Valerie Como, Sarah Green, Daymyen Layne, Gregory Whitmore

Running Head: STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 1

Student Population Paper

Salem State University

EDU 773 Theories of College Student Development STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 2

In a 2012 Signature Report, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center identified that one-third of college students change institutions prior to earning their degree

(Hossler et al., 2012). In quantifying this trend, the Report solidifies that transfer students are a substantial student constituency and therefore need to be properly represented in student affairs functions.

For this research effort, we will assess how the process of changing schools impacts the growth and development of transfer students during their college years. After providing an overview of this non-traditional student population, we will consider how four student development theories can be used as tools to better understand the journey of transfer students and to better support these students on our campuses. We will also attempt to offer practical suggestions that are well-aligned with the unique needs of transfer students. In particular, we will focus on the experience of those students transferring to a four-year institution, and the campuses that receive them. Our intent is to provide both theoretical analysis as well as practical suggestions for student affairs professionals that work with this important student group.

An Introduction to Transfer Students

Almost by definition, transfer students are a diverse and unique population as they transition from one institution to another. For some transfer students, this adjustment results from the refinement of their academic/career goals, recognizing that their current institution may not be well suited for those efforts. In other instances, transfer students are essentially dissatisfied with their current college and therefore seek a greater academic challenge or a more traditional campus elsewhere. In some cases, students may approach the transfer process as another opportunity to join their original college preference after their initial efforts did not come to fruition. And for other students, they intentionally begin their college experience at a STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 3 community college to save money and/or build their academic foundation, and transferring is a necessary next step to complete their undergraduate education.

Those students who transition from a two-year college to a four-year institution complete a vertical transfer, whereas the movement from one four-year institution to another is considered a lateral transfer (Hossler et al., 2012). 25% of students transfer more than once (Hossler et al.,

2012), and students who transfer multiple times are considered to have a swirling enrollment pattern (Lester, Leonard, & Mathias, 2013). While transfer timing can be as unique as the reasons for transferring, 37% of students who transfer do so in their second year of studies

(Hossler et al., 2012). Many transfer students, particularly those transitioning from a community college, tend to be older, have family/work responsibilities, and represent lower socioeconomic backgrounds (Lester et al., 2013).

As transfer students matriculate at their new institutions, they are in the unique situation of having college experience to draw upon yet still finding themselves in unfamiliar territory.

Transfer students may be overconfident that they already know how to navigate college life, and therefore not take the necessary steps to learn the nuances of their new college (Grites, 2013).

On the other hand, they may not readily identify themselves as transfer students to others (Grites,

2013), and therefore miss out on key connection opportunities. Further, many students experience “transfer shock” (Grites, 2013, p. 61), a drop in their academic performance in their first semester or two after transferring. Therefore, even if transfer students are truly excited about the opportunities now available to them, the transition can be a challenging one. To further understand the dynamics of this academic, social, and administrative adjustment, it can be helpful to explore the transfer student experience through the lens of student development theory. STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 4

Self-Authorship

The Theory of Self-Authorship, coined by Marcia Baxter Magolda, can be considered when discussing a student’s decision to transfer colleges. In her theory research, she defines self-authorship as “the internal capacity to define one’s beliefs, identity, and social relations”

(Baxter Magolda, 2008, p. 269). Baxter Magolda’s research was unique in that it spanned decades and studied the same subjects from their twenties, into their thirties, and beyond (Evans,

Forney, Guido, Patton, & Renn, 2010). Her path to self-authorship includes four phases:

Following Formulas, Crossroads, Becoming the Author of One’s Life, and Internal Foundation, each of which includes cognitive, intrapersonal, and interpersonal dimensions (Evans et al.,

2010).

Within the first phase of Following Formulas, students are often heavily affected by external authorities, from parents to mentors to peers (Evans et al., 2010). Whether adults or contemporaries, these individuals can be particularly influential. They may lead students to follow examples that they have previously seen or known, typically trying to meet society’s expectations (Evans et al., 2010). In this phase, students allow others to define who they are

(Evans et al., 2010). This can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including students initially selecting majors such as Pre-Med or Pre-Law to mirror their parent’s path, yet not feeling fulfilled with that choice. When students follow formulas established by society, Baxter

Magolda states that these actions “revolved around doing what one was supposed to do to become successful” (Baxter Magolda, 2001, p. 78). These decisions could cause unhappiness and unrest if they lead to paths that do not reflect the student’s true interest.

