Langara transfer students have weak performance

Despite sending more transfer students to UBC than any other institution in the province, in the past Langara transfers have had some of the lowest grades upon being admitted.

Langara transfer students getting low GPAs

According to the latest report, from 2003 to 2008, Langara provided UBC with 32 per cent of all transfer students that came from B.C.

This is nearly twice as many as any other institution.

While Langara was the largest contributor, the average GPA of Langara transfer students upon admission was the second lowest of all 22 B.C. institutions.

Average grades for transfer students admitted to UBC ranged from 72 to 79 per cent. Langara students admitted to UBC at that time had an average grade of 74.

BCIT students had the lowest average of all institutions at 72 per cent.

Larry Xiong, director of institutional research at Langara, said in an email that even as the most recent information, the report might not accurately reflect the current situation. “This research has not been updated since [2009], and may not represent the current state of transfer flow between Langara and UBC,” he said.

Kate Ross, associate vice-president of enrolment services and registrar at UBC, said that students transferring from colleges might have difficulty adjusting to university. In an email, she said most transfer students “will often experience ‘transfer shock’ but typically after one term are performing similarly to those who were admitted directly.” Ross said the proximity of Langara to UBC could be one reason for the high transfer numbers.

Students believe Langara a huge stepping-stone

Gerald Curle, general arts student, said Langara promotes itself as a stepping-stone to university. “It seems like Langara is trying to promote that this is your bridge to university, this is where you want to come before you go there,” he said.

Jon Koch, a kinesiology student, said the price and lower requirements are why he chose to study at Langara before UBC. He said post-secondary institutions often say GPA isn’t everything, and that it’s about being a rounded individual.

The Langara administration did not comment by press-time.

Reported by Renee Sutton