Browsing by Subject "Transfer students"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Dynamics that Influence Current Student Retention of Students Who Have Transferred
    (2017-06) Rondeau, Heather M
    The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of current students who have transferred from a community college over a two-year period of time. Three students were interviewed one-on-one for sixty minutes at a four-year, medium sized, regional, comprehensive, public university in the upper Mid-west region of the United States. Four themes emerged across the three participants' experiences at the four-year university which were: support, both academically and socially; financial aid which includes FAFSA and scholarships; transfer credits and the transfer credit policies that influence how credits transfer; and connections to faculty, students, and staff on the four-year university campus. The present study found that although Tinto's (1993, 2012) theories on student retention have similarities, there are differences between the experiences of first-year students at a university and students who have transferred. To ensure the retention of students who have transferred, different methods and techniques should be considered by practitioners and administrators when creating retention plans.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Influences of Social Relationships on the Transfer Student Experience
    (2018-05) Novak, Brooke N
    The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of transfer students currently enrolled in a small-sized, regional, public university located in the upper Midwestern region of the United States, who have transferred from another institution prior to enrolling. Five students were interviewed one-on-one for sixty to ninety minutes. Three themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews. These themes included were shared familiarities among the participants experiences: social support (both within the university and personal), connections with a community (both campus and geographical community), and the desire to pay it forward and give back (in ways other than financially). The present study found that Astin's (1984) theory of student involvement rings true in regards to students' accomplishing successful transition experiences from one institution to another, correlating with the amount of energy and effort put into the experience and relationship. However, this study found out that the student experience is more complex than that. This study reflected on Kahu's (2013) theories of multiple constructs, with all of the factors influencing the student experience
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Paving the path to graduation: salient factors for successful transition and persistence of transfer students at a four-year institution
    (2014-09) Gray, Monita Mohammadian
    Representing a larger percentage of the undergraduate population on campus across the U.S, coupled with a predicted decline in the "typical" college-going population of 18-year-olds, transfer students will play an increasingly critical role in the national completion agenda. This study examines the complexity of the transfer student experience as it relates to their transition to a small, private four-year institution and persistence to bachelor's degree completion. Specifically, the goal of the study is to discover factors that facilitate success from transfer students' arrival to graduation and determine the applicability of several prominent models of student success and persistence to transfer students' experiences (Bean, 1980; Braxton, Hirschy, & McClendon, 2004; Tinto, 1975, 1987). 48 transfer students were interviewed shortly after their arrival or after several semesters of enrollment at one four-year university. Using grounded theory for data collection and analysis, the findings suggest that the most salient factors for successful transfer student transition are early and effective preparation, and strong self-advocacy and utilization of faculty and staff resources to help them navigate their new university environment. The findings also suggest that transfer students' personal motivation and prioritization of education and learning over other obligations foster persistence to degree completion. This study provides a better understanding of the lived experiences of transfer students and evidence that existing models of student success and persistence require revision to consider this prominent undergraduate student population.