| Title: |
Uncounted Credits: How Transfer Students Lose Momentum toward a Bachelor's Degree in Maryland. Maryland Higher Education Commission Policy Brief |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Yuxin Lin; Stacey Brockman; Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) |
| Source: |
Maryland Higher Education Commission. 2026. |
| Availability: |
Maryland Higher Education Commission. 6 North Liberty Street, Baltimore, MD 21201; Tel: 800-974-0203; Tel: 410-767-3301; Web site: http://www.mhec.state.md.us |
| Peer Reviewed: |
N |
| Page Count: |
10 |
| Publication Date: |
2026 |
| Document Type: |
Reports - Research |
| Education Level: |
Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges |
| Descriptors: |
Community Colleges; College Credits; College Transfer Students; Transfer Policy; Bachelors Degrees; Time to Degree; Courses; Time Factors (Learning); Race; State Legislation |
| Geographic Terms: |
Maryland |
| Abstract: |
Transfer student success is a policy priority in Maryland. While "transfer" is a broad term that includes any students who move across postsecondary institutions, "vertical transfer students," those moving from community colleges to four-year colleges and universities, are most common. Several Maryland policies aim to improve transfer student success. Despite these efforts, transfer students continue to face challenges in completing baccalaureate degrees on-time. Maryland has one of the highest vertical transfer rates in the nation, yet only about 50% of transfer students in the state earn a Bachelor's degree within six years of their community college entry. An obstacle transfer students face is that when they transfer, sometimes their community college credits may not transfer with them. Research defines credit loss as when community college credits either do not transfer (denials) or are not applied towards students' four-year degree programs. Losing credits during transfer can slow down students' progress resulting in lost time, resources, and effort for students and institutions, as students retake courses and delay their time to degree. A first step in addressing credit loss is understanding the size of the problem. However, credit loss is hard to measure in Maryland because data on which credits "count" is currently not collected. This report looks at "excess credits"--extra credits earned at community colleges that do not end up counting toward a Bachelor's degree--as a way to estimate credit loss. While it is not a perfect measure, excess credits are still a useful benchmark. The goal of this report is to set a starting point for tracking Maryland's progress in addressing the problem of credit loss. [This report was produced by the Maryland Higher Education Commission's Office of Research and Policy Analysis.] |
| Abstractor: |
ERIC |
| Entry Date: |
2026 |
| Accession Number: |
ED679692 |
| Database: |
ERIC |