ATLANTA, GA — A new $4.6 million grant from the Gates Foundation is aimed squarely at one of higher education’s most persistent problems: students who start college but never make it to a bachelor’s degree.
Georgia State University (GSU) will use the funding to reduce the academic, technological and administrative barriers that often prevent students at Perimeter College from successfully transferring into four-year degree programs. University leaders say the initiative is especially critical for online learners and working students, who make up a significant share of Perimeter’s enrollment.
While associate degrees are designed to serve as stepping stones to bachelor’s programs, many students nationwide lose credits, momentum or financial stability during the transfer process. Georgia State officials say the grant will help close those gaps by aligning coursework, strengthening online learning supports and expanding academic infrastructure…