An examination of incoming student expectations regarding prior learning, and track incoming students over time

In recent years, Ontario’s credit transfer framework has improved postsecondary pathways and resources to help students receive recognition for their prior learning by expanding non-traditional pathways, notably college–college and university–college. As a result, Ontario colleges have experienced an increase in the number of incoming transfer students who wish to change their field of study, upgrade skills, earn additional qualifications, and/or geographically relocate. The credit transfer population represents a growing share of Ontario college students. With an emergent emphasis on life-long learning and the freedom to move among postsecondary institutions, assistance in navigating the postsecondary education system has become increasingly important. It is necessary that students comprehend the academic regulations and requirements they will encounter so as to form reasonable expectations about recognition of prior learning processes. Credit transfer research has largely examined students’ admission rates, performance, retention, and time to graduation. Limited research has focused on student expectations and potential expectation–reality gaps...