Successfully Transitioning
Transfer Students to the Campus
Rachael Carranza
Graduate Student
University of Oklahoma
Kay Higgins, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Texas Christian University
Successfully Transitioning
Transfer Students to the Campus
• Welcome! As you enter the room, please sit close
to the front.
• Write “Challenges” or things you are hoping to
learn in today’s session on the post-it at the front
of room.
• Write “Best Practices” from your campus. What is
your institution currently doing to orient transfer
students?
• We will begin in just a few minutes.
• Thank you for coming!
TCU Philosophy
A Transfer Student
for a semester.
A Horned Frog for
a Life time!
Implementation
Transfer Dean for a
semester to transition.
Class affiliation for the
remainder of their
time at TCU.
• History
– Dean/Newsletter/Events
• Fall 2007
– Transfer Student walks in: Rachael
– Internship
– Focused efforts began
• Fall 2009
– Survey
How did your expectation of the credit transfer
process match your actual experience?
What would have made the process (transferring credit) easier?
Prior
knowledge
Manage
Expectations
StudentFocused
• TCU requirements
• Credit/Course matching
• Process
• Timelines
• Streamline process
• Accessibility
• Consistent information
What would help make Transfer Orientation better?
Networking
• More time
• Focused
Social
• Opportunities
• “Catch up”
Details
• Registration
• Housing
• ID, Parking, etc.
What prevented you from attending Transfer Orientation?
Work
Timing
Didn’t See Need
What would have gotten you to attend Transfer Orientation?
More Date Options
Timing/Proximity
Recognize the
Value
• Frog Camp description
• FC purpose
• FC goals/objectives
• Transfer Connections description
• TC purpose
• TC goals/objectives
How helpful was Transfer Connections in your transition into TCU?
Transfer Connections helped me in the following ways:
What information needs to be included in Transfer Connections
that currently is NOT presented?
TCU
Culture
• History & Traditions
• Cheers & Songs
Social
Options
• Clubs & Organizations
• Surrounding Community
Campus
Resources
• Academic Support
• Health & Wellness
Are you still in contact with any of your Transfer Connections
classmates?
What prevented you from participating in Transfer Connections?
Lack of
Knowledge
Schedule
Conflict
Time
Availability
How did you learn of the TSAB?
Please specify how the TSAB has been helpful to you?
E-mails
Networking
Advocacy
• Stay connected
• Awareness of events, opportunities
• Socials
• Mentoring
• Awareness
• Voice
What was your biggest obstacle when transferring to TCU?
What would have made the transition easier?
Housing
Social
Academic
• On-campus
• Off-campus
• Meeting people
• Getting involved
• Advising
• Credit transfer
Information in multiple formats
In what ways do you think the TSAB could help transfer
students like yourself?
Resource
Social
Advocate
• Navigating the system
• Communication to keep connected
• Sponsor events
• Increase awareness of opportunities
• Representation
• Voice concerns
Information Availability
Flexibility Matters
Student-Focused
Integrated Process
Consistency Counts
Manage Expectations
Transition
“Any event, or non-event, that
results in changed
relationships, routines,
assumptions, and roles”
-Schlossberg, Waters & Goodman (1995)
The transfer student experience:
Why does it matter?
Over 325 Attendees Registered
More than 150 Institutions Present
Over 30 States Recognized
Let’s Talk Theory…
Schlossberg’s Transition Theory
(4 S’s)
Situation
Self
Support
Strategies
Transfer Student
Characteristics
Traditional/Non-Traditional
Two-Year
Four-Year
Out-of-State
International
On Campus/Off Campus
Academic & Social Integration
“Transfer Shock”
You can’t have one without the other Both must be recognized
Student Engagement
Astin’s Theory of Student Involvement
Student Learning & Growth = Engagement
“Barriers to achievement and
engagement
can result from making decisions
without
qualitative input from students”
Harper and Quaye, 2009
Student Initiated Efforts: Why They
Work
Transfer Student
Advisory
Board (TSAB)
The mission of the TSAB is
to serve as advocates for
transfer students at the
University of Oklahoma, to
form relationships with
existing efforts in order to
provide feedback,
suggestions and assistance
in recruiting, welcoming and
supporting students as they
transition into their new role
as successful members of
the OU community.
