Closing the Transfer Gap: How UTSA and Northwest Vista College Built a Data-Driven Transfer Mentorship Pipeline

For higher education leaders facing growing enrollment pressures, rising student attrition, and state-level funding tied to completion rates, the community college transfer pipeline remains one of the most critical—yet leakiest—pathways in higher education. While national data shows that over 80% of community college students enter higher education intending to earn a bachelor’s degree, fewer than 35% successfully transition to a four-year institution, and only 16% earn a bachelor’s degree within six years.