Phase two, Crossroads, is where transfer students likely begin to make the choice to leave their current institution. The Crossroads phase is marked by recognition that their original STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 5 plans are not working well and then establishing a new set of ideals and actions that better reflect their own interests (Evans et al., 2010). Students essentially attempt to create a new sense of self, defined internally (Evans et al., 2010). Students at this phase may still fear the reactions of others, so they may not yet act on the decision to transfer to another school. Evans et al. (2010) state that the end of this phase is marked by the student gaining a clearer sense of self and more confidence in their own life decisions. The conclusion of this phase is likely the point where the student decides to transfer to another school.

In phase three, Becoming the Author of One’s Life, students may begin to choose their own beliefs and defy external points-of-view (Evans et al., 2010). There is much self-reflection within phase three as students begin to develop a strong self-concept (Evans et al., 2010).

Usually during this phase, young adults feel the need to adhere to their new-found belief systems

(Evans et al., 2010). Once students opt to transfer, they may feel compelled to believe that life at another institution will improve their collegiate experience, despite any doubts that arise.

As students enter phase four, Internal Foundation, they experience significant inner strength (Evans et al., 2010). They are far removed from the first phase and are no longer strongly influenced by external sources. With a strong sense of self and a belief system built throughout their collegiate career, students that have made the transition may begin to trust in who they are and the decisions that they’ve made.

Transition Theory

Goodman et al. describes transitions as circumstances that lead to changes in relationships, routines, assumptions, or roles (Evans et al., 2010). They noted that understanding the meaning that a transition has for a particular individual requires considering the type, context, and impact of the transition. Three types of transitions are possible: anticipated transitions, STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 6 which are predictable, unanticipated transitions, which are not predictable, and nonevents, which are expected to occur, but do not (Evans et al., 2010). Context refers to one’s relationship to the transition as well as the setting in which the transition takes place, and impact is determined by the degree to which a transition alters one’s daily life (Evans et al., 2010). For the purposes of our student population study, we can assume that transfer decisions will fall into either the anticipated or unanticipated transitions categories. The type of transition often depends on whether a student is attending a community college with plans to transfer at the end of the two years (anticipated), or perhaps a student matriculates at the school of their choice only to find that their academic pursuits cannot be achieved at that institution (unanticipated); both result in a need to transfer.

Goodman et al. presented four major sets of factors that influence one’s ability to cope with a transition: situation, self, support, and strategies, known as the four S’s (Evans et al.,

2010). In order to identify the applicable process, primary and secondary appraisals are necessary. Primary appraisal has to do with one’s view of the transition itself, whether regarded as positive, negative, or irrelevant (Evans et al., 2010). Secondary appraisal is a self-assessment of one’s resources for grappling with the transition (Evans et al., 2010).

When examining the situational factors, one is evaluating the cause of the transition, its timing, degree of control over the transition, role changes, and assessment of the transition.

Although there are many reasons that students transfer institutions, students are typically doing so because they are seeking a baccalaureate credential after earning an associate’s degree or are searching for a new institution better suited to their individual academic goals. In both of these cases, the student controls the likely timing of the transition, but has limited influence on the ultimate outcome of their transfer options. STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 7

The self-specific factors are broken into two categories: personal and demographic characteristics and psychological resources (Evans et al., 2010). A student’s personal and demographic characteristics will most certainly impact their transfer decision, ranging from affordability considerations to geographical constraints to interest in a single-sex institution.

When evaluating a student’s psychological resources, the focus is moreso on the coping aids that a student has developed to manage the transition process. Students need to consider if they are ready to transition colleges and the outlook they hold for the transfer process.

The last two factors of transition theory, support and strategies, address the mechanisms the student has in place to care for them as well as help them manage the stress with the transition process. In this model, social support is offered via intimate relationships, family units, networks of friends, and institutions and communities (Evans et al., 2010). Transfer students may become overwhelmed and lost in the magnitude of changes from one institution to another, thereby needing to develop a strategy for managing the stress and anxiety that accompanies their decision.

Identity Development

Chickering’s theory, which involves seven vectors of development, is especially relevant to transfer students and their identity formation (Evans et al., 2010). Students do not progress linearly through the seven vectors, and it is common for students to experience multiple vectors at the same time as well as revisit prior vectors (Evans et al., 2010). This process is very pertinent to transfer students as they experience a new campus, curriculum, co-curricular opportunities, and peers. Their identity development, or re-development, is in full force as a result of these changes and the corresponding acclimation adjustments. Although each of the STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 8 vectors can apply to transfer students, the developing competence, developing purpose, and establishing identity vectors seem particularly relevant to this group (Evans et al., 2010).

