Transfer Student TransitionSession 43: Thursday 1:45 – 2:45

Catherine Glennon, Ed.D.November 8, 2012

Dissertation Study

Transfer Student Perceptions:

The Transition from a Two-Year,

Public College

to a Four-Year, Public University

Current Landscape

Discussion

Objectives

4- Year Campuses

UW Colleges2-Year Campuses

UWSP

WISCONSIN

UW Colleges2-Year Campuses

UW 4-YearUniversities

Introduction

Challenge

Call to increase # of college graduates

U.S. -- Ranked 12th

Highest % to enter college, but not graduate

Need strategies to improve graduation rates

Transfer Students

1/3 college students transfer

Provide less attention to transfer studentsAASCU, 2009; Lumina Foundation, 2010; Lee & Rawls, 2010; NACAC, 2010;National Center, 2006, 2008; NGA, 2009

Research Study

Primary Research Question:

What experiences do students who have transferred from a two-year college to a

four-year university face as they transition to their new institution?

Research Study

Ancillary Research Questions:

1.What services, programs, and support can the

two-year colleges and four-year university provide to transfer students to improve the transition process?

2.What actions can transfer students take to better prepare for, better cope with, and successfully complete the transition process?

Literature Foundation

Transfer Student Literature

Transfer Student Experience

Satisfaction and Integration

Transfer Student Adjustment

Schlossberg’s Transition Theory

StrengthenResources

  Define Transition Event

APPROACHING TAKING STOCK OF TAKING

Goodman et al., 2006

Examine Coping Resources

Self Situation Support Strategies

Research Design

Methodology

Qualitative study

Fall 2011 transfer students at UWSP

Traditional age 2+ terms at UW Colleges Excluded 4-year experience Randomly selected 12/181

students

Population/Sample

Data Sources

2 interviews Student records

SUMMARY OF STUDENT PARTICIPANTS

 Students Gender AgeSemestersat UWC 

GPAat UWC

Daisy Female 19 2 3.50Steven Male 19 2 2.82Violet Female 21 4 3.94Cody Male 20 2 3.83Isaac Male 20 2 2.68Kandace Female 20 4 3.08John Male 20 4 3.31Alexis Female 20 4 2.47Frank Male 21 4 3.40Elizabeth Female 20 4 3.76Krissy Female 20 4 2.91Alice Female 22 5 3.2112 Students 7 F  /   5 M 19 - 22 2 - 5  2.47 - 3.94

FINDINGS

CHANGES IN LIFE ROLES

Students Residence at UWC Residence at UWSP

Daisy Home Residence Hall

Steven Home Residence HallViolet Home Off-campusCody Home Residence HallIsaac Home Residence HallKandace Home - 1st year

Apartment – 2nd year

Off-campus

John Home Residence HallAlexis Home CommutesFrank Home Off-CampusElizabeth Home Residence HallKrissy Home CommutesAlice Home Off-Campus

11 Home / 1 Apt 6 On/4 Off/2 Commute

Changes in Life Roles

“I’m workingevery day, and I’m going to school every day and I’m living. I have to make all of my ownmeals and, you know, it’s quite a different story when you’re living completely on your own and go grocery shopping. Oh my goodness, grocery shopping! I have to go grocery shopping and I have no idea what I’m going to do.”

Findings

Themes:

1. Academic Transition

2. Social Transition

3. Support System

4. Time Management

5. Orientation to UWSP Campus

Theme#1

Students from the two-year UW Colleges experience a smooth academic transition toUW-Stevens Point.

Finding

Academic Transition

Theme#1

Academic Transition

Students 

MajorCum GPAat UWC

Fall 2011 GPA

at UWSPDaisy FCS 3.50 3.71Steven Communication 2.82 2.89Violet English 3.94 4.00Cody Wildlife Ecology 3.83 3.94Isaac History 2.68 3.53Kandace Psychology 3.08 3.50John Pubic Adm &

Pol3.31 3.60

Alexis History 2.47 3.57Frank Music Educ 3.40 3.33Elizabeth Communication 3.76 3.79Krissy Social Work 2.91 2.67Alice Art 3.21 3.25

Theme#2

Social transition produced more anxiety & was more difficult than the academic transition.--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Participants who lived in the residence halls reported more involvement in activities that supported their social transition.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The social transition improved over time as participants developed additional sources of support.

Finding

Finding

Finding

Social Transition

Theme#3

Participants’ transition was affected by their support system.

Finding

Support System

Prior to transfer

Parents Advisers

After transfer Peers/

Friends

Theme#4

Transfer students from theUW Colleges may benefit from enhanced time-management skills after transferring to the four-year university.

Finding

Time Management

Theme#5

Participants reported feeling lostand uninformed about services and programs at UW-Stevens Point.

Finding

Orientation to Campus

Recommendations

Recommendations for UW Colleges and UWSP

Meet annually

Provide transfer education programs

Recommendations for UW Colleges

Advise students to visit UWSP campus

Provide instruction on TIS

Recommendations (cont.)

Recommendations for UW-Stevens Point

Provide transfer student living options

Transfer Communities

Comprehensive orientation program

Include optional overnight stay in residence halls

Extend into first term

Transfer student seminar courses

Assess programming & services

Recommendations (cont.)

Recommendations for Future Transfer Students

Attend transfer student programming

Visit 4-year university

Become familiar with university website

Live in residence halls

Become involved

Future Inquiry

Longitudinal study

Examine perspectives of advisers

Assess recommended programs & services

Employ different methodology

Examine specific transfer student populations

Trends in Practices

Recognition of transfer students’ needs

Residential communities

Campus-based

Private apartment complexes

Transfer Student Services centers

Enhanced orientation programming

Student-led initiatives

Student organizations, Facebook, proposals

Significance of Topic Challenges

Needs of Growing Student Population

Impact on Recruitment

Ethical Responsibility

Effects on Future Alumni Donations

Discussion

Transfer Student

initiatives and programs

on your campuses