Executive Summary
The following report provides an analysis of 606 first-time full-time degree seeking freshmen in the University of South Alabama (USA) Fall 2012 freshman cohort who did not return to USA in
Fall 2013. Of these non-returning students, 246 (41%) transferred to another institution prior to
Fall 2013 and 360 (59%) “stopped out” or did not enroll in another college or university.
•
Results indicated a large majority of transfer students transferred to another institution with one or more of the following characteristics: public, a two year institution, and/or located in Alabama, with the majority (60%) transferring to a community college.
•
Findings showed a large percentage based differential between students who “stopped out” with a USA GPA of 2.0 or lower (30%) or students with less than six hours earned at USA (24%) and students who transferred and had a similar USA GPA or a similar number of USA earned hours.
•
Indicators for students at greater risk to “stop out” instead of transferring to another institution included students of local origin from Mobile or Baldwin County (26%), living off campus (17%), did not participate in a learning community (15%), and male
(14%).
Overview
The following report provides an analysis of 606 first-time full-time degree seeking freshmen in the University of South Alabama (USA) Fall 2012 freshman cohort who did not return to USA in
Fall 2013. The National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) was used to identify whether non-returning students transferred to another institution or “stopped out” and did not enroll in another higher education institution in Fall 2013. While the preference is for students to return and persist at
USA, a student who transferred to another institution could be considered a secondary measure of student success.
More than 3,500 colleges and universities in the United States participate in the NSC. With NSC participating institutions enrolling over 98% of all students in public and private colleges and universities in the United States, students who were not identified as transfer students by the NSC were unlikely to be enrolled at another college or university and had “stopped out” of higher education. This report provides comparisons between 246 non-returning students who transferred to another institution prior to Fall 2013 and 360 non-returning students who “stopped out” and did not enroll at another college or university.
Profile of Non-returning Student Who “Stopped Out”
•
No other scholarship
1
(92%)
•
•
Not in a learning community (76%)
USA GPA of 2.0 or lower (74%)
•
18 years old (74%)
1
Military/ROTC, vocational rehab, employment funded, prepaid AL, MS, or FL tuition, etc.
Institutional Research and Planning Page 1

•
No freshman scholarship
2
(66%)
•
Took Freshman Seminar (60%)
•
From Mobile or Baldwin County (59%)
•
White (59%)
•
Male (57%)
•
Lived off-campus (56%)
•
•
Earned zero to six USA credit hours (40%)
High school GPA between 3.01-3.5 (36%)
•
ACT Composite score of 21-23 (26%)
•
Attended Freshman Session 6 new student orientation session (20%)
Profile of Non-returning Student Who Transferred
•
No other scholarship (85%)
•
18 years old (82%)
•
No freshman scholarship (71%)
•
Took Freshman Seminar (66%)
•
White (64%)
•
Lived on-campus (61%)
•
Not in a learning community (61%)
•
Female (57%)
•
From rest of Alabama (45%)
•
•
USA GPA of 2.0 or lower (44%)
High school GPA between 3.01-3.5 (34%)
•
ACT Composite score of 21-23 (31%)
•
Earned 12.5-18 USA credit hours (22%)
•
Attended the Freshman Session 3 or Freshman Session 5 new student orientation sessions
(16%)
Where Non-returning Students Transferred
Of the 246 non-returning students who transferred, a large majority transferred to an institution with one or more of three characteristics (see Table 1 and Table 2). The transfer institution was likely: 1) public (95%), 2) a two year institution (60%), and/or 3) located in Alabama (70%).
Florida (9%) and Mississippi (9%) were also a likely transfer destination of the non-returning students.
Table 1: Control and Type of Institution Where USA Students Transferred
Public or Private Institution Count % 2 or 4 Year Institution Count %
Public Institution
Private Institution
234
12
95%
5%
2 Year Institution
4 Year Institution
148
98
60%
40%
Table 2: Top States Where USA Students Transferred
Rank State
1 Alabama
Count
171
%
70%
2
3
4
5
Florida
Mississippi
Louisiana
Georgia
23
22
6
4
9%
9%
2%
2%
2
Bay Area, Honors, Mitchell, Presidential, or Starnes merit based scholarships
Institutional Research and Planning Page 2

