Transfer GPA Report

The North Carolina Community College System’s recently released 2007 Transfer Student Performance Report shows Coastal Carolina Community College graduates who went on to a North Carolina four-year college or university earned a significantly higher grade point average than other students.

According to the report, Coastal graduates matriculating to a four-year college in the North Carolina university system averaged a 3.29 GPA while attending those institutions. Whereas, the average GPA for students from all the state’s community colleges (NCCCS) combined was 2.77. Native students – those who began and continued their college education at a North Carolina university or college -- averaged a GPA of 2.82 during that same period.

Coastal President Ron Lingle stated, “I am not surprised, but I could not be more pleased or more proud of the tremendous teamwork of our teaching faculty, librarians, academic advisors, counselors, financial aid and veterans affairs officers, computer technicians and most especially, our nationally acclaimed division chairs and dedicated senior administrators. Educational Quality and student success are what Coastal is all about; and those goals are achieved through exceptional teamwork, focused on teaching students how to learn more effectively.”

Of all 58 schools in the NCCCS, the only one whose graduates had a higher GPA than Coastal’s when attending a North Carolina college or university was Roanoke-Chowan Community College -- with a 3.83 GPA. However, for the reporting period, Roanoke-Chowan had only three students meet the criteria for inclusion in the report. Their exceptionally high average GPA is, therefore, statistically unreliable.

The report also showed that 96 percent of Coastal graduates earned a better than 2.0 GPA when continuing their education. More than 74 percent of Coastal associate degree recipients who matriculated to a North Carolina four-year college went on to earn a 3.0 or greater GPA. In comparison, 88 percent of NCCCS students received a GPA of more than 2.0 and 52 percent earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

“The figures really are phenomenal when you think how selective many of North Carolina’s larger universities and prestigious colleges are in accepting students for a freshman class,” Linda Douglas, division chair of humanity and fine arts at Coastal, said.

The report is compiled from data gathered on students who graduated from a NCCCS institution during the 2005-06 academic year and matriculated to a four year North Carolina college or university during the 2006-07 academic year.

The NC Community College System enrolls more than 800,000 students in 58 comprehensive community colleges. Internationally recognized for the scope and quality of its programs, the system is North Carolina's primary provider of workforce preparation and adult education.

Coastal is currently registering students for its fall semester. Registration for fall classes at Coastal ends Thursday, Aug. 14, with classes beginning Aug. 18.