Cognitive Skills Development among Transfer College Students: An Analysis by Student Gender and Race

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to improve the understanding of transfer college students, by examining the patterns in and predictors of cognitive skills development among transfer college students. Moreover, this study examined how such patterns and predictors differ by student’s gender and race within this population. Results found that men and women transfer students have differing cognitive skills gains after transferring to a 4-year institution. Results also indicated that there are differences in the cognitive skills gained in college by transfer students from various races. Finally, using regression analysis, models were developed to predict the variance in cognitive skills development for transfer students. Models were able to 33% and 46% of the variance in cognitive skills gains, when evaluated by gender or ethnicity.