Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree graduates often enter the workforce immediately upon graduation. This study examined the vertical transfer decision-making processes of these students as they considered whether to enter the workforce upon graduation or transfer to a four-year university in search of an applied engineering degree. The researcher gathered data from eight community college students in the second half of their two-year industrial trades degree program to understand how their perceptions of academic and social influences affected their post-graduation plans. The researcher collected the data utilizing 60-minute recorded Zoom interviews, automatically generated transcripts, and analytic memos following each interview. The researcher analyzed the data using in vivo coding methods and QDA Miner Lite software. Themes evolved from an affinity diagram which was used to synthesize the study findings. Findings indicated that academic influences, social influences, graduate choices and student self-efficacy had the greatest impact on transfer decisions. The findings identified implications for universities, community colleges, and other stakeholders. For example, community colleges should improve student knowledge of AAS degree transfer options, with particular focus on faculty advisement. Universities and other stakeholders also have responsibility to ensure AAS graduates perceive four-year program options as advantageous in meeting their career goals, including making potential transfer students aware of social learning opportunities not available at community colleges. All stakeholders share responsibility for improving articulation for traditionally nontransferable Associate in Applied Science degree graduates. The findings also suggested that students with high self-efficacy based upon their hands-on learning experiences perceived themselves to be potentially strong four-year university engineering students. However, barriers related to outcome expectations, like the expectation to enter the workforce after graduation without considering vertical transfer, were present among participants. and in need of further study. Researchers need to continue to study AAS vertical transfer, specifically community college AAS graduates and related outcome expectations. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]