Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Fostering Transfer Student Success at Baylor University

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Baylor University: Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana ‣Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas ‣735-acre campus is located in Central Texas on the banks of the Brazos River ‣Affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (largest Baptist university in the world) and oldest institution in the state ‣Undergraduate enrollment of approximately 11,000 students ‣150 Baccalaureate degree programs ‣Undergraduate costs for are $35,472

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University General Enrollment Profile ‣ 80% of students come from within Texas ‣ Students come from all 50 states and 70 countries – California, Colorado, Louisiana ‣ 2007 First-Year Cohort - SAT score of 1219, ACT score of 26 ‣ Since 1999, the average SAT for entering FYS has risen 50 points ‣ 2007 incoming class of 3,184 (2,732 FY & 452 Transfer) ‣ Total minority enrollment of 28% (Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, African American/Black)

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Fall 2008 Transfer Enrollment Profile ‣ 404 new transfer students ‣ 50.2% entered Baylor as sophomores ‣ 59% females ‣ 33% from racial or ethnic minority groups ‣ 35% Baptist religious affiliation ‣ 8.9% resident or nonresident aliens, representing 19 foreign countries ‣ 78% listed permanent address in Texas ‣ Mean SAT of 1115 and mean ACT of 23

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Top 5 Transfer Colleges of New Transfers Fall 2008 ‣ McClennan Community College – 53 ‣ Dallas County Community College District – 30 ‣ Collin County Community College – 22 ‣ Lone Star College System – 15 ‣ Blinn College - 11

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Retention Data of New Transfers ‣ Fall 2004 to Fall 2005 – 76.7% ‣ Fall 2005 to Fall 2006 – 77.7% ‣ Fall 2006 to Fall 2007 – 76.1% ‣ Fall 2007 to Fall 2008 – 77.9% * ‣ Fall 2004 to Spring 2005 – 89.4% ‣ Fall 2005 to Spring 2006 – 89.8% ‣ Fall 2006 to Spring 2007 – 87.6% ‣ Fall 2007 to Spring 2008 – 90.0% * ‣ Fall 2008 to Spring 2009 – 89.6% (as of )

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Transfer Orientation Summer Orientation for Transfer Students o June – 2-day program for students & family members o Information Sessions o Advising o Registration o Welcome messages from Baylor faculty and staff

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Getting Your Bearings ‣ Personal Effectiveness Skills Course o One hour, elective credit o Six 50-minute meetings beginning first week of classes o Curriculum Baylor Academic Policies Baylor Culture and Traditions Foster Success Center Resources Time Management and Study Skills Baylor Service and Social Organizations The Best of Baylor Campus Tour o Value to Participants (28 in first group) “You gave us the answers before we knew the questions to ask.”

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Baylor Transfer Council ‣ Baylor Transfer Council Focus Group o Application Process Difficult o Financial Aid Process Relatively Simple o Housing – Particularly difficult for on-campus facilities o Baylor Transfer Council especially helpful o Transfer students feel “pushed aside” for freshmen o Older students have already formed groups

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University BU 1000 ‣ Fall Semester o Piggy-backed on to University 1000 Freshman Program o Seven 50-minute meetings beginning in Welcome Week o Small groups (15-20) facilitated by staff or faculty member o Transfer Welcome Dinner during Welcome Week o Curriculum similar to “Getting Your Bearings” course

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University BU 1000 Outcomes ‣ BU 1000 Survey o BU 1000 too closely tied to freshman programming o Need for more transfer-specific scholarships o Too few transfer-specific social activities throughout semester o Need more campus tours o Too few hours transfer toward Baylor degree or major credit o Of the 404 transfers enrolled Fall 2008, 262 took Chapel/BU 1000 in the fall semester. o Of those 262, 240 are registered for the Spring 2009 term and their overall average GPA for the Fall was 2.78.

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Long Range Plans ‣ Course Articulation o More specific messaging to prospective students o Review common course numbering system courses to determine if additional courses can be approved o Present findings on articulation study to Regents ‣ On-campus Housing ‣ BU 1000 offered as a 3-hour graded course ‣ Transfer Welcome Center ‣ State Private University Consortium

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Best Practices to Foster Transfer Success ‣ Organization? Staffing? ‣ Pre-enrollment communication? Recruitment messaging? ‣ Financial incentives? ‣ Admission process? ‣ Articulation agreements? ‣ On-campus accommodations?

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor University Best Practices continued ‣ Academic Advisement? ‣ Transition Programming? ‣ Academic & Social Integration? ‣ Academic Support? ‣ Transfer Year Experience? ‣ Assessment?

Success C enter PAUL L. FOSTER Baylor UniversityQuestions? Doriss Hambrick Academic Support Advisor Brandon Miller AVP of Student Success