Transfer Credit, Trust, and the New Adult Learner: Why Higher Ed Must Rebuild Confidence
In Episode 18 of TransferTalk, Jay Fedje welcomes Scott Jeffe, higher ed strategist and longtime expert on adult learner behavior, to unpack one of the most urgent issues facing colleges today: transfer credit transparency.
“Students aren’t just comparing price anymore, they’re comparing how much of their past work you’ll honor. That’s a trust issue.” – Scott Jeffe
The Adult Enrollment Comeback: What’s Driving the Return?
After more than a decade of decline, adult undergraduate enrollment is rising again, by more than 400,000 students in the last two years alone. Scott attributes this rebound to:
- The economic “perception” of instability driving career reconsideration
- The lingering effects of the pandemic, prompting unfinished degrees to be revisited
The realization that degrees still matter, especially when hiring managers use them to filter resumes
Transfer Credit as the Dealbreaker
Transfer credit policy has moved from fine print to front page. Students are no longer willing to “apply first, learn later.”
“You’re not going to attract one online student to a classroom program just because you say online is better. But you might lose hundreds by refusing to meet them where they are.”
Scott calls for institutions to embrace real-time articulation, clearly communicate credit evaluation rules, and eliminate internal misalignment between administrative urgency and academic gatekeeping.
The Flexibility Divide: When Time, Not Tuition, Is the Real Barrier
Today’s adult learner is often time-starved, not just cash-strapped. Flexibility in program delivery, especially fully online options, is no longer a “nice to have.” It’s a requirement.
“When you’re 25 or 30, you’ve got direction, but no time. The old model doesn’t work.”
Why Online Learning Still Faces Internal Resistance
Despite the pandemic forcing institutions to embrace online delivery, many campuses still consider it inferior.
Scott doesn’t mince words:
- Students want it better, not gone
- Faculty opposition often stems from lack of creativity, not pedagogy
- Schools unwilling to invest in high-quality online experiences are losing by default
The Role of AI in Scaling Transparent Credit Evaluation
A standout moment in the episode? The discussion of accrediting bodies now endorsing AI to support credit evaluation.
It’s a turning point: when deployed with human oversight, AI can help colleges scale credit reviews faster and more accurately, creating real-time visibility for prospective students.
Breaking the Policy vs. Practice Deadlock
Scott describes many institutions as having two meetings happening at once:
- One, focused on enrollment growth, net tuition revenue, and marketing urgency
- The other, focused on credit restriction, academic preservation, and outdated evaluation models
Until these two committees talk, real progress is stalled.
Listen Now
This episode is a must-hear for presidents, provosts, and enrollment strategists working at the intersection of policy, technology, and student experience.
Listen to Episode 18 of TransferTalk
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