As the traditional pattern of college attendance has grown more and more obsolete, transfer students have slowly developed as a population of special interest in higher education. Jacobs, Lauren, Miller, & Nadler (2004) stated that the number of transfer students is increasing, and that “[transfer] students bring with them quite varied backgrounds, experiences, and academic portfolios” (p. 3). Previous research suggests that transfer students may be at-risk in terms of adjustment, performance, and retention (e.g., Brit & Hirt, 1999; Glass & Harrington, 2002; Hoyt, 1999; McCormick, 2003).  Jacobs et al. (2004) also argued that “the complexity of dealing with [transfer] students’ needs has become an increasingly important issue in enrollment management” (p. 3). At Ball State, we saw the issue of transfer students as an opportunity to better understand and serve our student population. Thus, we established the MAST (Making a Successful Transfer) assessment program. 

The Convergence of Interest and Resources

By 2001, several units within Ball State had taken new interest in transfer students. State articulation agreements were being discussed in the advising and academic system areas. Admissions staff were concerned about students who entered the institution through a collaborative agreement with a two-year college. Residence life professionals were asking questions about the transition of their new transfers. The Freshman Learning Council was discussing transfer student success.  Collectively, these pockets of interest reflected the growing realization that transfers were a unique and important population of students at Ball State. 

In response to the general discussion, the Office of Academic Assessment and Institutional Research (AAIR) investigated the data available on transfer students. We found that of the 4,374 new undergraduates in Summer and Fall 2001, 808 (18%) were transfer students. We also found that transfer students had a first to second year retention rate of 66%, compared to a 77% retention rate for first-time matriculates.

Concurrently in Fall 2001, Ball State received a grant from the Lilly Endowment which focused on moving students from sophomore year to graduation. The grant provided resources through an internal re-grant program that prompted departments to think about which students might be at-risk and to develop innovative/experimental programs for those students. As a result, one academic department conducted a needs assessment with its transfer students, and the orientation staff developed a transfer student orientation. The grant also provided needed resources to develop and pilot a survey that focused on transfer students.

The combination of available data about transfer students, growing interest around campus, and grant support encouraged us to develop MAST.  Looking to ensure campus buy-in, we modeled the MAST assessment instrument and procedures after our MAP (Making Achievement Possible) program, a universally appreciated campus-wide assessment of first-year students. 

What is MAST?

Making a Successful Transfer (MAST) is a survey project with three goals: (1) to give transfer students individualized feedback about their goals, plans, expectations, and experiences, (2) to provide opportunities for early interventions by advisors and residence hall staff, and (3) to collect comprehensive data about the transfer student cohort. The survey contains a wide variety of questions including:

• why students chose Ball State,
• what activities they plan to get involved in,
• how they are adjusting both socially and academically,
• how they rate their personal skills and abilities,
• what their educational goals are,
• what they expect their grades to be,
• whether they have chosen a major,
• how much time they plan to spend studying, commuting, working, handling family commitments, and being involved in student activities.

The survey is a scannable, paper survey which is distributed by residence hall staff to the new transfer students who live in the residence halls. Transfer students who live off campus receive their surveys through the mail. Because the survey is not mandatory, we typically receive response rates around 40%.

The survey is distributed during the third week of a student’s first semester. The timing is deliberate. Students have had enough experience on our campus to realistically answer questions about how they are fitting in, whether they are satisfied with their academics, and how much they expect to study. Yet, the survey also happens early enough that students still have time to make meaningful changes in their expectations and behaviors.

MAST Analysis & Dissemination

A unique feature of MAST is the method used for disseminating the results. Similar to the MAP program, students who submit a completed survey receive their own individualized report within five days. The process is a busy one:

• Surveys are returned through the mail (campus mail or US mail) to AAIR where student workers ensure that responses are clear enough to be scanned.
• A graduate student or AAIR staff member scans the surveys.
• An AAIR staff member takes the scan data, loads it into SPSS, matches it up with institutional data, and generates an output file.
•  A mail merge document uses the output file to create an individualized report for each student, a mailing label for the student, and a short report for the student’s advisor and hall director. An AAIR staff member handles the merge and the printing of these reports.
• The reports are forwarded to the Learning Center. Staff look up any missing advisors, attach a cover letter and a list of resources to each student report, and handle the mailing of the reports to students and staff.

