Running Head: IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF TODAYS TRANSFER STUDENT POPULATION

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Students in Transition: Identifying the Needs of Todays Transfer Student Population Katie Dabbs Seattle University EDUC 513

IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF TRANSITIONING TRANSFER STUDENTS Students in Transition With the downturn in the economy and the ever increasing cost of tuition at the four year college and university level, baccalaureate granting institutions around the country are seeing an increase in students transferring from two year community and technical colleges. Surveys indicate that at least 50 percent and perhaps as many as 80

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percent of all incoming community college students seek to transfer and earn a bachelors degree (Horn, 2009). Community and technical colleges can offer appealing opportunities to many diverse student populations. As mentioned, the price per credit of a two-year college is something that four year schools cannot match. The accessibility and location of these schools gives non-traditional and traditional aged students more flexibility to work, care for families, and take school at a pace that works with their lives. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) estimates that between 2007 and 2009, the number of full-time students enrolled in community colleges grew by 24 percent, and this number is expected to keep rising. (Mullins, 2009). This traditionally underserved population has specific needs that many entering freshman students cannot identify with. It is important that four-year colleges and universities make a commitment to serving this increasing population by creating programing and support tailored to this marginalized population. Frank Ashley from Texas A&M University sums up the importance of tailoring resources for transfer students by saying, Transfer students are proven. Youre not taking a chance with them. Once they come to a fouryear institution you know they want a degree. Transfer students are a great investment (Handel, 2011).

IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF TRANSITIONING TRANSFER STUDENTS Target Audience This proposal will be presented at the annual three day National Academic

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Advising Association (NACADA) conference. NACADA members consist of more than 10,000 professional advisors, counselors, faculty, administrators, and students working to enhance the educational development of students. (National Academic Advising Association, 2013). The demographics of these professionals are diverse, as members differ in terms of ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, institutional type (size, affiliation, etc.) and employment position. What all of the members share in common is that they work with, and have an impact on, the transfer student population at their institution. While articulation of transfer coursework is important, when analyzing how to create holistic transfer student success, it is not the main factor. The information presented in this proposal will challenge and inspire student services professionals to recreate how they look at student life and inclusion of this specific population. This change cannot be limited to one functional area, as transfer students require access to a broad spectrum of resources on campus. However, advisors, counselors, and student services administrators are often the first point of contact when these students arrive to campus. Thus, this is where the change in programming, outreach, and support can begin. Theoretical Framework Schlossbergs (1984) Transition Theory is rooted in the need to understand adults who are in transition and aid them in connecting to the help they need to cope with the ordinary and extraordinary process of living. Goodman et al. (2006), defined transition as any event, or non-event, that will result in changed relationship, routines,

IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF TRANSITIONING TRANSFER STUDENTS assumptions, and roles. While transitions can occur for any student at any time, the transition from community college to a four-year university will create a series of transitions. Often, students will need to relocate, the campus may be larger in size and student population, and the transfer student will need to seek out support systems. Schlossbergs theory can be ideal to use when looking at orientation programs for this

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population. The framework looks at the process of transitions in a 4s model consisting of Self, Support, Strategies, and Situation. It is important for transfer student services to look at how these areas of the student can be incorporated into an orientation program. Astins (1999) Student Involvement theory presents the importance of involvement on students success. While not tailored specifically to the transfer student population, many aspects of Astins theory are useful to the retention and engagement of these students. Student involvement refers to the amount of physical and psychological energy that the student devotes to the academic experience (Astin, 1999). Involvement may be difficult when a student enters the college as a transfer. Traditionally enrolled college students who have been at the institution since their freshman year may have had more access and opportunities to get involved in various social and academic activities. Many transfer students enter the 4-year college with junior standing and begin taking classes for their major. These classes can be more challenging, and, without the right support, transfer students may struggle. Finding opportunities for this unique population to contribute and become involved can have numerous positive effects for the student and the university. The theory of involvement emphasizes active participation of the student in the learning process. Recent research at the pre-collegiate level has suggested that

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learning will be greatest when the learning environment is structured to encourage active participation by the student (Rosenshine, 1982). The final research that informs my proposal is Dwight Gards et al (2012) article regarding student perceptions on transfer success. This research was conducted by the College of Education at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The study explored students perceptions of the effectiveness of their transfer experience through interviews and focus groups. Three factors were identified as impediments to a successful transfer experience: the quality of academic advisement, access to financial aid, and social and cultural issues. This article provides crucial information that advisors, counselors, and student affairs administrators will find useful when developing programs for transfer students. It puts the above theories to use by offering real transfer students voices on what is working, what they need, and what problems they are facing. This article will strongly resonate with academic advisors and counselors at NACADA, as it points to inaccurate advising as the major cause of student dissatisfaction with the transfer process (Gard et al, 2012). Putting Theory to Practice: Creating Transfer Student Success Creating a successful transfer student program begins with an extensive orientation program. Alfred Herrera, director of Community College Partnerships at UCLA notes, At many four-year institutions, freshman orientation lasts two or three days, but transfer orientation is only a few hours. Whats wrong with this picture? (Handel, 2011). The evidence is clear that transfer students need specific information and support in order to be successful at the baccalaureate institution level. While some information may overlap with freshman orientation, it is important to keep the transfer

IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF TRANSITIONING TRANSFER STUDENTS orientation separate, as these student groups are quite different in some ways. For

