Enrollment

Student Transfer Interest Up During COVID-19

• By Rhea Kelly
• 08/18/20

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, student interest in transfer and course replacement has spiked, according to data from CollegeSource. From March through July 2020, the company's Transferology transfer network experienced "double-digit growth in student searches for transferring their credits to alternate institutions and for course replacements," compared to the same time period last year, CollegeSource reported.

Comparing the March through July 2020 period with the same period in 2019, the company's Semiannual Transfer Market Trends Report found:

• A 14.8 percent increase in overall searches (for transfers or course replacements);
• A 19.7 percent increase in replacement course searches (meaning students were looking for courses that would allow them to transfer credit back to their home institution);
• A 12.5 percent increase in transfer searches (students looking to switch institutions);
• A 15.7 percent increase in the time students spend using Transferology; and
• A 17.3 percent increase in course equivalencies recorded in Transferology.

"The pandemic has fundamentally changed the in-person college experience and has shattered the previously held notions of transfer pattern trends. As students grapple with decisions around returning to their institutions amidst fluid reopening and in-person learning options, many are evaluating whether to return to their enrolled institution in the fall or transfer to an alternate college or university," commented Kerry Cooper, CEO of CollegeSource, in a statement. "Having access to flexible options to meet students' evolving needs is critical for enabling their continued pursuit of higher education credentials and degrees."

The full report can be found on the CollegeSource site.