2.99 compared to 2.42 for those who did not meet the requirements.
16
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Table 12
Academic Performance of GAA Eligible and NotGAA Eligible Transfers,
BRCC Transfers To JMU, 2000-01 to 2008-09
GAA Eligible = BRCC GPA >= 3.00 and BRCC Associate Degree
GAA Eligible
Not GAA Eligible
Grad
JMU
28
Pct Grad
JMU
78%
HC
23
BRCC
GPA
2.75
Grad
JMU
16
Pct
Grad
JMU
70%
YEAR
2000-01
HC
36
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
44
70
46
86
2.91
3.03
2.94
2.99
3.38
3.45
3.46
3.43
37
54
35
67
84%
77%
76%
78%
36
30
18
22
2.48
2.49
2.23
2.28
2.73
2.75
2.82
2.79
28
21
16
16
78%
70%
89%
73%
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
Total
76
87
86
97
628
2.99
2.92
3.02
3.08
2.99
3.50
3.43
3.47
3.46
3.45
56
74
67
73
491
74%
85%
78%
75%
78%
28
45
37
25
264
2.55
2.21
2.52
2.72
2.42
2.77
2.64
2.62
2.78
2.72
23
30
22
18
190
82%
67%
59%
72%
72%
196
2.98
3.44
154
79%
107
2.41
2.76
81
76%
432
3.00
3.46
337
78%
157
2.43
2.70
109
69%
2000-01 to
2003-04
2004-05 to
2008-09
BRCC
GPA
3.44
JMU
GPA
2.32
JMU
GPA
3.01
A new question this year relates to whether BRCC Associate Degree graduates are more likely to graduate than
non-graduates, regardless of the number of credits transferred. Table 13 displays these outcomes. BRCC
Associate Degree recipients are somewhat more likely to graduate (78 percent) than Non-Associate Degree
holders (75%). Associate Degree holders have slightly higher average GPAs (2.95 vs. 2.88).
Table 13
Academic Performance of BRCC Transfers,
Transfers Who Earned BRCC Associate Degree or Not,
Transferred at Least 10 Credit Hours, 2000-01 to 2008-09
Grand Total
Graduated JMU
Did Not Graduate JMU
BRCC
GPA
Total
3.19
HC
14
JMU GPA
Total
2.08
BRCC
GPA
Total
3.04
HC
53
Percent
Graduated
74%
YEAR
2000-01
HC
39
JMU
GPA
Total
2.94
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
59
72
53
87
81
2.85
2.99
2.85
2.98
2.97
3.14
3.25
3.27
3.34
3.28
14
22
10
25
25
2.23
2.13
2.11
2.22
2.06
2.97
3.14
3.28
3.21
3.33
73
94
63
112
106
81%
77%
84%
78%
76%
BRCC Grad
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
Total
105
87
92
675
2.82
2.99
3.08
2.95
3.22
3.23
3.36
3.26
22
29
28
189
2.16
2.36
2.87
2.28
2.83
3.11
3.28
3.14
127
116
120
864
83%
75%
77%
78%
Not Grad
2000-01
15
2.87
3.28
5
1.89
3.33
20
75%
Grad Status
BRCC Grad
17
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
Grand Total
Graduated JMU
Did Not Graduate JMU
BRCC
GPA
Total
3.00
3.49
3.32
3.32
HC
3
6
4
JMU GPA
Total
2.93
1.97
1.62
BRCC
GPA
Total
2.93
3.01
3.38
YEAR
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
HC
18
11
15
12
JMU
GPA
Total
2.52
2.84
2.73
2.70
Not Grad
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
Total
19
13
17
11
131
2.98
3.22
3.11
2.97
2.88
3.28
3.43
3.35
3.21
3.29
1
8
8
9
44
0.50
1.82
2.66
2.23
2.08
Grand Total
Total
806
2.94
3.26
233
2.23
Grad Status
HC
21
17
19
12
Percent
Graduated
86%
65%
79%
100%
2.60
2.86
3.23
3.16
3.12
20
21
25
20
175
95%
62%
68%
55%
75%
3.14
1,039
78%
Discussion
The purpose of this ongoing study (18 years) is to analyze the academic performance of Blue Ridge Community
College transfers at Virginia’s four-year public institutions. This study includes the academic performance of
transfers to JMU only. Next year we hope to continue the study with transfers to the other four-year institutions.