Developing competence is an important vector of Chickering’s theory, and often of primary concern to transfer students. According to Chickering, students develop intellectual competence and interpersonal competence in addition to physical and manual skills as they pursue their college educations (Evans et al., 2010). It can be a difficult process for transfer students to develop a sense of intellectual competence at their new institution. Although transfer students have attended college before, they are likely dealing with new academic expectations.

Transfer students often struggle academically, and less than 60% of transfer students earn their degrees within four years (Marling, 2013). Students who may have had high GPAs at their prior institution often experience transfer shock (Grites, 2013) during their first two semesters as they adjust to potentially increased academic demands. Also, unlike traditional students, transfer students often interact less with faculty, which can negatively impact their academic performance (Tobolowsky, McClellan, & Cox, 2014). Thus, their sense of intellectual competence may be tested as they encounter these academic adjustments and challenges.

In addition to developing competence, transfer students are also developing purpose as they examine their goals and aspirations for the future (Evans et al., 2010). As transfer students adjust to their new schools, they are often trying to determine how to best utilize the institution’s resources to establish meaning and direction in their lives. This process applies to students both pre- and post-transfer. In making the initial decision to transfer, these students most likely examined their goals and aspirations, then researched different institutions to pinpoint those that would best help them meet their objectives. It would have been particularly important to ensure that they applied to schools offering programs and services that were well-aligned with those STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 9 ultimate ambitions (Chin-Newman & Shaw, 2013). In this way, the developing purpose vector is extremely applicable to transfer students at each stage of the transfer process.

In addition to establishing competence and purpose, transfer students are trying to establish their identities on their new campuses (Evans et al., 2010). Transfer students often struggle to establish their identities while they are adjusting to a different culture and environment. Students who have transferred from smaller colleges to larger institutions may feel like a “little fish in a big pond” (Hardy, 2013, p. 25). Transfer students may also struggle with establishing their identity because they lack social support and subsequently feel isolated. Peer groups have already developed and transfer students may be unaware of other transfer students in their classes, which can contribute to their seclusion (Grites, 2013).

Developmental Ecology

Bronfenbrenner viewed student development as a result of the interaction between the individual and their environment (Evans et al., 2010). His developmental ecology theory identified process, person, context, and time as the four primary factors that contribute to or hinder development (Evans et al., 2010). Bronfenbrenner maintained his emphasis on the individual at the center of this process, while recognizing the critical importance of context

(Evans et al., 2010). He therefore further defined context as an interconnected and dynamic combination of microsystem, mesosytem, ecosystem, and macrosystem levels (Evans et al.,

2010). As transfer students navigate their adjustment process, their experience is impacted by these environmental factors at every level.

When a transfer student enters their new college, they encounter a series of unfamiliar microsystems. For some transfer students, the most challenging adjustment accompanies their classes and the academic expectations of a different group of faculty members. Successfully STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 10 acclimating to this new microsystem is key to avoiding the first semester GPA drop that is a hallmark of transfer shock (Grites, 2013). For other transfer students, forming friendships is of primary importance to help ease their transition. And on a very basic level, transfer students need to orient themselves to a series of microsystems throughout campus, from campus geography to the advising structure to student activities (Grites, 2013). Each of these elements need to be learned anew, and the quicker that a transfer student gets up to speed on how these systems work, the smoother their transition is likely to be.

While transfer students can tap their prior college experience to help expedite their proficiency in each of the microsystems, the larger challenge is navigating all of these elements simultaneously. Their entire collegiate mesosystem is new, yet they may not have the built-in support structure that accompanies the freshman adjustment process. This is an area where transfer students may feel compelled to find their own way, or be unsure about where to turn for assistance. In addition, transfer students need to maintain proper perspective and patience to ensure that they do not get overwhelmed by the intersecting mesosystem elements that they are trying to quickly absorb.

As transfer students familiarize themselves with the specific function areas of their new institution, they do so while dealing with the implications of larger exosystem policies and factors. In many instances, the results of their transfer credit and its application to their new curriculum are the primary issue at this level (Tobolowsky et al., 2014). These students may have transferred for any number of intentional reasons, yet the impact of that move on their degree progression is largely a function of transfer credit policies and curriculum requirements at their new institution. While transfer students are typically presented with those details during the admission process, the full effect of their transfer credit may not be fully realized until they are at STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 11 their new campus and reconsider their academic goals within their new curriculum. As a result of this assessment, some students may temper their ambitions to study abroad or complete a minor to stay on track for their initial degree completion date. In addition, financial aid policies may limit some options for catching up on curriculum requirements via intersession classes.

Many transfer students complete such an assessment prior to transferring, but for others, these exosystem issues serve as a harsh reality check as they settle in to their new campus.

