Smooth Sailing- Transfer Pathways Help Students Navigate Transition from Community College to UM-Flint

By Kimberly Laux (BA, 1999), MA

Like the adage says, “There are often several paths to the same destination.” While some students begin their journey toward a BBA as a freshman business student at UM-Flint, others attain it by following a slightly different route. Many attend a community college first.

“Starting at a community college can be beneficial for students because it is less expensive, which can be helpful for students who are trying to stretch limited financial aid,” said Anna Reed, an academic advisor in SOM. “Community colleges are also a good starting point for students who aren’t completely sure what they want to study yet…

Anna Reed, an academic advisor in SOM

“The number one thing I tell students who plan to start at a community college is to be sure to work with the university they ultimately want to transfer to for their bachelor’s degree so that they make sure they are taking classes that will transfer in as what they need. Those are not always the same classes they need to graduate with an associate degree. It’s also important to know that you don’t have to complete an associate degree before transferring to the university.”

Before transferring to UM-Flint to study entrepreneurship and innovation management, Kayla Laird (BBA, 2020) attended Mott Community College and earned two associate degrees in arts and business administration.

Kayla Laird (BBA, 2020)

“I really wanted to attend a university after graduating from high school, but after weighing the costs of being $52,000 in debt over a course of four years at a university versus going to a community college and getting as many credits as I could for less than half the price, I chose to be conservative with my money,” said Laird, who recently graduated from the School of Management with honors.

“But, I always wanted a ‘university experience.’ I heard the University of Michigan was one of the best universities in Michigan and that they offered an amazing entrepreneurship program. I knew they had several campuses in Michigan, and the Flint location was ideal because it was cheaper than going to Ann Arbor and only seven miles from my house.”

To help ease the transition students like Laird often face while transferring, SOM’s business program recruiter, Craig Gomolka, worked closely with community colleges to develop Transfer Pathway Guides. These documents identify specific courses to take at community colleges and disclose how the credits transfer into UM-Flint toward the degree.

“Many transfer students, especially those majoring in business, try to save money by starting off at a community college,” said Gomolka. “I’m here to support those students. We created transfer pathway guides and transfer planners so students will know exactly what they need to take and how the credits will transfer toward their BBA degree.”

By following a “pathway,” students can complete most (or all) of their general education and pre-business requirements at a community college, then transfer to UM-Flint to complete approximately two years or less of upper level business courses.

According to Gomolka, during the 2020/2021 academic year, SOM attracted 195 transfer students with 113 enrolling. Most students were from Mott Community College. Others were from Washtenaw Community College, Oakland Community College, Delta College, Macomb Community College, and Wayne County Community College District (in order of number of students who transferred).

Craig Gomolka, SOM’s business program recruiter

“Transferring was scary because I wanted to make sure I brought over as many credits from Mott as possible, and I wanted to make sure that I didn’t take courses that wouldn’t be accepted during the process,” said Laird. “I worked closely with Erica Ogburn, my advisor, and Craig Gomolka as part of the Mott2UMF program. Let me tell you—without them, transferring would have been so stressful. I am grateful that everything went smoothly. No money lost, no classes lost, and I had a clear plan to guide me through the process.”

Shortly before graduation, Laird competed in the Pitch 4K competition and won over $8,000 toward her businesses: Lord Laird’s Premium Lemonade, Queen Netzo Jewelry, and Mobars. The award allowed her to transition from her role as a project manager at 100K Ideas to a fulltime entrepreneur with a passion for creating healthy and sustainable products.

“Throughout my whole college experience I have been blessed with scholarships and awards that helped me pay for my education,” said Laird. “There were often times payment was due, and when I would go to pay the full amount for tuition, the payment would refresh the page and I’d see scholarships and grants available for me to use. If that ain’t the Lord, I don’t know what else it’d be.”

HEITMANN, JOHN & KATHIE FAMILY CONTINUING EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

Transfer students are eligible for transfer merit scholarships as well as institutional scholarships like the Heitmann, John & Kathie Family Continuing Education Scholarship. To qualify for this scholarship, students must be residents of Michigan with a major in accounting as part of their first undergraduate degree and at least junior standing. Minimum GPA requirement is a 3.0 cumulative. Financial need is a consideration with preference given to students only eligible for loans and those transferring from Mott Community College. 20 For more information about scholarships at UM-Flint, visit www.umflint.edu/finaid.