4 Questions Transfer Students are Asking — and how Automation Delivers the Answers

The National Student Clearinghouse has reported that fewer students are transferring than in previous years (nearly an 8.4% decline in 2021), spurred on primarily by the COVID-19 pandemic. But transfer students are a significant asset to the campus community, demonstrating commitment to academic success as well as helping institutions grow tuition revenue and meet enrollment objectives.

As an institution for higher learning, you want to attract the best, most engaging students to your university and provide an academic springboard in support of people’s futures. Transfer students need fast answers about admission status and course equivalency, and when decision periods stretch out for weeks or months these students are left lacking actionable information and confidence in their academic standing.

Here are four questions transfer students are asking before making their decision – and how automating your transcript capture and evaluation helps deliver the answers.

1. Do I qualify for your institution?

First and foremost, students want to know if they meet the standards to be accepted into your institution. But if your admissions staff is burdened by paper-based processes, they're spending time on manual data entry and reviewing transcripts for GPA, class rank and other factors - time that could be used in better ways, like making faster admission decisions.

2. Will my existing credits transfer for equivalent courses?

Course equivalency decisions are a key factor in a student’s academic career and providing answers on how their courses will fit into their chosen academic programs is critical. Manual evaluations take up unnecessary time, and worse, approaching the process on a case-by-case or ad-hoc basis runs the risk of creating errors. An automated transcript process will extract transcript course information, verify that information against your articulation database, and alert staff for manual review where needed.

3. Do I qualify for one of your institutions financial aid packages?

Finances will always be a large determining factor in whether a student chooses your institution over another, and financial aid information should be provided to students as quickly as possible. But financial aid staff rarely have the information necessary to efficiently make award decisions. With an automated transcript and evaluation process, all relevant information is automatically sent to your financial aid system and accessible with the click of a button.

4. Can my existing credits be used to determine a clear path to graduation?

Students are happiest and most fulfilled at your institution when they have a clear path to graduation, and it is vital that your organization provides accurate advice on the most efficient and cost-effective way to graduate. The right solution will integrate with your articulation database, provide your staff immediate answers for equivalency questions, and provide course advisors with evergreen information to help keep students on the right path.

Armed with the right information, advisors are best able to help serve incoming transfer students, applicants receive fast answers about admission status and course equivalency, and staff can focus more on providing higher-value outcomes for your students. As a result, your institution gives students the insight they need to make better-informed transfer decisions – and benefits from increased tuition revenue and academic success.

Ready to learn more?

Download the Automating the Transcript Process to Enroll Transfer Students Faster eBook today, and talk to us about how we can help you provide the best outcomes for your students, faculty, and staff!