The University should continue working aggressively to improve outreach and support for transfer students. Transfer students struggle more at UNC than students who are admitted as freshmen, a fact that can be attributed, at least in part, to the lack of resources available to them.
While there are support systems for transfers, they can have a hard time finding the tools they need.
It all starts with orientation. Freshmen have a two-day orientation session that involves multiple information sessions about succeeding at UNC.
Meanwhile, transfer students attend a mandatory one-day session. Although the orientation is required, its information sessions are optional — and they don’t necessarily emphasize what it means to be a successful student at UNC.
The University, along with the undergraduate admission transfer subcommittee — a group of 15 to 20 people from departments around campus — have been working to improve the orientation experience, but their job isn’t done.
By definition, transfer students have been to college before. Orientation shouldn’t focus on icebreakers and the rudiments of adjusting to college. Transfers need information and resources. If orientation is going to be mandatory, it had better be worthwhile.
The University has shown commitment to transfer students by creating two new positions for support.
The first is a full-time senior adviser whose primary responsibility will be dealing with advising transfer students. The second is a coordinator for transfer student activities across campus.
The University must ensure that both of these positions work together with transfer student organizations such as Transfer United and C-STEP in order to help transfer students succeed.
