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

Professional Experience—Variety of Experiences and Perspectives Daemen College, Amherst NY ( ) Cayuga Community College, Auburn NY ( ) Lakeland Community College, Mentor OH ( ) Buffalo State College, Buffalo NY ( ) The University of Akron, Akron OH (2005-present)

Enrollment Planning Process— The Roadmap (Fall ) First time freshmen – First time/full time – Adult Transfer students Returning student Graduate students Student success and retention

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

Internal and External Review of the Current Landscape Internal Review – University of Akron – Buffalo State College External Transfer Environment – Competition – Trends – Affordability – Access

SUNY Campuses

Transfer Student Enrollment The University of Akron Total Enrollment: 23,539 Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall

Transfer Student Enrollment Buffalo State College Total Enrollment: 11,129 Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall

Transfer Student Themes Transfer student admissions behaviors Role of geography Transfer student success Defining competition Affordability and access

Transfer Student Application Behaviors—University of Akron When Students Apply for the Fall Term As of March 1 for Fall % of all freshmen applicants have applied -32% of all transfer applicants have applied

Transfer Student Application Behaviors—University of Akron Yield (for Fall 2006) -42% of all accepted freshmen enroll -66% of all accepted transfer students enroll

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

Role of Geography Defining our effective recruitment range

Geography—SUNY Community Colleges (Fall 2003) Erie Community College588 transfer-out to SUNY colleges/universities Buffalo State College265 University at Buffalo231 Fredonia 33 Brockport 18 Source: SUNY IR

Geography—SUNY Community Colleges (Fall 2003) Cayuga Community College 168 transfer-out to SUNY colleges Oswego 67 Cortland 16 Brockport 11 Buffalo State 7 Source: SUNY IR

Geography Buffalo State College—Top Feeder Institutions Fall 2003 Erie Community College265 Niagara Community College100 University at Buffalo (SUNY) 56 Genesee Community College 16 Monroe Community College 24 Nassau 5 Suffolk 3

Geography In-State Retention Rate after Graduation (Ohio) Cuyahoga Community College88% Lakeland Community College91% Lorain Community College91% Sinclair Community College89% Source: OBR

Geography University of Akron—Top Feeder Institutions Number of Students 1. Cuyahoga Community College Kent State—Main Stark State Toledo Ohio State Lakeland Community College Lorain Community College Kent State—Stark Bowling Green Ashland University 17 Reflects 51% of all new transfers

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

Community College Student Success Three Years Later (Ohio) Earned Degree Persisting at Same Persisting at Other Community Colleges8%38% 10% State Community Colleges11%34% 10% Technical Colleges21%26% 8% Branch Campuses10%44% 13% Source: OBR

Community College Student Success First 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

Community College Student Success First to Second Year Persistence at any Ohio Institution—Freshmen Age 19 or Younger Completed H.S CoreDid Not Complete Statewide 87%77% Community Colleges 77%71% Main Campuses 90%82% Main Campuses with Open Admissions 85%75% Source: OBR

Transfer Student Success Impact on Junior Level Status (Ohio) Statewide Total:38,968 % Avg. GPA No previous credit at two year:76% 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% or fewer credits earned:10%3.1 More than 45 credits earned: 9%3.0 Source: OBR

Transfer Student Success Persistence 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

Transfer Student Success Graduation Rate—Frame of Reference 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

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

Transfer Student Success Persistence 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%

Defining Competition Inputs—Feeder Institutions (new transfers) Outputs—Non-persisting students (who do we lose our students to?)

Competition Defined by Geography Colleges and universities within 25 miles of Cuyahoga Community College Community Colleges:2 Public Universities:3 Private Colleges:8

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%)

Top Institutions of Non-Persisting Students 1.Kent State56 2.Stark State54 3.Ohio State35 4.Walsh University16 5.Lorain County CC16 6.Youngstown State14 7.Cleveland State14 8.Cuyahoga CC13 9.Ohio University12

Affordability and Access The key change in the transfer student landscape

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

Pressure to Increase Quality (SUNY) Buffalo State College Freshmen Denials Fall Fall Fall Coupled with a 50% reduction in the special admit program

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

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

Lessons Learned—As more things change… Targeted scholarships Value and respect transfer credit (currency) Relevance of agreements – Community colleges are looking for “real” collaborations Don’t fight behaviors Don’t fight geography Relationships – Partnerships – Key role of transfer counselors – Consistency of information and processing Agility Seamless Transfer student support services at the four-year campus—without labels Adult differentiation may not be appropriate