The most common two year transfer institutions of choice were Faulkner State Community
College (30), Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (16), and Bishop State Community
College (14). Of the four year universities, Auburn University at Montgomery (14), Pensacola
State College (10), and University of Alabama (10) were the most common transfer destination
(see Table 3).
Table 3: Top Institutions Where USA Students Transferred
Rank College
1
2
3
3
5
6
6
8
8
Faulkner State Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Auburn University at Montgomery
Bishop State Community College
Southern Union State Community College
Pensacola State College
University of Alabama
Calhoun Community College
University of Alabama at Birmingham
10 Auburn University
Count
11
10
10
9
9
30 12%
16 7%
14
14
6%
6%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
7
%
3%
10 Jefferson State Community College
10 University of West Florida
10 Wallace State Community College
7
7
7
3%
3%
3%
Comparison of Non-returning Transfer Students to Students Who “Stopped Out”
Multiple characteristics of non-returning students were compared to determine what characteristics showed large percentage based differentials between 360 non-returning students who “stopped out” compared to 246 non-returning students who transferred. The following table displays characteristics with percentage based differentials of 10% or greater between students who transferred and students who “stopped out” (see Table 4 or complete data tables found in the
Appendix).
Results showed the USA GPA (first) and the number of USA earned hours (third) were two of the three characteristics with subgroups that showed the greatest differential between non-returning students who “stopped out” and students who transferred.
•
74% of the non-returning students who “stopped out” had a USA GPA of 2.0 or lower
(250) compared to 44% of non-returning students who transferred (103).
•
17% of the non-returning students who transferred had a USA GPA of 3.01 to 3.5 (40) compared to 3% of non-returning students who “stopped out” (9).
40% of non-returning students who “stopped out” had zero to six USA earned hours
(135) compared to 16% of non-returning students who transferred (37).
18% of non-returning students who transferred had 24.5 to 30 USA earned hours (42) compared to 7% of non-returning students who “stopped out” (23).
Institutional Research and Planning Page 3

Table 4: Greatest Differentials Between Non-Returner Transfers and Stop Outs
Top within Group
Characteristics
Transferred
(n=246)
%
Transferred
Stopped
Out
(n=360)
% Stopped
Out
% Difference
Between
Transferred &
Stopped Out
USA GPA (Note: n=338 Stopped Out; 232 Transferred)
2.0 or lower 103 44%
3.01-3.5
Region
40 17%
250
9
74%
3%
-30%
+14%
211
98
59%
27%
-26%
+18%
Mobile/ Baldwin County
Rest of Alabama
24.5-30 hours
Housing
82
111
33%
45%
USA Earned Hours (Note: n=338 Stopped Out; 232 Transferred)
0-6 hours 37 16%
42 18%
95 39% Off-Campus
Learning Community
Not in learning community
Gender
151 61%
135
23
201
272
40%
7%
56%
76%
-24%
+11%
-17%
-15%
Male 106 43% 204 57% -14%
Note: Cells are shaded in yellow where % transferred compared to % stopped out was positive and greater or equal to 10% while cells are shaded in red where % transferred compared to % stopped out was negative and greater than or equal to 10%.
The region where the student originated from was the comparison group with the second greatest percentage based differential between non-returning students who “stopped out” and nonreturning students who transferred. Students who originated from Mobile or Baldwin County were much more likely to “stop out” than to transfer to another institution.
•
59% of non-returning students who “stopped out” came from Mobile or Baldwin County
(211) compared to 33% of non-returning students who transferred (82).
•
45% of non-returning students who transferred came from the rest of Alabama (111) compared to 27% of non-returning students who “stopped out” (98).
Three other comparison groups showed percentage based differentials greater than or equal to
10% between students who “stopped out” and students who transferred. These other three comparison groups were: 1) housing, 2) learning community, and 3) gender.
•
56% of non-returning students who “stopped out” lived off campus (201) compared to
39% of non-returning students who transferred (95).
•
76% of non-returning students who “stopped out” did not participate in a learning community (272) compared to 61% of non-returning students who transferred (151).
•
57% of non-returning students who “stopped out” were male (204) compared to 43% of non-returning students who transferred (106).
Implications
Results showed a large percentage based differential between students who “stopped out” with a
USA GPA of 2.0 or lower (30%) or students with less than six USA earned hours (24%) and compared to students who transferred. These students may have benefited from programs such as intrusive advising and peer mentoring to improve their odds of persistence at USA or to prepare them to transfer to another institution. While the preference is to encourage USA freshmen students to continue and persist at USA, a student who successfully transfers to another institution could also be considered a secondary measure of success compared to a complete “stop out” from higher education.
Institutional Research and Planning Page 4

Early indicators for students at greater risk to “stop out” instead of transferring to another institution included students of local origin from Mobile or Baldwin County (26%), living off campus (17%), did not participate in a learning community (15%), and male (14%). Students with these characteristics were less likely to transfer to another institution. Students with these characteristics should be targeted early with interventions to help them persist and return to USA, assuming they are capable of college work.
Institutional Research and Planning Page 5