At the macrosystem level, transfer students may feel that there is a stigma to changing schools (Tobolowsky et al., 2014). Despite the national figures demonstrating the commonplace practice of transferring, American society still largely assumes a linear collegiate experience. In particular, academic expectations are often high in the New England area, which can make transferring a particularly difficult decision for students in this region. If a student transferred to find a better fit, or to course correct after a difficult start at their initial college, they may be hesitant to address that experience.

Ideas for Student Affairs Practitioners

The aforementioned student development theories can serve as constructive tools for student affairs practitioners seeking to better understand and support the transfer student population. As these professionals look to translate theory into action, there are a series of approaches that can help them create a transfer-receptive culture on their campus (Herrera &

Jain, 2013).

First and foremost, it is important for student affairs groups to become knowledgeable about the transfer population at their institution (Tobolowsky et al., 2014). For some organizations, transfer students represent a very small percentage of the student body, whereas the transfer population can comprise up to half of new student enrollments each year at state STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 12 schools. Perhaps in partnership with the admission function and institutional research, it can be beneficial to gather details regarding transfer students’ personal and academic backgrounds. A careful consideration of this data, along with institutional mission and culture, can offer a sound approach to achieving transfer student success (Miller, 2013). This assessment can then inspire strategic planning and programming efforts for transfer students, as well as provide justification for the resources needed to implement those initiatives (Marling, 2013). It is important to remember that transfer students are a distinct population from first-year students, and therefore require support and services that are tailored to the unique challenges of the transfer experience.

Given the vast array of changes that accompany the transfer process, it is critical for student affairs professionals to provide clear and comprehensive information to incoming transfer students. Research has shown that informed and prepared students are more likely to succeed at their new institutions (Tobolowsky et al., 2014). As transfer students need to learn everything from campus vocabulary to computer systems as soon as possible, presenting those important details in one central, user-friendly online location can be particularly helpful. To address questions about transfer credit, this resource should include details about course transferability and academic requirements. For students who are anxious about making such a significant transition, the ability to easily and reliably access this information can greatly alleviate many of those concerns.

It is also beneficial to identify specific campus resources that are well-positioned to assist transfer students. For campuses with large transfer enrollments, a dedicated transfer office may be most appropriate (Herrera & Jain, 2013). At other institutions, a better model may consist of transfer agents who work closely with new transfer students to help ensure their successful transition (Tobolowsky et al., 2014). Those advocates can also develop articulation agreements STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 13 with local community colleges, to designate how the associate’s degree coursework transfers into the bachelor’s degree program. For transfer students who may be feeling the effects of transfer shock, connecting them with academic support services will be instrumental to their ultimate academic success. That role can be served by academic advisors who are knowledgeable about transfer students, the nuances of transfer credit, and academic assistance options. In addition, a transfer mentoring program, in which new transfer students are paired with prior transfer students (Hardy, 2013), can be distinctly impactful. These relationships can help transfer students gain perspective beyond the difficult first semester, and benefit from the wisdom of those who traveled the transfer path before them. This awareness can represent both practical advice as well as emotional encouragement that enables new transfer students to feel more confident as they continue to acclimate to their new institution.

As student engagement is also a key factor to transfer student success (Lester et al.,

2013), it is important to encourage transfer students to became involved in the campus community. Student affairs professionals can plan a series of events that enable transfer students to connect with other students on campus. This is especially important for transfer students who commute to campus, who may not otherwise become engaged. Grites used the term “c2c2c”

(2013, p. 62) to describe the tendency of such students to go from class to car to class. For resident transfer students, housing assignments that partner two or more new transfer students together can offer immediate connections and shared experiences. Diversity and multicultural centers can also play a meaningful role in creating a sense of community for new transfers, via general programming and specific outreach to this group. The aforementioned transfer agents and transfer mentors can also be instrumental in helping new transfer students make the social connections that can contribute substantially to the quality of their college experience. STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 14

As demonstrated by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, transfer students are a significant population throughout the higher education landscape. When institutions develop plans to recruit and enroll students with prior college experience, they need to ensure that similarly thoughtful planning extends beyond the point of matriculation. Student affairs professionals play a pivotal role in those efforts to help ensure the success of transfer students. In addition to programmatic opportunities offered to transfer students as a group, campus staff can serve as personal resources for these students as they navigate a series of simultaneous transitions. As with all students, it is important to get to know transfer students as individuals with particular experiences and goals that led them to change schools as well as the specific challenges that they are now facing in their new campus community. Using student development theory to better understand those realities can help advance our endeavors to fully recognize and support the transfer students on our campuses. STUDENT POPULATION PAPER 15

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