quick facts
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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. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Expanding Enrollment Through Partnerships with Community Colleges
Alice Reinarz – Assistant Provost for EnrollmentScott 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
• 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
Brazos Valley
• Corpus Christi
•Houston
Laredo •
Rio Grande Valley •
San Antonio •
Admissions Counselors and Financial Aid Counselors are available
to provide you and your students with information.
•Dallas/Fort Worth
Prospective Student Centers
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:
• 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???