Gender
Total
Female
Male
Gender * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
156
43%
204
57%
360
100%
140
57%
106
43%
246
100%
Total
296
49%
310
51%
606
100%
Race
Total
White
African-American
Asian
Hispanic
Multiracial
Other
Race * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Non-Resident Alien
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
17
5%
360
100%
12
3%
3
1%
213
59%
95
26%
6
2%
14
4%
2
1%
246
100%
11
4%
1
0%
158
64%
62
25%
4
2%
8
3%
Total
371
61%
157
26%
10
2%
22
4%
19
3%
606
100%
23
4%
4
1%
Age
Total
20 years or older
17 years or younger
18 years old
19 years old
Age * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
33
9%
20
6%
266
74%
41
11%
360
100%
3
1%
13
5%
201
82%
29
12%
246
100%
Total
36
6%
33
5%
467
77%
70
12%
606
100%
1

Region
Total
HS GPA
Total
Rest of Alabama
Region * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Mobile or Baldwin
County
Mississippi Service
Area
Florida Service Area
Rest of United States
International
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
211
59%
98
27%
18
5%
17
5%
13
4%
3
1%
360
100%
7%
1
0%
246
100%
82
33%
111
45%
18
7%
16
7%
18
Total
293
48%
209
34%
36
6%
33
5%
31
5%
4
1%
606
100%
2.5 or lower
2.51-3.0
3.01-3.5
3.51-4.0
HS GPA * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
28
8%
111
33%
119
36%
75
23%
333
100%
7
3%
73
31%
82
34%
76
32%
238
100%
Total
35
6%
184
32%
201
35%
151
26%
571
100%
2

ACT
Total
Other
Scholarship
Total
18 or lower
19-20
21-23
24-26
27-29
30 or higher
No
Yes
ACT * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
60
19%
66
21%
82
26%
62
20%
31
10%
15
5%
316
100%
9%
10
4%
232
100%
45
19%
55
24%
72
31%
30
13%
20
Total
105
19%
121
22%
154
28%
92
17%
51
9%
25
5%
548
100%
Freshman
Scholarship
No
Yes
Total
Freshman Scholarship * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
239
66%
121
34%
360
100%
174
71%
72
29%
246
100%
Total
413
68%
193
32%
606
100%
Other Scholarship * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
332
92%
28
8%
360
100%
210
85%
36
15%
246
100%
Total
542
89%
64
11%
606
100%
Housing
Total
Off Campus
On Campus
Housing * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
201
56%
159
44%
360
100%
95
39%
151
61%
246
100%
Total
296
49%
310
51%
606
100%
3

Learning
Community
No
Yes
Total
Learning Community * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
272
76%
88
24%
360
100%
151
61%
95
39%
246
100%
Total
423
70%
183
30%
606
100%
Took
Freshman
Seminar
Total
No
Yes
Took Freshman Seminar * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
143
40%
217
60%
360
100%
84
34%
162
66%
246
100%
Total
227
37%
379
63%
606
100%
College
Total
AH
AS
BU
CS
ED
EG
NU
College * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
52
6%
50
14%
53
15%
360
100%
14%
136
38%
26
7%
22
6%
21
53
8%
32
13%
39
16%
246
100%
22%
76
31%
18
7%
8
3%
20
Total
105
7%
82
14%
92
15%
606
100%
17%
212
35%
44
7%
30
5%
41
4

Orientation
Total
Orientation * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
August/Adult/Transfer
Orientation
Count
% within Transferred from USA
May Orientation Count
% within Transferred from USA
Freshman Session 1
Freshman Session 2
Freshman Session 3
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
Freshman Session 4
Freshman Session 5
Freshman Session 6
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
65
18%
11
3%
29
8%
32
9%
39
11%
46
13%
66
18%
72
20%
360
100%
16%
33
13%
40
16%
37
15%
246
100%
24
10%
8
3%
30
12%
35
14%
39
13%
79
13%
106
17%
109
18%
606
100%
Total
89
15%
19
3%
59
10%
67
11%
78
USA Hours
Earned
Total
0-6 hours
USA Hours Earned * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
6.5-12 hours
12.5-18 hours
18.5-24 hours
24.5-30 hours
30.5 or more hours
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
135
40%
81
24%
53
16%
34
10%
23
7%
12
4%
338
100%
37
16%
48
21%
50
22%
35
15%
42
18%
20
9%
232
100%
Total
172
30%
129
23%
103
18%
69
12%
65
11%
32
6%
570
100%
5

USA GPA
Total
2.0 or lower
2.01-2.5
2.51-3.0
3.01-3.5
3.51-4.0
USA GPA * Transferred from USA Crosstabulation
Transferred from USA
Stopped Out Transferred
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
Count
% within Transferred from USA
250
74%
42
12%
33
10%
9
3%
4
1%
338
100%
103
44%
31
13%
41
18%
40
17%
17
7%
232
100%
Total
353
62%
73
13%
74
13%
49
9%
21
4%
570
100%
6