The 2005 National Survey of Student Engagement released recently found that transfer students and students who have concurrent enrollment at more than one university may have a harder time getting the full university experience.
The survey stated that transfer students had fewer interactions with faculty, participated in fewer educationally enriching activities and reported gaining less from college than their peers.
Fourth-year College student Tom Gibson transferred from the University of Florida and said it is a difficult experience.
"I had to apply to college again, move into a new place again -- it gets to the point where you get kind of burnt out," Gibson said. "Plus, you have to worry about transferring credits in addition to normal college. It makes it hard to throw yourself into the cultural aspects like getting to know professors."
The University offers different programs to transfer students than it does to first years, in order to help them integrate into the University community, Dean of Students Penny Rue said. The Office of Orientation and new student programs work specifically with transfer students to help them assimilate, Rue added.
"We also have the transfer student peer advisor program, which pairs up incoming student with a peer advisor," Rue said. "We know that transfers don't like to be grouped with first- year students in orientation programs."
The program matches about 20 transfer students with a student advisor. Gibson is also an advisor.
"We really try hard to make sure all [the transfer students'] needs are taken care of and they have the resources they need," Gibson said. "I think U.Va. does a really great job."
Second-year transfer student Laura Deakins said she could see how people have trouble assimilating, because housing is so difficult. Deakins said getting involved and finding a niche was necessary to enhance the experience.
"U.Va. does a really good job with peer advisors and special events," Deakins said. "The only bad thing is they gear [the events] towards the transfers, so transfers are meeting other transfers but not people who are already involved in the community."
NSSE polled students at 529 universities nationwide, including U.Va., for its 2005 edition. It has gathered "information from scores of colleges and universities nationwide about student participation in programs and activities that institutions provide for their learning and personal development," according to its Web site.
More than 80,000 college seniors participated in the survey. The survey stated that 47 percent of students with concurrent enrollment did so in order to graduate sooner. The next greatest group of 23 percent enrolled based on financial resources.
George Washington University sophomore Katie Decker said she experienced concurring enrollment this summer while she took classes at the University to graduate early.
"I think it was easier to get involved at U.Va. because I was living with people who were involved," Decker said. "Being at a city school like GWU, it's more about what you can do outside of the community. It was two completely different university experiences."
Decker said she didn't feel like she was missing out by attending two institutions nor did she feel that her experience was any less enriching.
"I think it was almost more so because I got to experience two different types of professors," she said.
Rue said it is important to ensure that transfer and concurrent students become a part of the university community.
"We know students learn better both in and out of the classroom when they have an opportunity to integrate," Rue said.
Rue said that transfer students are an essential part of the community.
"We should admire the initiative and adventurous spirit that [transfer] students bring," Rue said. "They come to the University to make a better life for themselves, and we should be thrilled to have them"
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