According to both the Department of Education and the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, nearly 60% of college students will start and end their college careers at different schools.  That is a lot of transfer students.  If your student is one of these transfer students, he may need your support more than ever.

Some college students have no choice but to transfer.  They attend a 2-year institution and then move on to complete their degree at another school.  Other students make the decision to transfer to another school on their own.  Your transfer student is making another transition and is, in some ways, much like a new first-year student only wiser.  Your transfer student has learned something from their experience in college and can take advantage of that knowledge while still experiencing a clean slate at a new school.

The college transfer process may not be easy.  It takes time and energy, requires adjustments, requires understanding of the transfer process and may require extra time from your student to complete their degree.  Your student will be most successful if they knows themselves well, understands their strengths, challenges and passions, and evaluates their reasons for the transfer.  According to the 2009 National Survey of Student Engagement, transfer students may be less ”engaged” in high impact activities such as study abroad, internships, research, or capstone experiences, so your student may need you to remind them to seek out these opportunities.

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