Transcript Document

Expanding Enrollment Through
Partnerships with Community Colleges
Alice Reinarz – Assistant Provost for Enrollment
Scott McDonald – Director of Admissions
Lynn Barnes – Director of Special Programs, Scholarships and
Financial Aid
Quick Facts
Enrollment: Among the largest universities in the nation, with a record 46,542
students and plans for gradual expansion to 48,000 over the next few years
U.S. News and World Report: 3rd in “best values”
Washington Monthly: 1st nationally in service and research that drives
economic growth
National Merit Scholars: Among the top 10 universities in enrolling these high
achieving scholars
First-generation college students: Account for more than 25% of entering
freshman in recent classes – among the best rates in the nation
Student Financial Aid: About $420 million awarded annually
Six-year graduation rate: The highest in Texas at 77%
(state average 45%)
Enrollment Goals
• Current enrollment – 46,542
• Plans to increase to 48,000
– Graduate enrollment by 1000
– Undergraduate Enrollment by 2500
• Transfer Students are key to the growth of
Texas A&M
Transfer Students at A&M
• Two Key Points
– Transfers have traditionally played a key role in our
UG population
– Successful at A&M
• On average (last 4 years) 26% of all new UG’s
were admitted as transfers
• Transfer Student Success (most recent cohorts)
– 90% retention to second year; 69% 4-year graduation
rate (11% still enrolled)
• Compare to FR success (most recent cohorts)
– 92% retention to second year; 77% 6-year graduation
rate
Blinn TEAM
• Program in 6th year
– Unique articulation agreement
– 350 to 400 students per cohort
• Guaranteed admission if:
– Complete a minimum 60 hours; 45 at Blinn; 15 at
A&M
– 3.0 or higher at BOTH institutions
• Able to compete in traditional transfer process (if
desired)
• Financial Aid consortium agreement in place
Blinn TEAM cont…
• Full access to resources on both
campuses
• Assigned both Blinn and A&M advisor
• Approximately 75% successfully transition
to A&M as full-time students
• Financially beneficial for students
• Guaranteed admission is a strong attractor
Prospective Student Centers
•Dallas/Fort Worth
San Antonio •
Laredo •
Rio Grande Valley •
Brazos Valley
•Houston
• Corpus Christi
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Brazos Valley, serving
Austin, West Texas, El Paso
and Panhandle
Corpus Christi
Dallas, Fort Worth, serving
East Texas
Houston
Laredo
Rio Grande Valley
San Antonio
Admissions Counselors and Financial Aid Counselors are available
to provide you and your students with information.
Prospective Student Centers
• Statewide recruiting centers
• Provide admission/financial aid counseling
to students and families
• Focus on all area high schools; special
focus on targeted and recruited schools
• Expand to include recruiting at area
community colleges
• Transfers are important; we want to
expand
Lessons: TEAM and PSCs
• PSCs are critical
– Admission
– Financial Aid
– Academic Advising
• Articulation Agreements are important
• Guaranteed admission – great recruiting tool
• Financial Considerations
– Lower cost of attendance at community colleges
– Eligibility for scholarships at A&M is critical
• Targeted/Recruited high school model is
effective
Pilot Program Launched
• Identify potential community college
partners
– Proximity to RPSCs
– Objective criteria including measures of
• Faculty quality
• Associate degree production
• Number of students matriculating to A&M
– Limit number to no more than two per PSC
(pilot program now…could expand, if
successful)
The First Step
• Identify potential A&M colleges/partners
– Not all colleges able to participate, the ones who are:
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College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
College of Education
College of Engineering
College of Geosciences
College of Science
Texas A&M University – Galveston
• Desire to admit additional transfer students
• Ability to develop a common set of all courses
for most majors
Defining the Agreement
• Over-arching articulation agreement
– Defines general terms of the agreement
• Automatic admission upon completion of
– Agreed upon hours
– Agreed upon courses
– Agreed upon grades
• College specific addenda
– Defines college specific course/hour
requirements
Defining the Agreements
• Provisions for either partner institution to
transfer courses to the other
– Aids in Associate Degree completion
• Does not preclude other existing
agreements
• Partner institution agrees to make
available advising space for PSC staff on
an agreed upon schedule
Status
• Identified and signed agreements with ten
partner community colleges in December
2006
• List of partners and degree plans can be
found on-line at admissions.tamu.edu
• Expect first wave of admits this fall
Transfer Scholarships
Year
Apps
Awards
Amount
2005
548
304
$730K
2006
806
245
$498K
2007
971
327
$686K
Financial Aid Initiatives:
•Educate students about the financial aid opportunities for
them to attend A&M.
•Develop specific scholarships for partner schools.
•Scholarship campaign through foundation to assist
transfer students – ie; first-generation initiative.
•Manage student indebtedness as they consider
transferring.
•Leverage staff availability in local regions.
Summary
• Transfer students are a significant portion of A&M’s UG
population
• Our transfer students success comparable to that of
native students
• Use PSC model to expand recruitment at feeder
community colleges around the state
• Five year history of Blinn Team demonstrates good
articulation agreements work; especially guaranteed
admission
• Identify scholarship resources once students are at A&M
• Objective: Meet needs of transfer students, community
colleges, and A&M in the most cost effective, efficient
manner
Thanks and Gig ‘Em
Questions???