Expanding Enrollment Through Partnerships with Community Colleges

Alice Reinarz – Assistant Provost for EnrollmentScott McDonald – Director of Admissions

Lynn Barnes – Director of Special Programs, Scholarships and Financial Aid

Quick Facts

Enrollment: Among the largest universities in the nation, with a record 46,542 students and plans for gradual expansion to 48,000 over the next few years

U.S. News and World Report: 3rd in “best values”

Washington Monthly: 1st nationally in service and research that drives economic growth

National Merit Scholars: Among the top 10 universities in enrolling these high achieving scholars

First-generation college students: Account for more than 25% of entering freshman in recent classes – among the best rates in the nation

Student Financial Aid: About $420 million awarded annually

Six-year graduation rate: The highest in Texas at 77% (state average 45%)

Enrollment Goals

• Current enrollment – 46,542

• Plans to increase to 48,000– Graduate enrollment by 1000– Undergraduate Enrollment by 2500

• Transfer Students are key to the growth of Texas A&M

Transfer Students at A&M

• Two Key Points– Transfers have traditionally played a key role in our

UG population– Successful at A&M

• On average (last 4 years) 26% of all new UG’s were admitted as transfers

• Transfer Student Success (most recent cohorts)– 90% retention to second year; 69% 4-year graduation

rate (11% still enrolled)• Compare to FR success (most recent cohorts)

– 92% retention to second year; 77% 6-year graduation rate

Blinn TEAM

• Program in 6th year– Unique articulation agreement– 350 to 400 students per cohort

• Guaranteed admission if:– Complete a minimum 60 hours; 45 at Blinn; 15 at

A&M– 3.0 or higher at BOTH institutions

• Able to compete in traditional transfer process (if desired)

• Financial Aid consortium agreement in place

Blinn TEAM cont…

• Full access to resources on both campuses

• Assigned both Blinn and A&M advisor

• Approximately 75% successfully transition to A&M as full-time students

• Financially beneficial for students

• Guaranteed admission is a strong attractor

• Brazos Valley, serving Austin, West Texas, El Paso and Panhandle

• Corpus Christi• Dallas, Fort Worth, serving

East Texas• Houston• Laredo• Rio Grande Valley• San Antonio

Brazos Valley

• Corpus Christi

•Houston

Laredo •

Rio Grande Valley •

San Antonio •

Admissions Counselors and Financial Aid Counselors are available

to provide you and your students with information.

•Dallas/Fort Worth

Prospective Student Centers

Prospective Student Centers

• Statewide recruiting centers• Provide admission/financial aid counseling

to students and families• Focus on all area high schools; special

focus on targeted and recruited schools• Expand to include recruiting at area

community colleges• Transfers are important; we want to

expand

Lessons: TEAM and PSCs

• PSCs are critical– Admission– Financial Aid– Academic Advising

• Articulation Agreements are important• Guaranteed admission – great recruiting tool• Financial Considerations

– Lower cost of attendance at community colleges– Eligibility for scholarships at A&M is critical

• Targeted/Recruited high school model is effective

Pilot Program Launched

• Identify potential community college partners– Proximity to RPSCs– Objective criteria including measures of

• Faculty quality• Associate degree production• Number of students matriculating to A&M

– Limit number to no more than two per PSC (pilot program now…could expand, if successful)

The First Step

• Identify potential A&M colleges/partners– Not all colleges able to participate, the ones who are:

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences• College of Education• College of Engineering• College of Geosciences• College of Science• Texas A&M University – Galveston

• Desire to admit additional transfer students• Ability to develop a common set of all courses

for most majors

Defining the Agreement

• Over-arching articulation agreement– Defines general terms of the agreement

• Automatic admission upon completion of– Agreed upon hours– Agreed upon courses– Agreed upon grades

• College specific addenda– Defines college specific course/hour

requirements

Defining the Agreements

• Provisions for either partner institution to transfer courses to the other– Aids in Associate Degree completion

• Does not preclude other existing agreements

• Partner institution agrees to make available advising space for PSC staff on an agreed upon schedule

Status

• Identified and signed agreements with ten partner community colleges in December 2006

• List of partners and degree plans can be found on-line at admissions.tamu.edu

• Expect first wave of admits this fall

Transfer Scholarships

Year Apps Awards Amount

2005 548 304 $730K

2006 806 245 $498K

2007 971 327 $686K

Financial Aid Initiatives:•Educate students about the financial aid opportunities for them to attend A&M.•Develop specific scholarships for partner schools.•Scholarship campaign through foundation to assist transfer students – ie; first-generation initiative.•Manage student indebtedness as they consider transferring.•Leverage staff availability in local regions.

Summary

• Transfer students are a significant portion of A&M’s UG population

• Our transfer students success comparable to that of native students

• Use PSC model to expand recruitment at feeder community colleges around the state

• Five year history of Blinn Team demonstrates good articulation agreements work; especially guaranteed admission

• Identify scholarship resources once students are at A&M• Objective: Meet needs of transfer students, community

colleges, and A&M in the most cost effective, efficient manner

Thanks and Gig ‘Em

Questions???