One in three college students will transfer institutions during their education, according to a study released last month, and the University is taking notice by making strides to accommodate transfer students.The “Special Report of the Transfer Admission Process” by the National Association for College Admission Counseling examined the factors most important to university admissions when reviewing transfer applicants.The number of students transferring to the University has been on the rise in recent years.546 transfer students enrolled in the University this spring — up from 401 in 2009, according to the Office of Budget and Planning’s enrollment statistics.998 students transferred to the University for fall 2009 — up from 2008, when 957 transfer students enrolled.Lupe Lamadrid, associate director of Undergraduate Admissions, said the number of transfers has been climbing since 2005 because of changes in admissions standards implemented that year, which had previously required transfer students to have a 2.5 GPA and at least 30 hours of college credit.Transfer student enrollment was 924 in fall 2005 — a level that wasn’t surpassed until 2008, according to the Office of Budget and Planning. Spring 2005 transfer enrollment was 519, and this spring’s enrollment of 546 transfer students was the first semester to top that number.The numbers have been rising because recruitment efforts have improved, and the University is working more closely with Louisiana community colleges to identify students who are interested in attending LSU, Lamadrid said.The increase is also partially because of recently passed legislation seeking to implement minimum admissions criteria that would send students not ready for a four-year university to community colleges first and have them transfer later, Lamadrid said. The NACAC study found college admissions departments consider a different set of factors for transfer applicants than for students applying as new freshmen.Factors that are heavily considered during new freshmen admissions, like high school GPA and standardized test scores, were given less weight for transfer applicants.Only 7.3 percent of colleges reported ACT or SAT scores were of “considerable importance” for transfer students, while 11.7 percent said the same for high school GPA, according to the study.Factors regarding student performance at another postsecondary education institution were weighted with more importance. Students’ GPAs at the previous colleges were of considerable importance to 91.9 percent of universities, according to the study.Lamadrid said students who apply for transfer to LSU are given different consideration than new applicants as long as transfer students have 30 hours of prior credit.”If a student has 30 hours of course work, we don’t look at high school criteria,” she said.Academic performance at the students’ prior postsecondary institution is “much more relevant” and reflective of their academic aptitude, Lamadrid said.To properly accommodate the increasing number of transfer students, the University has been working to make their transition more seamless and efficient. One step in this direction is a change in the way transfer students schedule classes upon their arrival at the University, said Registrar Robert Doolos.Transfer students were formerly given last priority on class scheduling, regardless of how many credit hours they completed when they came to the University. Beginning this semester, when transfer students scheduled classes for fall, they were given priority in the same way as other students — based on their number of credit hours.”We try to treat them like a continuing student,” Doolos said. “We determine what priority they have when they enter the system, and that will help them a lot when they won’t be dead last in scheduling for the upcoming term.”Lamadrid said it’s important for admissions to not only attract transfer students but also make them feel welcome at the University.”That is the key – increase the level of customer service and ease the transition,” she said. “We want to remove obstacles that in the past have prevented the process from being an easy and unobstructed process.”
__Contact Ryan Buxton at [email protected]