October 24, 2014 | SharkAdmin When four-year universities come to campus, students know about it thanks to the Career and Transfer Services (CATs) center. CATs is active on social media letting students know which institutions are on campus, they send emails alerting students to look out for their favorites, and flyers are plastered around campus with a monthly listing of who's coming here. The increased communication efforts by CATs hasn't gone unnoticed. NVC recently achieved recognition as the top community college in the state for percentage of students transferring to a 4-year institution with 30 or more completed hours. The fiscal year 2013 transfer rate was 30.1 percent, up from 25.1 percent the previous year and an increase from fiscal year 2008 at 24.60 percent. The Texas average for transfers with more than 30 hours is 20.44 percent, which is a full 10 percent below the NVC mark for these students. NVC has been a top performer in this category for several years including a top in the state in 2007. NVC is also best among Texas peer institutions for all transfer students (regardless of hours completed) at 33.8 percent in fiscal year 2013. This was an increase from 29.6 percent a year ago. The fiscal year 2013 Texas average for total transfer rates is 26 percent, which is 7 percent below the NVC mark for all students. Reaching the 30 percent mark for transfer rates for 30-plus hours has been a strategic planning target for NVC for more than five years. This achievement is the result of many programs and initiatives across the campus, both in and outside the classroom. Classroom initiatives that improve persistence and engagement include the active and collaborative methodologies used by many NVC faculty. Additionally, the Transfer Fair, put on by CATs each semester, provides students access to dozens of university representatives that help students understand the transfer process. To reach evening and part-time students more effectively, a Transfer Fair table is set up from 5-7 pm. The “Advisor on Campus” program also brings university representatives to campus regularly throughout the semester to meet with students. These visits greatly enhance the ability of NVC students to learn about transfer opportunities and make informed transfer decisions.
