Transfer Students--Examining Attitudes and Motivations to Help … · 2014-02-27 · All material...

Transfer Students: Examining Attitudes and Motivations to Help Sustain Their Success

Students in Transition Conference 10‐20‐13

©2013 Noel‐Levitz, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 1

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Jo HillmanSenior Director Retention Solutions

Noel-Levitz by the numbers

1,000 servedannually

2,800 partnersserved 350,000 visits to

www.noellevitz.comannually

40 years of service

1,500 institutions participate in Noel-Levitz conferences

130 full-time staff & 60+ part-time consultants

600+ years of experience

800-900 downloadsper week

Noel-Levitz




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Focus of our time together

Why focus on transfer students?

An overview of the college experience as revealed in the research report

Implications for campus action and best practice

Questions and discussion

One-third of all students change institutions

Of those who transfer:

• 37 percent transfer in their second year

• 22 percent transfer as late as their fourth or fifth years

• 25 percent transfer more than once

• 27 percent transfer across state lines

• 43 percent transfer into a public two-year college

Transfer and Mobility: A National View of Pre-DegreeStudent Movement in Postsecondary InstitutionsFebruary 2012




Choices on the path to completion

Our primary goals

• To create a strong(er) connection with students early(ier)

• To engage students in reflective discussions about how to develop their talents and overcome areas of challenge

• To match students to the services they need (referrals to service offices)




Transfer shock!

Early identification of risk factors

Early Intervention

Early Identification

Success




Campus programs: Four-year private




Campus programs: Four-year public

Campus programs: Two-year public




2An overview of the transfer student experience as revealed in the research report

Noel-Levitz research papers




What types of information would be most beneficial to help transfer students “get started right” on the path to college?

Student background information




Condensing the semester into 20 minutes

Between 2010 and 20121,708 second-year students completed the motivational assessment




• I transferred here from a community college.

• I transferred here from afour-year college or university.

Cohort definition

The statement that describes my currentcollege enrollment is:

• Work

• GPA

• Ethnicity

• Current enrollment

• Credits earned

• Dual enrollment here/other institutions

• Study plans

• Major status

• Degree sought

• College/program completion plans

Student background information




© 2013 Noel-Levitz, LLC.2013 National Freshman Attitudes Report

Over 95 percent of incoming freshmen bring a strong desire to complete a degree

Transfer students’ commitment to college 93%

© 2013 Noel-Levitz, LLC. All rights reserved.The Attitudes and Motivations of College Transfer Students




85.2%

86.8%

91.1%

82.0%83.0%84.0%85.0%86.0%87.0%88.0%89.0%90.0%91.0%92.0%

Four-year privateinstitutions

Four-year publicinstitutions

Two-year publicinstitutions

I am able to grasp complicated ideas


79.0% 79.3%

85.6%

74.0%

76.0%

78.0%

80.0%

82.0%

84.0%

86.0%

88.0%




I feel energized by the ideas I’m learning in most of my classes





66.3%

59.6%

68.7%

54.0%

56.0%

58.0%

60.0%

62.0%

64.0%

66.0%

68.0%

70.0%




I have many friends andfeel at home here


74.9%64.1%

58.0%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

I think I will need to study more than I did lastyear.

Four-year private institutions

Four-year public institutions

Two-year institutions public

Per

cent

of t

rans

fer

stud

ents

in

agre

emen

t

Most transfer students think theywill need to study more





48.5%

46.7%

48.0%

45.5%

46.0%

46.5%

47.0%

47.5%

48.0%

48.5%

49.0%




I have the financial resources thatI need to finish college


Four areas of challenge for transfer students

Academics Advising

Careers Finances




Data informs campus action plan

Attitudes/motivations

Satisfaction

Receptivity

Level of agreement with each scale and item: Student Student(A scale score of 100% = complete agreement. For each item, 1=low agreement; 7= high agreement) Scale Item

Score Scores

Academic Motivation




Receptivity to Assistance

Institutional impressions

… satisfaction accounts for 17 percent of the variation in retention




Satisfaction with academic itemsAll survey items OVERALL

nationalmean

My overall experience as a student at this institution 5.64

Degree of academic challenge in my classes here 5.75

Frequency of interaction with my instructors 5.57Variety of majors available 5.52