OU Transfer Leadership Class
(TLC)
800 Applicants
50 Students
Selected
Meet Weekly
Guest Speakers
Experiential Learning
Campus
Tours/Visits
And, they have fun!
Ignite Change
Serve as advocates for transfer
students in
every
conversation
Use student development theories in
combination
Educate Others
Re-evaluate existing programs
Start Small!
Reference List
Braxton, J. M. (2003). Student success. Student services: A handbook for the profession (pp.317-335).
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Chylinski, M. (2009). The transfer transition. Retrieved December 5, 2009, from
http://www.careersandcolleges.com/tp2/cnc/articles/view.do?cat=
transfer&article=transfer-transition
Cuseo, J. (2009, September 29). Transfer student FYE- Best practices. Retrieved from
TYE-List@listserv.sc.edu.
Dungy, G. J. (2003). Organization and functions of student affairs. Student services: A handbook for
the profession (4th Ed). (pp. 339-357). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Eggleston, L. E., Laanan, F. S. (2001). Making the transition to the senior institution. New directions
for community colleges, 114, 87-97.
El-Khawas, E. (2003). The many dimensions of student diversity. Student services: A handbook for the
profession (pp.45-62). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research,
and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Fredrickson, J. (1998). Today’s transfer students: Who are they? Community College Review. 26(1), 43-4
Gonzalez, J. (2009). Report highlights characteristics of colleges with high transfer-success rates. Retriev
November 11, 2009, from http://chronicle.com/article/ReportHighlights/49210/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
Reference List Cont.
Harper, S. R., & Quaye, S. J. (2009). Beyond sameness, with engagement and outcomes for
all. Student engagement in higher education: Theoretical perspectives and practical
approaches for
diverse populations (pp. 1-15). New York: Taylor & Francis.
National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition (2002). 2000
survey of
first-year programming: Continuing innovations in the collegiate curriculum
(Monograph No. 35).
Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource
Center for The First-Year
Experience and Students in Transition.
Nuss, Elizabeth M. (2003). The development of student affairs. Student services: A handbook for
the profession
(4th Ed). (pp. 65-88). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Rowh, M. (2008). Why transfer to a four-year college? Retrieved December 5, 2009, from
http://www.careersandcolleges.com/tp2/cnc/articles/view.do?cat=transferarticles&article=why-transfer-four-year-college-sub
Schlossberg, N. K., Waters, E. B., & Goodman, J. (1995). Counseling adults in transition (2nd ed.)
New
York: Springer.
Silverman, S. C., Aliabadi, S., & Stiles, M. R. (2009). Meeting the needs of commuter, part-time,
transfer,
and returning students. Student engagement in higher education:
Theoretical Perspectives and
Practical Approaches for Diverse Populations (pp.
223-241). New York: Taylor & Francis.
T-Camp: A transfer's first tradition (2009). Retrieved December 4, 2009, from http://tcamp.tamu.edu/node/1
Townsend, B. K., & Wilson, K. B. (2006). "A hand hold for a little bit": Factors facilitating the
success of
community college transfer students to a large research university. Journal
of College Student Development, 47(4), 439-456.
“Best Practices”
To be added before distribution
Q&A
Rachael Carranza
Kay Higgins, Ph.D.
Graduate Assistant | Student Life
Associate Dean
University of Oklahoma
TCU Box 297350
900 Asp Avenue
Norman, OK 73019
r.carranza@ou.edu
405-325-3163
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Fort Worth, TX 76129
k.higgins@tcu.edu
817-257-7855
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