A Transfer Student’s Access to a Four-Year Public College/University—Has the Landscape Changed?

1. A Transfer Student’s Access to a Four-Year Public College/University—Has the Landscape Changed? Bill Kraus Associate Vice President Enrollment Management The University of Akron

2. Professional Experience—Variety of Experiences and Perspectives • Thirteen years in the community college environment • Thirteen years in the four year college environment • 8 years in an urban college/university environment

3. Enrollment Planning Process—The Roadmap (Fall 2006-09) • First time freshmen • First time/full time • Adult • Transfer students • Returning student • Graduate students • Student success and retention

4. Transfer Student Focus An enrollment management perspective on the behaviors of transfer students

5. Internal and External Review of the Current Landscape • Wealth of Resources • The University of Akron • SUNY College at Buffalo • SUNY APC Data • OBR • Other college/university data and research

7. Transfer Student Enrollment The University of Akron Total Enrollment: 24,704 Fall 2007 916 Fall 2006 911 Fall 2005 828 Fall 2004 793 Fall 2003 867 Fall 2002 929

8. SUNY Campuses

9. Transfer Student Enrollment Buffalo State College Total Enrollment: 11,129 Fall 2007 1116 Fall 2006 1133 Fall 2005 1081 Fall 2004 1014 Fall 2003 1011 Fall 2002 1102

10. Transfer Student Themes • Transfer student admissions behaviors • Role of geography • Transfer student success • Stop-Outs/Swirling • Affordability and access

11. Transfer Student Application Behaviors—University of Akron When Students Apply for the Fall Term As of April 1 for Fall 2007 - 92% of all freshmen applicants have applied - 40% of all transfer applicants have applied

12. Transfer Student Application Behaviors—University of Akron Yield (for Fall 2007) - 43% of all accepted freshmen enroll - 66% of all accepted transfer students enroll

13. Transfer Student Application Behaviors—SUNY Number of Application Choices (Fall 2006) Applicants: 12,211 Applications: 17,206 Source: SUNY APC

14. Why? • Each transfer situation is unique • Uncertainty is a common theme • Unlike first time freshmen, no consistent process across all colleges • Admissions decision is based on college work

15. AGILITY

16. Role of Geography Defining your effective recruitment range

17. SUNY Campuses

18. Geography—SUNY Community Colleges Erie Community College 588 transfer-out to SUNY colleges/universities Buffalo State College 265 University at Buffalo 231 Fredonia 33 Brockport 18 Source: SUNY IR (2004)

19. Geography—SUNY Community Colleges Cayuga Community College 168 transfer-out to SUNY colleges Oswego 67 Cortland 16 Brockport 11 Buffalo State 7 Source: SUNY IR (2004)

20. GeographyBuffalo State College—Top Feeder InstitutionsFall 2003 Erie Community College 265 Niagara Community College 100 University at Buffalo (SUNY) 56 Genesee Community College 16 Monroe Community College 24 Nassau 5 Suffolk 3

21. GeographyIn-State Retention Rate after Graduation (Ohio) Cuyahoga Community College 88% Lakeland Community College 91% Lorain Community College 91% Sinclair Community College 89% Source: OBR

22. GeographyUniversity of Akron—Top Feeder Institutions Number of Students • Cuyahoga Community College 127 • Kent State—Main 113 • Stark State 63 • Toledo 33 • Ohio State 32 • Lakeland Community College 29 • Lorain Community College 28 • Kent State—Stark 27 • Bowling Green 22 • Ashland University 17 Reflects 51% of all new transfers Note: 88% of the OSU transfers have a home address in the Akron area

23. Don’t Fight Geography Effective use of limited resources

24. Transfer Student Success • Various views and perspectives • Community College (sending institution) • Four Year College (receiving institution)

25. Community College Student SuccessFirst to Second Year Persistence by Institution Type (Ohio) SameAny Statewide 68% 77% Community Colleges 56% 61% Main Campuses 75% 85% Main Campuses with Open Admissions 65% 75% Source: OBR