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example, an increased amount of time should be spent developing the students schedule to see that it aligns well with whatever the student has completed at the community college. As many of these student may start directly into their major of study, connecting them with the right advising staff as well as with key staff within their program will be beneficial to the student. Moreover, since the amount of new transfer students is often likely to less than the number of new freshman, the transfer orientations can be more interactive and personalized. It is also important to keep in mind that there is no generic orientation program that will fit all transfer students needs at every college, for every student. Each college is unique and each transfer student has a different path, so it is up to the individual college to look at how to create an orientation that works. From Gards work, an increased relationship between the sending (community colleges) and receiving (baccalaureate institutions) schools is strongly needed. The general consensus from students who attended community college was that the advisors were incompetent and inefficient when it came to transfer information about their specific university program (Gard et al, 2012). This is a serious issue that can create a ripple effect of damage. If students are misadvised at the community college level, they may end of having to stay at the 4-year school for a longer period of time than anticipated. This can increase the students debt, delay their acceptance into a particular major, and extend the amount of time the student is in college. Increased communication between sending and receiving institutions could allow advisors at the community college level to become familiar with program requirements so students can be properly advised earlier on in the college career. An agreement of how

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common classes will transfer to the baccalaureate institutions can also eliminate the issue of unused credits that a student takes at the two year, but is not accepted at the four year. This partnership could easily be formed between state community and 4-year colleges. Community colleges that serve as feeder schools to nearby baccalaureates should consider direct agreements they must honor to create a smoother transition for transfer students who received their associates degree. To engage Astins theory of involvement, 4-year schools should establish ways for new transfer students to become active members of the campus community. Most recently, the National Survey of Student Engagement revealed that transfer students, compared to first-year students, are less likely to participate in high-impact activities, such as study abroad, internships, research, and senior seminar or capstone activities. (Annual Results, 2009). It is important that steps are taken early to engage transfer students. Some campuses nation wide have developed or increased transfer student housing, so that these students can be close to campus and not have the added stress of commuting to school, which can hinder a student from increasing their involvement. Transfer student centers have also seen success, giving these students a community where they can find others to identify with, have a safe space on campus, and connect with college faculty and staff. The main goal of transfer student involvement should be that students identify as members of the campus community. Timothy Brunold of the University of Southern California summarizes this point by saying, Our transfers are either USC Trojans or theyre not. Colleges should focus on integrating transfer students into the population, not isolating them.

IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF TRANSITIONING TRANSFER STUDENTS Conclusion Transfer students are a unique population with specific needs that colleges and universities are just beginning to recognize. The previously stated theories on transition, involvement, and transfer student perceptions will be useful to colleges who desire to improve transfer student success on their campus. I have briefly outlined ways for

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advisors and other student affairs administrators to incorporate this research into transfer student specific orientations and transfer student involvement programs. The need for increased communication and partnership between the sending and receiving institutions has also been identified as one of the most important factors in a smoother transition for the transfer student. While this proposal highlights three key factors of transfer student success, it is important that each baccalaureate institution tailor their programming to fit their campus, student climate, and diverse population. Transfer student programming cannot be viewed as a one size fits all approach, but the end result should always be that the transfer student population integrates into the campus community.

IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF TRANSITIONING TRANSFER STUDENTS References Astin, A. (1984) Student Involvement: A Developmental Theory for Higher Education. Journal of College Student Development, 5(40), 518-529. Colorado State University (n.d.) Orientation and Transition Programs. Retrieved from http://www.otp.colostate.edu/transfer-programs.aspx Evans N., Forney D., Guido F., Patton L., Renn K. (2010). Ecological Approaches to College Student Development. Student Development in College (pp. 157-175). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Evans N., Forney D., Guido F., Patton L., Renn K. (2010). Schlossbergs Transition Theory. Student Development in College (pp. 212-226). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Gard, D. R., Paton, V., & Gosselin, K. (2012). Student Perceptions of Factors

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Contributing to Community-College-to-University Transfer Success. Community College Journal Of Research & Practice, 36(11), 833-848. doi:10.1080/10668920903182666 Goodman, J., Schlossberg, N.K., & Anderson, M. L. (2006). Counseling adults in transition (3rd ed.). New York: Springer. Handel, S. (2011, July). Improving Student Transfer from Community Colleges to Four-Year Institutions The Perspective of Leaders from Baccalaureate Granting Institutions. Retrieved from http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/11b3193transpartweb110712.p df Horn, L. (2009). On Track to Complete? A Taxonomy of Beginning Community College

IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS OF TRANSITIONING TRANSFER STUDENTS Students and Their Outcomes 3 Years After Enrolling; 2003-04 Through 2006

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(NCES 2009-152). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washington D.C. Mullin, C. (2009, December). Community College Enrollment Surge: An Analysis of Estimated Fall 2009 Headcount Enrollments at Community Colleges, American Association of Community Colleges. National Academic Advising Association (2013). NACADA member services. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Member-Services.aspx National Survey of Student Engagement (2009). Assessment for Improvement: Tracking Student Engagement Over Time (Annual Results 2009), p. 11. Rosenshine. B. (1982). Teaching functions in instructional programs. Paper presented at the National Institute of Educations National Invitational Conference on Research on reaching: Implications for Practice, Washington, DC. Texas Tech University (2013, May 28). Transfer Connection. Retrieved from http://www.depts.ttu.edu/centerforcampuslife/transfer.aspx