First-year Experience of Transfer Students: Onboarding at a Metropolitan University

Abstract

As students transition from one phase of the education pipeline to the next, support programs are often put in place to make the transition and onboarding process as smooth as possible. While support programs for first-year students entering college directly from high school are common place at most institutions, onboarding practices for transfer students entering institutions are less consistent. The purpose of this study is to explore the onboarding experiences of transfer students as they prepare to begin coursework at a new university. This case study will be conducted at a Metropolitan institution with a student population that is historically comprised of a large number of transfer students.