Examining the Experiences of Students Who Transfer from Private Career Colleges to Degree Programs in University

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the self-perceptions of academic success in degree-level study of a group of 6 private career college graduates who transferred courses from a private career college diploma to a university degree program. I conducted 3 semi-structured interviews with each participant and 2 focus groups with all participants using grounded theory methodology and the constant comparison method, combined with initial, focused and thematic coding, to analyze the collected data. I designed this research to help educators and researchers better understand these students’ experiences, their self-perceptions of academic success or lack thereof, and the conditions that contribute to or impede that success. Participants were all first-generation university students whose working-class upbringing and community impacted their early decisions around university education. In the context of current social and economic disruption that limits the traditional material assets afforded the working-class, university degrees are seen as necessary bridges to improve their economic and social positions. Thematic constructs emerged that suggested the model of habitus was a suitable lens through which to view their experiences. Although habitus can constrain social movement from disadvantage to advantage, the participants’ habitus may be supporting their movement towards advantage without compromising or disavowing their identity.