Level of interaction with other students 5.13

Variety of courses available in my (desired) major 5.41

Sense of belonging to the college community 5.08

Social life (both on and off campus) 5.10

Leadership opportunities in student government and other organizations

4.92

Opportunities to get involved in activities and events associated with my (desired) major

5.02

Frequency of communication with my academic advisor 4.83

Availability of service learning, internships, or work experiencesassociated with my career interests

4.86

Adequacy of financial assistance available to me 4.65

Satisfaction with your

experiences here thus far

(high = 7, low =1)

Transfer students’ satisfaction highlights





58.7%

27.4%31.3%

62.3%

26.4%

35.9%

49.7%

24.5% 25.2%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

Would like helpgoing forward

Received helppreviously

Gap

Four-year privateFour-year publicTwo-year public

I would like help preparing a written academic plan for graduation


Advising




75.7%

22.9%

52.9%

77.6%

23.2%

54.4%59.6%

23.2%

36.5%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%



Gap


I would like to identify work experiences or internships

related to my major


62.3%

27.0%

35.3%

65.8%

29.5%

36.3%

47.0%

29.8%

17.2%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%



Gap


I would like to explore advantages and disadvantages of my career choice





48.5%

46.7%

48.0%

45.5%

46.0%

46.5%

47.0%

47.5%

48.0%

48.5%

49.0%

I have the financial resources that I need to finish college


Finances


Availability of financial assistance




60.2%

37.1%

23.1%

62.9%

34.6%31.3%

54.5%

35.6%

18.9%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%



Gap


I would like to discuss options for financing my education


Transfer students’ plans for college and degree completion

93.8%

4.8% 1.0%

93.7%

4.5% 1.4%

54.6%

42.3%

2.9%0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

I plan to complete mydegree or program at

this college oruniversity

I plan to transfer toanother college or

university to completemy degree

I have not made adecision about myplans to re-enroll incollege next term

Four-year private

Four-year public

Two-year public





Plans to work

35.5%

14.1%18.0%

12.8%

10.2%

9.5% 0 (I do not work) 35.5%

1 to 10 hours 14.1%

11 to 20 hours 18.0%

21 to 30 hours 12.8%

31 to 40 hours 10.2%

Over 40 hours 9.5%

3Implications forcampus action and best practice




Sample Summary and Planning Report

Sample Summary and Planning Report

• Be “appropriately persistent”

• Develop a record-keeping trail

• Develop a sound understanding with other referral agencies

• Mark calendars and set reminders

Following up with transfer students




Transfer Thursdays

Ideas from the audience

• Establish scholarships for transfer students

• Host transfer day(s)

• Offer workshops to demystify the process

• Develop a peer mentorship program for transfer students

• Identify a dedicated space for transferstudents




1. Do you have a dedicated admissions staff trained to respond to transfer student issues?

2. Are your current processes transfer-friendly?3. Do you have dedicated resources on your Web site for transfer students?4. Do you have special visit days just for transfer students?5. Do you have effective orientations and intakes for transfer students?6. Have you adequately communicated your willingness and eagerness to

accept transfer students on your campus?7. Have you built relationships with organizations like Phi Theta Kappa to identify

excellent students from the community colleges in your region?8. Have you reached out directly to community colleges to establish more

sustainable relationships and partnerships?9. Do you have up-to-date articulation agreements you can readily communicate

to prospective transfer students?10.Do you make visits to community colleges to provide personal attention to

prospective transfer students.

Ten-point checklist for recruitingtransfer students

Does your institution offer:1. Orientation programs tailored specifically for transfer students, including

segments that address concerns such as transfer of credit, finances, major-related internships, and meaningful work experiences?

2. Programs beyond the usual classroom and advising services that connect transfer students to faculty, staff, and native students within academic or co-curricular interest areas?

3. Peer mentors for transfer students?4. Assignment of students to an advisor within the student’s major/area of

interest with an early focus on confirming or further refining a written academic plan?

5. An advising center devoted to transfer students?6. Career fairs for students who are undecided about a major?7. Academic support services based on areas of student need and receptivity?

Seven-point checklist for retainingtransfer students

Transfer Students--Examining Attitudes and Motivations to Help … · 2014-02-27 · All material...

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