Colleges and Universities

The Talent Blind Spot

June 27, 2018  • Tania LaViolet, Benjamin Fresquez, McKenzie Maxson, and Josh Wyner, The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program

The Talent Blind Spot demonstrates that, each year, more than 50,000 high-achieving, low- and moderate-income community college students do not transfer to a four-year institution. Approximately 15,000 of these students have a 3.7 GPA or higher, which suggests they could succeed at even the most competitive schools. The report also demonstrates that high-graduation-rate colleges and universities—the American Talent Initiative schools—enroll far fewer transfer students than other four-year institutions. The report offers a path forward based on the work of several ATI member institutions that have demonstrated that creating robust community college transfer success is possible through strong, leadership-drive partnerships, early outreach and advising, and dedicated, holistic supports.

The Talent Blind Spot is divided into two parts.

The Case for Increasing Community College Transfer to High Graduation Rate Institutions

  • Understand the community college transfer landscape at high graduation rate colleges with data from the report.
  • Download the companion slide deck to help make a strong case for transfer at your institution (coming soon)

The Practical Guide to Increasing Community College Transfer to High Graduation Rate Institutions

  • Use the “Fundamental Principles” as a strategy audit to assess how your institution compares to others.
  • See what is possible by learning from the “Transfer-Friendly Ecosystems” of three exemplary institutions: Smith College, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and the University of California-Los Angeles.
  • Read the “Transfer Tactics Repository” to access case studies of institutional practices that respond to specific challenges.