It’s no secret that getting a college degree is a challenging task. 60% of students struggle with basic needs insecurity. The retention rate for students from their first year to their second rests at about 75%. However this rate drops dramatically depending on the students demographics, courses, and most prominently, their transfer status. That’s where student success comes in.

Only 1 in 10 students will finish their bachelor’s degree after beginning a transfer. For many of the students considering a transfer, they won’t even make it to their new institution. For those that do, there could be a range of problems. Sometimes course credits don’t transfer well, sometimes the culture shock is too jarring, sometimes prices accumulate. The hard part about transferring is the path is so unclear.

That’s why Kentucky, a state which has historically struggled with postsecondary education, is improving transfer pathways. This is a largely prospective program, but already the state is taking steps. A minor change that has been enacted is training staff to register transfer students while the college is on break. These new staff members are able to engage students who are trying to make a schedule early on. This keeps the drop rates low and successful transfer rates high.

Of course, this is just one measure, with many more to come. Joint admissions, easy transfer credits, and overall easing of the process are all looking to be enacted. Whatever lies in the future, the intent and impact is clear. Students who are transferring are trying to find the right fit, that process shouldn’t be a challenge.