Faculty & Staff | Transfer Student Services

Pacific has actively been recruiting transfer students in the last few years. We believe it is important for us to give you information about these students and ways in which you may be able to advise them that are different to those of traditional age or experience. Below you will find topics on resources, statistics and demographics, helpful advising information and research done by Tinto on the subject of Transfers. This is provided for you as a resource to help us make the transition for these students easier.

  • If you have any comments or additional information that you feel would be of use to others working with these students, please send them to transfers@pacificu.edu.

Advising Transfer Students At Pacific

What would you need to know if you were a transfer student? First you can give them the information for the Office of Transfer Student Services as a direct area for them to gain support or information.

Most frequently asked questions of new Transfers are:

  • What course work transferred?
  • What classes do I need?
  • When do I get to register?

Demographics and Statistics of Current Transfer Students at Pacific

  • There are 6 main categories of transfer students:
    • Come from a 2 year institution, lived at home (average age 20-22)
    • Come from a 2 year institution, did not live at home (average age 20-22)
    • Traditional student who entered a 4 year institution and decided to change institutions (average age 20-25)
    • Went into the workforce then decided to go back to college (average age 23-27)
    • Non-trads-mulitple situations (average age over 27-under 40)
    • Non-trads- going back to school to either keep a job or re-enter the workforce (average age 35+)
  • Average cumulative college GPA for transfer students entering Pacific in fall of 2005 was 3.2.
  • On average for the past three years, Pacific has recruited 81 transfer students in the fall and 14 in the spring.
  • In the past three years,
    • 50 percent transfer from the Portland Community College system
    • 3.5 percent transfer from Portland State University
    • 3 percent transfer from Southwest Oregon Community College
    • 3 percent transfer from Kansai Gaidai University (Int'l)
    • 2 percent transfer from Mount Hood Community College
    • 2 percent transfer from Chemeketa Community College
  • In a three year comparison study (Fall 2003-Fall 2005),
    • 50 percent of our transfer students are from Oregon
    • 14 percent of our transfer students are from Washington
    • 10 percent of our transfer students are from California
    • Other significant states transfer students come from are
      • Idaho
      • Hawaii
      • Maryland
      • Arizona
      • Colorado

When Advising Transfers the following information may be helpful:

Ask why the student has decided to come to Pacific University.

  • This will help clarify what the student intends to gain from this institution that they were unable to do from another. This will also help to determine if their area of interest is still in the department they were assigned for advising.

Discuss the transfer work and how the courses transferred will meet the degree requirements.

  • If the student is fully admitted and all the transcripts posted, an academic evaluation is available through the Registrar's Office. The evaluation will show how the transfer work fits with the core and degree requirements. If the student's work has not been posted, you can go through the transcripts and give them an "unofficial evaluation" explaining that it won't be official until the transcripts are posted. Transfers are most apprehensive about their credits transferring and if they will be able to graduate on time.

Discuss any extra paperwork that may need to be completed.

  • Discuss the need for:
    • Any forms or information specific to their degree
    • Applying for Graduation
    • Internship Forms and Process
    • Change of Advisor Forms
    • Degree declaration forms
    • Add/drop forms

Discuss the importance of using academic evaluation.

  • Explain to the students that they have access to the program evaluation in their BoxerOnline account. Students can check transfer work, check on substitutions and confirm schedules.

Discuss the courses appropriate for the student's first semester at Pacific.

  • Give the student registration instructions. Suggest alternatives in the event that courses are closed. Show them how to access the online course catalog and schedule of classes.

Give the student your contact information for any concerns or questions.

  • Tell students the best way to contact you. Is it by email, phone or signing up on your door?

Remind the student to take care of any unfinished business.

  • Remind them that this is their education and they should be proactive and engage themselves.
  • Give students a check list of steps they need to take for a successful semester and/or beyond!

Tinto's Research

Professor Vincent Tinto received his Ph.D in education and sociology from the University of Chicago. He is currently a Distinguished University Professor at Syracuse University and chair of the higher education program. He has carried out research and has written extensively on higher education, particularly on student retention and the impact of learning communities on student growth and attainment.

Tinto has become a renowned expert on the social dimensions of student learnings. Below is some information and statistics Dr. Tinto has found pertaining to Transfer Students.

Transfer behavior is not uncommon, many students enter an institution with the explicit intention of transferring. So why do they transfer?

  • Four year students can't obtain admission to their first choice
  • Obvious for two year students
  • Change in career interest, program, major
  • Short term step to a long term goal
  • Financial

Major Issues Facing Transfers and Non-Traditional Students

  • Estimates only 44 percent of all entering students will persist via continuous enrollment
  • Transfers are often the forgotten population on campus
  • Feeling of isolation whether intentional or unintentional
  • Often difficult to become part of the campus community
  • Academic difficulty
  • Primary concern/interest are their credit evaluation and financial aid
  • When working with transfers

Strive to provide transfer students with the same sorts of services and programs that first time students typically receive. Do not channel them through programs together with freshmen as if their needs and interests were identical.