Enhancing Recruitment and Retention through Transfer Guides and Unofficial Evaluations

1. Recruitment, Retention and Relationship Building with Transfer Guides and Unofficial Evaluations COTA Conference: February 1, 2013

2. Question:how many use unofficial evaluations as a recruitment tool?

3. What are Transfer Guides? “Course Equivalency Documents” outlining which courses will transfer from specific 2-year institutions. • Used by Students, Advisers, and Admissions Officers • Created around A.A./A.S. degrees • Updated yearly based on current catalog information

4. Background Information Fall 2011 class: Total Class: 436 Transfer students (daytime only): 255 (58%) Top Transfer Schools: Metropolitan Community Colleges (MCCKC): 106 Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC): 19

5. This seems REALLY Antiquated to me. . . .isn’t there a better way?

6. Why use Transfer Guides? • Helps students and advisers answer the question, “What will transfer?” • Fosters a relationship between 2-year institutions and Park University • Students can maximize transferability of credit • Student knows early on in their 2-year degree program what we expect of them

7. Student contacts us (typically referred to us from their community college counselor) Student gets us transcripts Contact information is then collected (name, phone number, major, email address) This information is then put into our communication plan Unofficial evaluation is processed Follow-up with student and set up campus visit (not every student goes through the unofficial evaluation process) The Path to Transferring

8. The Unofficial Evaluation as a Recruitment Tool The student can make an informed decision about when they want to transfer (now or later) and (by using the transfer guide) they can decide if they want to take any additional courses prior to transferring The unofficial evaluation outlines how the student’s 2-year degree (if earned) will fit into our 4-year degree plan. It also outlines for the student how their credits will transfer should they chose NOT to complete a 2-year degree.

9. Full Disclosure “Institutions have a responsibility to make this distinction, and its implications, clear to students before they decide to enroll. This should be a matter of full disclosure, with the best interests of the students in mind. Institutions also should make every reasonable effort to reduce the gap between credits accepted and credits applied toward an educational credential” (2004, p.212). ***The next slide demonstrates the full disclosure provided to both students and advisers as transfer guides are used and unofficial evaluations are processed.

10. The “Guide” to a Successful Transfer • This page shows: • No more that 75 hours • “2, 2, and 2” • LE’s waived (37 hours) • LE 300 waived • Course by course equivalency

11. Equivalency extends beyond the Parkville campus. Park University has articulation agreements or course equivalency Guides with over 150 Community Colleges/ or Universities! Why Universities?

12. How does this process play a role in recruitment and retention? It’s a TEAM effort and there are NO GUESSING GAMES! We support the 2-year schools by encouraging their students to complete their degree. The result is a successful and smooth transfer process for these students. Transfer Guide + Unofficial Evaluation = Retention

13. Our Job is to Encourage “Students who choose not to transfer often do so because of “lack of encouragement, because attending a four-year college has never been viewed as an option, or because of fear and low self-esteem” (King, 1994, p.5). Even students who do transfer very likely will have some of the same issues. These feelings should be examined as part of the advising process. Acknowledging fears and finding ways to overcome them not only will help those students who transfer but also will create an avenue for encouraging more students to transfer” (Bell, 2004, p.73) Bell, L. W. (2004). Critical issues in advising transfer students: Student retention begins before matriculation. In B. Jacobs, B. Lauren, M. Miller & D. Nadler (Eds.), The college transfer student in america: The forgotten student (pp. 70-85). Washington, DC: America Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

14. To Begin Your Own Transfer Guide: • Data Driven Decision Making (top feeder schools) • Gain support from your Registrar’s Office • Gain support from your publication office • Means of publication (print, electronic, online, etc.) • Allow time for editing and proofing • PROMOTE! PROMOTE! PROMOTE!

15. For additional questions: Gina Mumpower-Turner Associate Director of Transfer Admissions Phone: 816-584-6218 E-mail: gina.turner@park.edu Stacy Engle-Tjaden Lead Enrollment Counselor Enrollment Services Phone: 816-584-6271 E-mail: sengletjaden@park.edu

16. References B. C. Jacobs, PH. D., B. Lauren, PH. D., M. Miller, ED. D. & D. Nadler, PH. D. (Eds.), The college transfer student in america: The forgotten student. Washington, DC: AACRAO.