From Recruitment to Retention

1. From Recruitment to Retention A Private Institution Panel Discussion of Best Practices that Foster Transfer Student Success

2. Introductions

3. Abilene Christian University Dr. Eric Gumm Director of the First-Year Program and Academic Development 15 years in Higher Education 11 years in the First-Year Program

4. Abilene Christian University • Located in Abilene, Texas • 3,806 total undergraduates (fall 2011) • 530 total undergraduate transfers (fall 2011) • 864 freshmen (fall 2011) • 149 transfers (fall 2011) • 73.6% freshman retention rate • 72.1% transfer retention rate

5. Baylor University Brandon Miller Assistant Vice President and Interim Director, Career Services Paul L. Foster Success Center

6. Baylor University • 735-acre campus in Waco, Texas, with an area population greater than 229,000 • Enrollment: • Undergraduate: 12, 575 • Freshmen: 3,033 • Transfer: 449 • First Time Freshmen Fall to Fall – 84% • Transfer Fall to Fall – 77.5%

7. Southern Methodist University Nancy Skochdopole Director of Transfer and Transition Services

8. Southern Methodist University • Located in Dallas, Texas • 6,221 total undergraduates (fall 2011) • 943 total undergraduate transfers (fall 2011) • 1382 first years (fall 2011) • 265 transfers (fall 2011) • 88.6% first-year retention rate • 88.1% transfer retention rate

9. Pacific University Denise Giesbers Director - Office of Transfer Student Services, Information, Communication and Division Visibility 13 years in Student Affairs 12 years in Transfer Student specific role

10. Pacific University • Location: Forest Grove, Oregon • Fees: • Tuition and Fees: $33,670 • Room and Board: $10,165 • Undergraduate Enrollment: 1603 • First Year Student Enrollment 2011- 374 • Transfer Student Enrollment 2011 – 74 • 3 year Retention Average for Freshman – 77.3% • 3 year Retention Average for Transfers – 72.4%(this # is skewed due to how our reporting structure was set-up. Before 2009 our international exchange students were included in this number.

11. Reaching Out

12. Reaching Out:The Admission Perspective • Counselors attend ~ 40 college fairs each season at top feeder schools and across region, including Phi Theta Kappa events • University partners with top feeder schools through articulation, pre-admission and reverse transfer agreements

13. Reaching Out:The Admission Perspective • Admissions sponsors Mustang Express Decisions – 15 MEDs offered this spring • Prospective students invited to on-campus events – Transfer Tuesdays, Quick Connect Workshops, Transfer Stampede and Mustang Evening

14. Reaching Out:The Admission Perspective • Transfer Open Advising Day offered as yield event • Admission and Registrar Offices partner to make sure admission decision delivered to applicants within 14 days • Recruiting tools developed including brochure and Quick Connects

15. Reaching Out:The Admission Perspective • Counselors hand out informational sheets called Quick Connects at fairs and interviews • Quick Connects for specific majors, general education curriculum and unique populations

16. Reaching Out:The Scholarship Perspective • Merit scholarships automatic to students with 50 or more transferable hours and…… • 3.5 – 3.69 GPA - $3,000 • 3.7 or higher GPA – Half Tuition • 10 full tuition scholarships awarded each fall to transfers from North Texas community colleges (application and interview required) • 20 Phi Theta Kappa scholarships awarded to active members with 3.5 or higher GPA – $2,000 (application required)

17. Reaching Out:The Admission Perspective • Dedicated Counselor • Here are the basic transfer requirements for admission to Pacific University… • Minimum of a 2.7 Cumulative GPA at the college level • All Official College Transcripts mailed from each college you have attended(If you have completed 30 semester credits (45 quarter credits), then you do NOT have to include your official high school transcripts and SAT/ACT scores.)

18. Reaching Out:The Admission Perspective • Completed transfer application (online via Common Application) • 500-800 word essay • One letter of recommendation (can be from a professor, counselor or work supervisor who can speak to your academic motivation and focus) • Other recommendations: Evidence of ability to successfully take a full semester/quarter of SOLID college classes above the 100 level. We typically accept college courses above the 100 level with grades of C- or higher.

19. Reaching Out:The Admission Perspective • Preferred application deadline for spring ’12 is January 1, 2012 • Preferred application deadline for fall ’12 is June 15, 2012 • 3 Weeks!- Once your application file is complete and we have admitted you to Pacific University, it usually takes up to three weeks to receive your official transcript evaluation from us in the mail. Your financial aid award letter will be e-mailed out to you starting the third week in March.