The student reports give students information about themselves, their cohort, and the experiences of previous cohorts. For instance, student reports in 2003 included the following information:

GRADES
As shown on the right, many transfer students overestimate the grades they will receive. Nine out of ten 2002 transfer students thought they would receive an A or B average, but less than five out of ten actually received an A or B average.  About 31 percent received an average below C which means they were on academic probation.

The reports also provide students individualized feedback about their goals, plans, expectations, and experiences. For example, on the questionnaire students are asked about the number of hours they plan to spend on various activities. If a student’s total is high, she could receive the following statement on their report: “Adding it up Ann, you have reported 179 Total Committed Hours per week. Since there are only 168 hours per week, it appears you have overextended yourself...” Students are also given suggestions if they are not planning to study enough, if they are uncertain about their major, or if they are experiencing adjustment issues. Throughout the report, we offer customized feedback and provide information about and referrals to relevant University resources.

Advisors and residence hall directors receive MAST reports for each of the students assigned to them. The reports enable these professionals to spot issues of concern and develop specialized strategies to address the needs of each student. For instance, one advisor examined expected grades in specific subject areas, discussed these issues with students, and walked the students across the hall to the Learning Center to help them find tutoring in areas of expected difficulty. A hall director used the reports to facilitate mid-term deficiency meetings. He discussed issues such as anticipated study hours, expectations about grades, and self-perceptions of academic abilities. The format of these reports allows advisors and hall directors to provide personalized assistance to each of their students. 

In addition to the student-specific reports, AAIR generates summary reports for use by interested members of the campus community. Data gathered each year is analyzed and summarized into a report that includes campus-wide results and makes comparisons by sex and class level. A short four page report that compares MAP and MAST results is also compiled and distributed to all faculty and staff on campus. This comparison helps all members of the campus community recognize the unique characteristics, needs, and expectations of our transfer students. 

Selected MAST Results

The MAST project has provided our campus with some interesting findings about transfer students. In 2002, about one fourth of our transfer students had attended more than one institution prior to their transfer. Six out of 10 reported that specific courses, program options, and specific reputation of a major were very important reasons to transfer to Ball State. Eighty-five percent expected to graduate from Ball State. About 60% had decided on a major and were certain about their choice. In general, our transfer students had a strong academic focus and were confident about their academic skills. Plus, these results have remained consistent in MAST administrations in 2003 and 2004.

The results also uncovered some interesting differences between our new transfer students and our new first-year students. Generally, the transfer students were more confident academically than first-year students but  were also more likely than first-year students to struggle socially.  For instance, transfer students were less likely than first- year students to agree that they were making friends, satisfied with their social life, or involved with campus activities. On the other hand, transfer students were more likely to indicate they were adjusting to college study demands and managing their time well. Approximately 70% of new transfer students planned to be employed, compared to 48% of new matriculates. Finally, transfer students appeared more committed to Ball State; transfers were far less likely than first-year students to report that they might transfer to another university (17% compared to 30%). Given that the one-year retention rates for our transfer students are significantly lower than the retention rates for our first-year students, we were surprised to find that transfer students had clearer goals, more academic self-confidence, and positive, initial academic experiences.

Overall, the MAST project has emphasized Ball State University’s focus on transfer students as an important cohort with unique needs and interests. We are using the findings to inform faculty and staff, to develop appropriate approaches for assisting transfer students, to ask further questions about transfer students, and to continually improve the MAST instrument and reports. 

For more information about the Making a Successful Transfer (MAST) project or the Making Achievement Possible (MAP) project, do not hesitate to contact the author, or visit http://www.bsu.edu/web/sawoosley/Making_A_Successful_Transfer.htm

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The author retains all rights to this essay.  However, FYA-List subscribers may distribute the essay for non-commercial purposes. 

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References
Britt, L. W., & Hirt, J. B. (1999). Student experiences and institutional practices affecting spring semester transfer students. NASPA Journal, 36, 198-209.

Glass, Jr., J. C., & Harrington, A. R. (2002). Academic performance of community college transfer students and “native” students at a large state university. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 26(5), 415-430.

Jacobs, B. C., Lauren, B., Miller, M. T. & Nadler, D. P. (2004). The college transfer student in America: The forgotten student, Washington, DC: American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

Hoyt, J.E. (1999). Promoting student transfer success: Curriculum evaluation and student academic preparation. Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, 6(2), 73-79.