New study finds transfer students are less social

Transfer students are becoming increasingly more common but feel disconnected from their new campus communities, according to this year’s National Survey of Student Engagement.

The survey shows that transfer students are less likely to work with classmates outside of class and have less interaction with faculty. More specifically, “transfer students lagged behind on four of the survey’s five measures of engagement, or the extent to which they are immersed in academics and campus activities,” according to a report done by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The National Survey found only 54 percent of the transfer students worked with students outside of class, while 64 percent of non-transfer students worked with students out of class. Furthermore, twice as many non-transfer students participated in campus activities.

When transfer students come to USC, the university greets them with a series of orientation events, including discussions about popular campus activities, financial aid and academic advisement.

USC also offers an orientation before fall semester exclusively for transfer students. The orientation gives transfer students the opportunity to become familiar with the campus, register for classes and meet other incoming transfer students.

Some USC transfer students said they think the university incorporates them adequately, but that the student is ultimately responsible for a successful college experience.

“Even though you are a transfer student, if you want to be involved in a lot of things it is limited, but you can go seek for it,” said Kyoung Tae Kim, a senior majoring in accounting. “There was a whole process to start class, and before coming to USC I had no clue. After the orientation, I knew exactly what I had to do, where to go and who to meet.”

Other students said their transitions were smooth because of USC’s proactive efforts to bring them into the community.

“They offered a lot,” said Kurt Peterson, a senior majoring in business administration. “They offered their full services. They did everything they could to treat me like a freshman. I felt like I was in the Trojan family.”

Some professors also said they are pleased with the way transfer students are incorporated into campus life, and that their successful adaptation is apparent in their academic performance.

“I have noticed that transfer students are more connected to their classes,” said Erna Smith, a professor at the Annenberg School for Communication.  “They tend to be more engaged in the classroom and they seem to be better motivated.”

USC employs several programs to encourage community college students to transfer to USC. The SCholars program works with East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and Los Angeles City College to encourage high-achieving students to transfer to USC. After encouraging students to apply, the program also assists the transfer students during the application process.

“Our program doesn’t guarantee the admission, but we find that a majority of those that are admitted do come,” said Kenechukwu Mmeje, the director of the SCholars Program.

In addition, there are Transfer Information Sessions every Tuesday that are held for students who are interested in transferring to USC, according to the USC Undergraduate Admission’s website.

But some believe the university could do more to welcome transfer students and encourage them to be more involved.

Currently, transfer students are not guaranteed housing during their time at USC and are only offered one day of orientation. In contrast, freshmen are guaranteed housing and have several days of orientation.

“Freshmen programs have a lot of things the transfers don’t have access to because I guess we missed the boat,” said Clayron Pace, a junior majoring in business administration. “It seems unbalanced because we don’t have the same opportunities. I understand we are a small group, but we want the same things that freshmen get.”

Comments

13 comments

Your name

Tue Jun 16 2009 23:06

i need to know the usc requirements for j.c students bc i really want to go there after two years hopefully i will but i need to know the requirements right now and i might need some help. I might need more for my SAT, hopefully i will get there!!!! Fight ON

Your name

Tue Feb 17 2009 06:25

Hey Sean, who gives a damn? Most transfers see their last 2 years of college as a means to an end. I have friends from both SC and UCLA who give me this impression. Even most transfers to UCLA don't feel the warmth or the "full" college experience. There are both snobs and down-to-earth people here at SC.

And who cares about the "dumbing down" of the academic image of either school? If really thought you had what it took to get accepted to the best, then you would've opted for an Ivy, Stanford or anything of that caliber. Besides, these schools have a policy of requiring EVEN potential community college transfers to submit SAT scores. Check their websites, no kidding. This is to preclude the "me good at math but not English" type of students from inundating their campuses.

