The Tackling Transfer Policy Advisory Board recently highlighted Maryland as one of only three states to offer financial aid that is specifically targeted for transfer students. Established in 2014, Maryland’s 2+2 Transfer Scholarship is designed to financially support students transferring from community colleges to four-year institutions in the state.
Students who obtain an associate degree from a Maryland community college before transfer and earn a 2.5 GPA or higher are eligible for awards of $1,000 to $2,000 per year, with higher amounts going to those pursuing workforce shortage fields of study (e.g., teaching, STEM). Demand for the scholarship requires that the applicant pool be ranked on academic merit and need. There is a waiting list each year for the award.
To better understand the recipient pool and its postsecondary outcomes, MHEC's Dr. Yuxin Lin, Associate Director of Research and Policy Analysis, conducted a preliminary analysis of more than 500 students who received the scholarship since 2014. Several positive findings provide insight into possible ways to strengthen the program. Those findings are highlighted in a recent Inside Higher Ed Blog Post.