Meeting the Needs of Rural Students Through Distance Advising: The Role of Transfer Guides in Three Measures of Student Success

Abstract

Articulation guides for students transferring between Northwest Community College in Powell, Wyoming and Montana State University-Billings are described. The articulation agreement between the two institutions includes course information and supportive advising for transfer students. We hypothesized that use of the guides would help students weather transfer shock better than those transfer students from community colleges where no guides had been available. The groups' declines in grade-point average (GPA) after transfer, recovery of GPA, and persistence were compared. It was found that the severity of transfer shock and the extent of recovery of GPA were not significantly related to the use of the transfer guides, but ability to persist to graduation was positively related. The format of the transfer guides and corresponding advising activities are detailed. Implications for students and administrators are also discussed.

Transition from Tribal College to Four Year University

“…This academic orientation should include realistic discussion of academic requirements, balancing time between family and academics, appropriate junior and senior course level learning strategies, and how to establish and maintain positive learning interactions with faculty. • All of this is predicated upon communication between institutions that will be essential and must be ongoing (Dawson & Dell, 1997).…”

Cumulative Subject Index to Volumes 16–30 of the NACADA Journal

“…Student problems (*) (see also Counseling [*]) reluctance to seek help (success avoidance) Gordon, 1997;Oliver, Ricard, Witt, Alvarado, & Hill, 2010 Student services Danis & Wall, 1987, 1988 Student success (success) Meadows & Tharp, 1996;Dawson & Dell, 1997;Robbins, 1998;Brooks-Harris, Mori, & Higa, 1999;Molina & Abelman, 2000;Yudof, 2003;Rehfuss & Quillin, 2005;Gerdes & Crews, 2010;Oliver, Ricard, Witt, Alvarado, & Hill Severy & Slinger, 1996;Severy, Lee, & Polson, 1996;Barrows & Murray, 1997;Mahon & Dannells, 1998;Chizhik, 1999;Smerglia & Bouchet, 1999;Dillon & Fisher, 2000;Glennen, Martin, & Walden, 2000;McBeth, Richardson, Cregler, & Meyer, 2000;McCarthy & Mangione, 2000;Ridinger & Pastore, 2000;Jeschke, Johnson, & Williams, 2001;Lynch & Stucky, 2001;Paul, Manetas, Grady, & Vivona, 2001;Steele & Gordon, 2001;Lynch, 2002aLynch, , 2002bReinarz & Ehrlich, 2002;Waters, 2002;Miller & Woycheck, 2003;Donnelly, 2004;Leonard,...…”