Sean

Sun Feb 15 2009 03:58

Anyone that thinks community college transfers dumb down the academics of USC is a complete moron. Transfers only get into USC because they meet a high standard of academic excellence, as evident in their grades, coursework and admissions essays. By the looks of the comments on this article, I'm glad my first choice for transfer schools is UCLA and not USC. It is no wonder that transfers are less social with this kind of condescension.

Fight on!

Mon Dec 1 2008 20:03

Instead of upholding the status that we are the "University of Spoiled Children" by writing such condescending remarks about our fellow classmates, pity how they missed out on the full experience of going to the greatest University for 4 years. ((You have to remember that most people can't afford to pay $60,000 a year to live here and attend this still very prestigious university.)) No matter how we end up here, we are all a part of the Trojan Family no matter our backgrounds.
So welcome, transfers! And FIGHT ON!
BEAT THE BRUINS!

Your name

Thu Nov 20 2008 04:45

meh, your right. Nobody has a problem with qualified students who transferred here from real colleges. The problem is the vast amount of community college transfers that USC admits.

'meh' added to the dictionary

Thu Nov 20 2008 04:33

I'm a junior transfer student. 4.0 at the University of San Francisco (whose total cost is within $5000 of USC's). Also was accepted as a transfer to Stanford, University of Chicago, NYU, etc. I only applied to small private liberal arts Universities out of high school (all of which I was accepted to), then realized that they did not offer the programs I wanted. Don't stereotype the transfer students. Sure, there are many who aren't altogether very talented. And, of course, there are always exceptions. But look around. The vast majority of people who get accepted and come here as freshman aren't any more talented than those who transfer. All of the dumbest people I've met are freshmen admits.

I worked the system County Community College

Thu Nov 20 2008 03:33

questioning transfers, I couldnt agree more. Not only do they dumb down the overall prestige of this university, but they get off from paying 2 years of tuition and basically take 2 years of high school classes which transfer over. Its disapointing to learn, but USC would rather make the almighty dollar, rather than move its academics into a new tier.

Your name

Thu Nov 20 2008 02:10

"I worked the system..." should know that "shouldnt " requries an apostrophe, a contraction. I'm a junior college transfer, and thank God USC let me into this elite school. However, I'm disturbed by these condescending comments.
And no, I could care less about acting fake or not being true to myself so that I can be part of some group or clique. I bet you couldn't say with conviction that the people you call "friends" are really your friends.

Transfer

Wed Nov 19 2008 22:51

i transferred to usc and it would be better if we had more access to on campus housing.

questioning transfers

Wed Nov 19 2008 22:28

I also wonder why we admit so many. Over a third of all new students are transfers. USC compares itself to schools like the Ivies and Stanford. It's never going to achieve the status of these schools if transfers are admitted in such large numbers. Harvard will no longer admit transfers and Stanford admits very few with strict standards for SAT scores and hs plus college grades. At USC transfers don't have to take the SAT and their hs grades don't always matter. As a student at USC, I still like this school, but I see a difference in the students who come in as transfers and those as freshmen. Freshmen at USC mostly have very high GPA's and SAT scores. There are some qualified transfers who either realized they made the wrong decision for college or came from economic backgrounds where transferring was the best option, but any USC student can name off slackers from their high schools who didn't take school seriously but dreamed of USC, got rejected and later got in as transfers from a jc, cal state, or uc riverside.

I worked the system County Community College

Wed Nov 19 2008 21:45

I hate junior college transfers. They shouldnt be allowed to socialize here. Can somebody please tell me why USC admits these flunkies?

Your name

Wed Nov 19 2008 21:32

Listen, just be happy that USC admitted you from that wretched jr. college that shouldn't have "college" attached to its title. It should be renamed "13th grade+." At least after you graduate you can buy that nice chrome USC alumni license plate frame to hang on your new Ferrari while you blow by the chump driving his Kia with UCLA alumni plate.

MY

Wed Nov 19 2008 04:11

Being a transfer student myself, I would have to agree. USC lacks a good orientation program for transfers and being denied on-campus housing made it really hard to get socially involved.

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