The results of the analysis of the academic performance of the BRCC transfers continue to be similar to the
results of the analyses conducted by this author at BRCC, two other VCCS institutions, and at James Madison
University.
In previous studies it was noted that the average GPA of transfers at JMU declined from a high of 3.00 in the
early 1990s to below 2.60 in 1999-00. A further analysis of the data revealed that a higher percentage of the
BRCC transfers to JMU in the mid-1990s had a BRCC GPA < 3.00. The decline in JMU performance between
1996-97 and 1999-00 may be attributed to a higher percentage of BRCC transfers having lower GPAs at BRCC.
In the last ten years a change in the JMU transfers has occurred. The average JMU GPA increased to 2.89 and
the percentage of transfers with a BRCC GPA greater than or equal to 3.00 increased from 53 percent in 199899 to 86 percent in 2011-12. The average GPA at JMU of the students who did, or would have qualified under
the Guaranteed Admission Agreement is 2.99.
As in previous studies, the academic performance of the transfers in disciplines varies, but not dramatically unlike
the performance of the native (entered as a first-time freshman) students at the four-year institutions.
For the sixth time the overall average GPA of BRCC transfers (2.89) was compared with transfers from the other
VCCS colleges (2.76). A second comparison was made between BRCC and the other VCCS colleges on
graduation rates for 2000-01 to 2008-09 transfers with 30 or more credits accepted by JMU. The graduation
rates were 79 percent for BRCC and 79 percent for the other VCCS colleges.
th
For the 16 year the graduation rates of the BRCC transfers to JMU were examined. The overall rate for
students who took 30 or more BRCC credits is 79 percent. The six-year graduation rate for students who enter
JMU as first-time freshmen and reach their junior year is 93 percent. Approximately 86 percent of JMU native
students who reach their sophomore year graduate within six years of matriculating.
BRCC transfers who met the GAA requirements since 2000-01 appear to be very successful at JMU. Seventyeight percent of the transfers graduated within four years at JMU. Students ineligible for GAA transfer had a 72
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BRCC TRANSFERS, 2011-12 STUDY
18
percent graduation rate. Students eligible for GAA transfer had an average JMU GPA of 3.01 compared to 2.41
for students ineligible for the GAA.
An additional analysis this year of the graduation outcomes of Associate Degree recipients compared with NonAssociate Degree recipients found that that 78 percent of Associate Degree recipients graduated compared to 75
percent who did not graduate from BRCC.
An important finding this year is that over the years the academic performance of the transfers has improved on
many dimensions:
A higher percentage of transfers have taken 30 or more BRCC credits.
The number and percentage of JMU transfers with BRCC GPA>=3.00 and BRCC
credits >=30 continue to increase.
The percentage of transfers with a first-year GPA > 3.00 continues to increase.
While females continue to earn higher GPAs than males, the average GPA of
males and females continue to improve.
The average GPA of BRCC and other two-year Virginia institutions continues to
improve, with the BRCC transfers having slightly higher averages.
The graduation rates of the BRCC transfers have increased a few percentage
points in the last five years.
The overall conclusion to be realized from this study is that the transfers from Blue Ridge Community College
continue to perform well at JMU. Students who will enroll at JMU under the GAA are more likely to be successful
academically than those who did not meet the requirements.
This author has conducted 21 transfer studies since 1983 (18 for BRCC). It continues to be his opinion that the
university parallel program at Blue Ridge Community College remains a viable and attractive option for certain
students whose eventual goal is a bachelor's degree from the Virginia senior public institutions.