26. Transfer Student SuccessImpact on Junior Level Status (Ohio) Statewide Total: 38,968 % Avg. GPA No previous credit at two year: 76% 3.0 45 or fewer credits earned: 14% 3.0 More than 45 credits earned: 10% 2.8 University of Akron: 3,090 No previous credit at two year: 80% 3.1 45 or fewer credits earned: 10% 3.1 More than 45 credits earned: 9% 3.0 Source: OBR

27. Transfer Student SuccessPersistence of First Time Students—Buffalo State College Fall 2000 New Students % First Time Still Enrolled Fall 2001: 77% % Transfer Still Enrolled Fall 2001: 80% Transfer students had a higher persistence rate at 11 of the 13 SUNY Colleges Source: SUNY IR

28. Graduation Rate ComparisonBuffalo State College Fall 2000 Cohort • Freshmen (First Term Fall 2000) • After Four Years: 15% • After Five Years: 36% • After Six Years: 44% • Transfer (First Term Fall 2000) • After Four Years: 59% • After Five Years: 62% • After Six Years: 64%

29. Transfer Student SuccessPersistence and Graduation Rates—Large Public University in Virginia First-Year Persistence First-Time Students: 79.9% Transfer Students: 80.6% Transfer 4-Year Graduation Rate: 62% Freshmen 6-Year Graduation Rate: 50%

30. One State’s Perspective on Transfer Student SuccessAn Example of Bias Against Transfer Students One state’s frame of reference: Three-year bachelor degree graduation rate of transfer students who earned an associates degree— Compared with three-year bachelors degree graduation rate of native students who enrolled three years prior and were still enrolled

31. So Guess What? The graduation rate of transfer students was 5 to 20 points lower

32. Transfer Students Succeed Typically at rates higher than the first time/full time cohort Bias against behaviors transfer students bring to the institution

33. Stop-Outs/Swirling Students • National Student Loan Clearinghouse Data • Returning student recruitment • Retention research

34. Stop-Out Student Analysis (NSLCH) Attended Spring 06—Not Enrolled Fall 06 Number: 1363 Entered UA as Transfer: 272 Attending Another College: 427 Entered UA as Transfer: 130 (48%)

35. Top Institutions of Non-Persisting Students 1. Kent State 56 2. Stark State 54 3. Ohio State 35 4. Walsh University 16 5. Lorain County CC 16 6. Youngstown State 14 7. Cleveland State 14 8. Cuyahoga CC 13 9. Ohio University 12

36. Transfer Defined by Geography Colleges and universities within a 45 minute drive of The University of Akron Community Colleges: 4 Public Universities: 3 Private Colleges: 8

37. Affordability and Access The key change in the transfer student landscape

38. Affordability and Access SUNY Tuition Average Community College $3,200 SUNY College Tuition $5,300 Ohio Average Community College $2,800 University of Akron $8,400

39. Pressure to Increase Quality (SUNY) Buffalo State College Freshmen Denials Fall 2005 1840 Fall 2004 1454 Fall 2003 1402 Coupled with a 50% reduction in the special admit program

40. Affordability—Student Debt • Ohio is ranked tenth in the nation for the average student-loan debt for students graduating from a public four-year university ($18,854) • Average credit card debt for students in the Midwest is $2,498—15% higher than the national average Source: Nellie Mae

41. Affordability—Loan Default • Poor academic performance is the number one reason for student departure—and departure before degree is the number one reason for loan defaults • Extending college attendance beyond five years has a negative impact on default—even for borrowers who are successful at completing their degree Sources: Vockwein/Cabrua Steiner/Tezler

42. Seamless Transfer Value and Respect Transfer Credit (Currency)

43. Lessons Learned—As more things change… • Targeted scholarships • Value and respect transfer credit (currency) • Relevance of agreements • Community colleges are looking for “real” collaborations • Partnerships • Don’t fight behaviors • Don’t fight geography • Agility • Seamless • Consistency of information and processing • Transfer student support services at the four-year campus—without labels