Building Your Transfer Outreach Action Plan
Recruiting Transfers is not the Same as Recruiting First-Year Students
Consider that while most community college students intend to transfer, over three-quarters of students are unsure where they want to transfer to… but still limit the size of their lists to 2-4 schools.
TIP: Leverage location-based mobile advertising (i.e. geofencing) to serve sponsored content to students while they are “on-the-go” on their community college campus.
Over half of potential transfer students will wait to reach out to admissions offices until they are ready to start the application process and most students limit their lists to between 2-4 schools.
TIP: We are talking about an audience that is either actively or passively staying off of your radar. Your web team can set up retargeting advertising focused specifically on visitors to your transfer information section on your website can be very effective at ensuring you remain “top-of-mind” to stealth prospects.
Less than 10% of potential transfer students rate college fairs as the most valuable resource when considering transfer options as compared to 20% valuing school specific websites. Additionally, the top concerns of potential transfers about transferring are cost, course difficulty, and adjusting socially.
TIP: When serving digital media (outlined in the tips above), consider driving prospects to a custom-landing page with content specific for transfer students. Contact your NRCCUA Regional Director to learn more.
Transfer Recruitment is a Strategic Priority Not a “Side of the Desk” Project for a Counselor.
Nearly 30% of professionals surveyed by University Business believe retention at their institution will decline or stay the same in 2017. Additionally, only 7% believed retention would increase significantly.
TIP: Transfer students can help bridge retention gaps by filling capacity in upper-level courses; contributing to student success and institutional health.
Nearly two-thirds of professionals believe transfer enrollment will moderately tosignificantly grow in the near future while there are increased expectations of declines in “traditional” undergraduate enrollment.
TIP: Transfer students can contribute to the overall health of your institution while also contributing to degree completion. Creating an active dialogue with transfer prospects can ensure you are “top of mind” as they are building their lists.
Nearly all community college students intend to continue to finish a bachelor’s degree, however 1/3 of students will not within 6 years of transferring. Most potential transfer students consider the process to be challenging.
TIP: If transfer recruitment is a priority for your institution, empower a member of your staff to own the process as a lead point-of-contact. Align this person with retention and student success offices to ensure transfer students feel welcome and supported on campus.