This chapter presents findings from two recent Pell Institute studies, which explored the characteristics and experiences of low-income, first-generation community college transfer students in Texas and two-year and four-year institutional approaches to facilitating transfer student degree completion. Specifically, the first study asked the question: What are the promising practices for transferring students from two-year to four-year institutions? To answer this question, the Pell Institute examined the institutional characteristics, practices, and policies that might contribute to assuring that students matriculate and excel in community colleges and transfer to four-year institutions. Six Texas community colleges with higher-than-predicted transfer rates of low-socioeconomic-status students were selected for study. Given the higher-than-expected transfer rates exhibited at these schools, it was assumed that these institutions were successfully preparing their students academically and socially for completing a degree at a four-year institution. Lessons learned from these institutions will hopefully assist others who are considering promising practices to increase their transfer rates, particularly for low-income and first-generation students. While the two-year campuses Pell staff members visited were successful at achieving their transfer mission, it was felt that success did not end there, but culminated when a student completed the end goal, which in most cases is a bachelor's degree. The second study therefore aimed to examine community college transfer student support, experiences, and outcomes at four-year institutions. The specific objectives of the second study were to identify: (1) promising institutional practices for retaining and graduating low-income, first-generation community college transfer students at four-year institutions, including any transfer-specific support systems; (2) outcomes of transfer students (i.e., graduation rates and grade point average [GPA]) at four-year institutions in comparison with "native" peers who began their postsecondary education at the four-year institution; and (3) specific academic, personal, or financial challenges faced by community college transfer students that impede greater success.