A Clearer Path to Success for California's Students
Across California, millions of people have already done what we claim is the hardest part of higher education. They have navigated enrollment, stepped into classrooms or logged on after long days of work, all to build a better life. These learners begin their journey with the hope that the education system will support them along the way and help guide them towards opportunity.
But when life interrupts, many systems are not built to hold a student’s place, and what should be a temporary disruption can become a lasting barrier. While new pathways are being designed to help close that gap, now is the time to better align our systems to support students as they move forward.
California alone is home to 6.8 million adults with some college and no degree. It is not possible that all these people failed. Rather, these are people the system failed to keep because the path built no longer makes sense for their reality.
The Friction in the Transfer Process
While credit loss affects many students, it hits hardest for those moving from community colleges to four-year institutions. Most begin with the goal of earning a bachelor’s degree, but only a small fraction successfully make that transition. Of roughly one-quarter of students who transfer, many encounter a system that doesn’t fully acknowledge the milestones they have already achieved.
At the center of that challenge is what happens to the work they have already done. Nationally, transfer students lose about 43% of their credits when they move between institutions. In practical terms, that means students are often asked to repeat courses they have already taken, spending more time and more money to get back to where they were.
There is no single, consistent pathway from community college to a four-year degree, though there is significant progress in the UC and Cal State systems. Requirements may vary by institution and even by program, and courses that count in one place may not count in another. What should be a clear path forward becomes uncertain at every step. For many students, that uncertainty is enough to stop them in their tracks.
Building Connected Pathways
The partnership between WGU and Calbright College was created to address the gaps in these paths. While this work is taking shape in California, it reflects WGU’s broader effort to strengthen community college transfer pathways across the country. At its core, this collaboration is about ensuring that a student’s prior effort is treated as a foundation, not a footbridge to nowhere.
Designed for working adults, this model removes many of the barriers that prevent learners from continuing their education. A competency-based approach provides both flexibility and rigor, allowing students to build meaningful skills without the logistical constraints that often derail progress.
By aligning programs with California’s workforce needs, learners can apply their certificates towards a degree and continue building on what they already accomplished. This helps them keep their momentum and strengthen the state’s talent pipeline.
The Power of a Second Start
Stories like Dennis Maksimov’s, a Calbright alumnus, illustrate why WGU’s partnership with the college is critical. As a resident of Roseville, Dennis saw his original path to a degree interrupted by a life-changing event. When he was ready to return, he used his previous technical training to pivot into cybersecurity.
“The college was the training wheels. It showed me I could do this, and WGU is where I’m riding the bike toward my degree,” Dennis says. He is currently pursuing a B.S. in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance at WGU. He previously worked in healthcare as a frontline staff member and now aims to combine that experience with his cybersecurity training to help protect healthcare systems and patient data.
A Mission of Shared Responsibility
Our mission has always been to expand access to high-quality, affordable education, but the outcomes are far better when we work collaboratively. We are committed to strengthening these transfer pathways because we know that the work of "finishing what we started" is a collective responsibility. By working together, we aren't just helping individuals earn degrees; we are building a more equitable and connected California.
Learn more about the Calbright and WGU Partnership by watching this video:
