Putting Technology to Work for Transfer Students

Susan Aldridge, PhD, president of Drexel University Online authors a piece for online newspaper, The EvoLLLution. View the original piece.

Summary 

Of the more than 12 million students enrolled in community colleges across the country, most choose to attend one because of the promise of flexible scheduling, close proximity to home, lower tuition and emphasis on career-focused programming. This line of thought makes online learning the logical choice for the completion of a four-year degree: it offers the same flexibility, convenience and programs at a lower price than brick-and-mortar institutions.

With this in mind, online universities have begun taking steps to create a more seamless transition from two-year community colleges to an online bachelor’s program, including working with community colleges to create shared online student portals for academic resources and course registration and investing in automated systems that will process degree audits and transfer credit requests more efficiently.

Another strategy that Drexel University Online is utilizing is a concurrent enrollment model. Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professionals is partnering with community colleges to launch an online Associate to Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (ADN to BSN), which will allow nursing students to begin a degree at their local community college while also working towards a BSN from Drexel.