Stops, Starts, and Detours: Transfer Students’ College Choice Process

ABSTRACT

With the number of transfer students increasing and graduation still an elusive goal, the researchers conducted four focus groups and four individual interviews with transfer students attending universities in the Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth area to better understand and explore the factors that influenced their college choice decisions at their first and subsequent institutions. The specific research questions were: (a) When, why, and how do transfer students select their postsecondary institutions? (b) How do students who have transferred more than once describe their decision-making process and has it changed from their initial college choice decision? The study found many students did not pursue planned, linear pathways to transfer. Rather, they often made spontaneous decisions affected by a range of personal as well as academic issues. The article includes implications for student affairs professionals and high school counselors to facilitate the college choice process.

Notes

1. Other studies extended the work of Hossler and Gallagher (1987) over the years by expanding our understanding of specific aspects of the model. For example, Pitre, Johnson, and Pitre (2006) focused exclusively on the predisposition stage by using the Theory of Reasoned Action as a way to explore what affects intention.

2. Traditional-aged students are considered those under 24 (NCES, n.d.). However, because we wanted to explore the experience of transfer students who may have stopped-out, we provided a 2-year cushion that potentially allowed for time outside of academia before returning to pursue their degrees.

3. The extra $15 was given to students who checked in 15 min prior to the scheduled focus group interview.

4. We do not have follow-up information regarding the number of participants who are still attending college or will or have graduated since data collection.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the The National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students.