For the past two years, AGI’s Geoscience Student Exit Survey has been used to collect data investigating successful two-year college transfer students. Geoscience graduates with a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree who spent at least one semester at a two-year college were asked questions about the vehicles for successful transfer to a four-year institution and the major challenges faced while working towards their terminal degree. All recent graduates that take AGI’s Exit Survey have the opportunity to share their major challenge or challenges to obtaining their terminal degree.

In 2013 and 2014, the Geoscience Student Exit Survey administered by the American Geosciences Institute was used to investigate the transfer experiences of students who attended a two-year college (2YC) for at least one semester during their postsecondary education. Combined, over 27% of recent geoscience graduates reported having attended a 2YC for at least one semester. These graduates were invited to identify which factors allowed them to be successful in transfer to the receiving four-year college or university (4YC).

According to the American Geosciences Institute’s Status of Recent Geoscience Graduates 2014 report, 51% of undergraduates choose to major in the geosciences during their first or second year in college, indicating the importance of the introductory geoscience courses as a recruitment tool for future majors. Not only are the introductory courses key for recruitment, often they contain non-science students trying to complete their science credit. Therefore, the geoscience introductory courses may be the last opportunity to teach non-science majors how to think critically and scientifically.

The promotion of access and inclusion in the geosciences for students and geoscience practitioners with disabilities has increased over the past decade, perhaps partially due to the National Science Foundation’s definition of traditionally underrepresented groups, which now includes mention of individuals living with disabilities.