Non‐Traditional Paths: New International Student Pathways to the Baccalaureate

There is a growing “swirling” trend of students alternating between 2- and 4-year colleges. The non-linear paths traveled by many community college students often take them through multiple colleges and/or through patterns of stop-out and return. Due to the rapid growth of international students pursuing U.S. degrees, this study identifies the demographic composition of international students and investigates their swirling patterns for what may appear as erratic paths. This manuscript includes important implications for practitioners and others at community colleges.