20. Reaching Out:The Scholarship Perspective • $$ Increased Merit Scholarships for Transfers (effective Fall 2012)… • We offer our transfer students automatic and renewable merit scholarships based on your cumulative college GPA: • 2.9 – 3.29 ($10,500) • 3.3 – 3.49 ($11,500) • 3.5-3.69 ($15,000) • 3.7 - 3.8 ($19,000) • 3.81 and higher ($22,000) • OREGON SCHOLARSHIPS (Apply by March 1) • Oregon Student Assistance Commission: www.GetCollegeFunds.org • Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships… • If you are a member of this national transfer honor society at your community college, you can apply for additional scholarships worth up to $2,500 a year! Please be sure to apply early (January – March) as we only have 15 to award.

21. Transition and Support

22. Orientation and Transition • Welcome Weekend • Our orientation for new spring students • Primary population is transfer students • Focus on getting them “up to speed” • Passport – our New Student Orientation • 2 sessions each summer • Combined event for freshmen and transfer students

23. Orientation and Transition • Welcome Week • Five days of transition experiences • Specific groups for transfer students • Those groups are lead by a Transfer Peer Leader • Transfer Peer Leaders remain in contact with their students for a full academic year • Contact includes weekly emails highlighting activities on and off campus to encourage student involvement and engagement

24. Transition and Support:Student Organizations • Mustang Transfers – offers fellowship and philanthropy for all transfer students • Tau Sigma National Honor Society – offers opportunity for fellowship and service as peer mentors

25. Transfer Student Clubs/Organizations • Baylor Transfer Council (BTC) • Dedicated to serving transfer students by promoting activities that enhance the spiritual, social, physical, and intellectual well-being of their lives. Seeks to provide its members with leadership and service opportunities and promote transfer student involvement and is committed to recruiting new transfer students and to assisting current transfer students in their transition to Baylor University. • BTC hosts Welcome Weekend social activities in the Spring for new transfer students

26. Transfer Student Clubs/Organizations • Tau Sigma Transfer Honor Society is an academic honor society designed specifically to "recognize and promote the academic excellence and involvement of transfer students.“ • Tau Sigma hosts a Transfer Mixer for all new transfers and serves as academic mentors • Tau Sigma President and Vice President serve as members of the Transfer Living-Learning Center Steering Committee

27. Transition and Support • Orientation – • 1 ½ -2 day Orientation (part of which is integrated in with the Freshman). Additional 2 days of programming they are invited to • Ambassadors (leaders) are also their peer mentors for the 1st semester. • Ambassadors contact their mentee’s during the summer to answer questions and make a connection before they arrive. • Dinner/luncheon with faculty

28. Transition and Support • Student Organization • Pacific Connections – organization all transfers belong to by virtue of being a transfer. • Can be as active or inactive as the student chooses. • Primary responsibility: social programming for transfers. • Works with OTSS on 90% of all other programming for this population. • Provides support for Admissions (tours, panels, etc…) • Transfer Student Senator – Must be a current executive member.

29. Transition and Support • Institutional Grant – Focused on Retention, Recruitment, & Research • Become pro-active vs. re-active in planning • Lunch Box Series – “Transfer”mation Lunch Series (permission to use the name given at 9th NISTS conference) • Provide students with topics for both in and outside of the classroom • Most popular – How to Get Into Grad School • Internal and external marketing (see samples) • Solidify evaluation methods and system on our Transfer Student Services and evaluate Transfer Orientation

30. Academic and Advising Components

31. Academic and Advising Components • New Academic Advising Center – • Each Transfer Student will meet with the Director to assist with this transition.

32. Academic and Advising Components • Specific course for transfer students • CORE 115 – Critical Thinking and Identity • A course only for new transfer students • Satisfies a core requirement • Also brings new transfer students together

33. Data Driven Perspective

34. Data Driven Perspective • The same data you have for your first-time freshmen, you should also have for your new transfers • Quantitative and Qualitative in Nature • Data Warehouse

35. Examples of Available Transfer Data • Enrollment Funnel • Admissions Data – Top five transfer institutions and GPA • Fall to Fall Retention • Fall to Spring Retention • Academic Referrals and Mid – Term Deficiencies • Academic Support Programs • Non-registered for the next semester • Predictive Models for semester retention • Evaluation of the Transfer Year Experience Course • Admission Focus Groups • Profile of transfer students below a 2.0 GPA

36. Break Out Time

37. Break Out Time • To provide more opportunity to discuss together, we will now break out into smaller groups. • We have a sheet that we invite you to use in your group to discuss and share ideas in these four areas. • After some time for discussion, we will bring everyone back together and ask each group to share 1-2 ideas.

38. WRAP UP

39. Wrap Up • Thank you for attending this session, and for your participation in the discussion. • Please complete your evaluation of the session. • We invite you to continue to conversation as the conference continues as well as beyond the conference.

40. Contact Us • Denise Giesbers – dgiesbers@pacific.edu • Eric Gumm – gummj@acu.edu • Nancy Skochdopole - nskoch@smu.edu