John Jay Transfer Student Success Program Recognized by Aspen Institute & Columbia University

A new report from Columbia University and the Aspen Institute recognizes John Jay’s CUNY Justice Academy (CJA) for achieving significantly higher-than-average outcomes for students transferring from community colleges to four-year institutions. While nearly 80% of community college students hope to earn a bachelor’s degree, only 33% transfer and just 16% complete a bachelor’s within six years. The graduation rate for CJA students is 68% within four years of transferring. 

The Transfer Playbookpdf, authored by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the Community College Research Center at Columbia University Teachers College, cites CJA as a model for making transfer the default path. Students who enroll in a CJA-affiliated major at a partner community college are automatically enrolled in CJA and guaranteed admission to John Jay when they earn their associate degree. This, plus advising customized for transfer students, eliminates barriers and helps students complete their degrees.

“The exemplary institutions we studied have made clear that excellence in transfer and bachelor’s attainment is possible in any context – rural and urban settings; small and large institutions,” said Tania LaViolet, lead author of the report and director of research and innovation at the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “This report gives other institutions and states specific, actionable steps they can take to ensure transfer pathways better serve students and ultimately strengthen the lives of individuals and families, as well as states and our country.”