This research is a follow-up study of the Exploring Geographic Isolation as a Barrier to Equitable Transfer Outcomes project to conduct qualitative research by talking with students attending colleges in rural university deserts and investigating what affects their transfer decisions, especially among Latine, first-generation, and low-income students. Ultimately, through this project, we aim to answer the primary research question: what policies and practices increase transfer rates among students attending community colleges in rural university deserts?
To answer our primary research question, we will more deeply explore areas previously documented to be related to the influence of distance on enrollment. Through a robust mixed-methods study of the experiences of transfer-intending students in rural university deserts, we will seek to determine:
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What specific factors drive the transfer decisions of rural learners in university deserts?
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What specific factors facilitate transfer and break the barriers of distance and other identified obstacles for rural learners?
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What resources can colleges and communities in rural university deserts offer students to help them transfer?
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How do the intersecting identities of students in rural university deserts (notably race/ethnicity, income, and first-generation status) relate to the aforementioned questions?