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 2007916 Fall 2006911 Fall 2005828 Fall 2004793 Fall 2003867 Fall 2002929

8. SUNY Campuses

9. Transfer Student Enrollment Buffalo State College Total Enrollment: 11,129 Fall 20071116 Fall 20061133 Fall 20051081 Fall 20041014 Fall 20031011 Fall 20021102

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 College588 transfer-out to SUNY colleges/universities Buffalo State College265 University at Buffalo231 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. 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

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

22. Geography University of Akron—Top Feeder Institutions Number of Students 1. Cuyahoga Community College127 2. Kent State—Main113 3. Stark State 63 4. Toledo 33 5. Ohio State 32 6. Lakeland Community College 29 7. Lorain Community College 28 8. Kent State—Stark 27 9. Bowling Green 22 10. 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 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

26. Transfer Student Success Impact 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 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

28. Graduation Rate Comparison Buffalo 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 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%

30. One State’s Perspective on Transfer Student Success An 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 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

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 20051840 Fall 20041454 Fall 20031402 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