Andrea Yen, Dana Mordecai, and Ashton Brown

1. Moving the Pipeline: Using Traditional
Undergraduate Recruitment Strategies
to Increase Graduate School Prospects
ASHTON BROWN, TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY
DANA MORDECAI, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
ANDREA YEN, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON
#txgap17

2. Objectives
• The Research
• The Presentation
• Getting Started
#txgap17

3. What We Know
◦ Students who transfer to a 4 year
university face bigger obstacles
than their traditional start peers
◦ Students are not thinking about
graduate school at the community
college
◦ Focused on transition and late to
start the application process
Black and Hispanic
students suffer more…
35% completion rate
at for-profit colleges
Compared to 60%
and 65% at private
and public institutions,
respectively
Community College Research Center, January 2016
70% of Texas students
complete a bachelor’s degree
after transfer
Compared to 46%
US Overall
#txgap17

4. The Research
According to the Council of Graduate Schools:
◦ 12% of doctoral recipients in 2009-2010 earned community college credit
◦ 41% of master’s recipients had taken at least one course at a community
college (various years)
Data from National Science Foundation, 2010, 2011
#txgap17

5. The Research
Multi-institutional attendance is associated with lower mean MCAT and
acceptance rates to medical schools according to a recent US News.
“This finding may suggest that across types of educational
institutions differences exist in the ability to access
important resources, such as the knowledge of the
application process…”
#txgap17

6. University Example 1
o6% of all GRAD applicants
were undergraduates that
transferred to University 2 as
an undergrad.
o62% of all GRAD applicants
transferred from schools
within 1 hour drive.
#txgap17

7. University Example 2
Out of all applicants for master's degrees:
◦ 20% were transferred students as undergraduates
Out of all new enrolled master’s degrees:
◦ 30% were transfer students to UTA as undergraduates
#txgap17

8. University Example 2
OVERALL FUNNELL
Applications- 12,505
Admits- 6,180
Enrolled- 3,230
50% Conversion
52% Yield
NATIVE FUNNEL
Applications- 1,303
Admits- 777
Enrolled- 560
59% Conversion
70% Yield
#txgap17

9. Our Gig
◦ Panel of graduate admission experts
educating staff, students and faculty about
the graduate program selection and
admissions process
◦ Partnership between UNT, TWU and UTA and
local community colleges
◦ In an effort to maximize visit and
representation, connected with our
respected undergraduate transfer counselors
◦ Presented at NTCCC to make additional
connections with community colleges
#txgap17

10. Expectations
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11. Presentation Outline
How to begin researching programs
◦ Focus in a field of study
◦ Difference in master’s and doctoral
Do you need a grad degree?
◦ Is it necessary
◦ Salary differences
◦ Career goals
How to prepare for the application
◦ GPA, Test Prep, Statement of Purpose, etc.
◦ Deadlines
Maximizing your resources
◦ Advisors
◦ Faculty
#txgap17

12. Helping All Students Achieve
Many students can still be
successful even with a lower GPA
◦ Non degree seeking
◦ Graduate certificates
Grad School Pathways
◦ Facilitated admission
◦ Fast Track/ 5 year
#txgap17
This is just not just for transfer students, but can enhance staff opportunities

13. How to Get Started
University Partnerships
Get The Boss on Board
Determine “Feeders”
Marketing Resources
◦ Collateral
◦ CRM
Built in Leads
◦ Who is already in your pipeline?
Leverage Recruitment Schedule
#txgap17

14. How to Connect
Career Center Staff
Centralized Advising Center
Faculty Alumni
TRIO Programs
Honor’s Programs
◦ PTK
Student Organizations
◦ Pre Health Orgs
◦ Other Discipline Specific
Other Relationships
North Texas Community
College Consortium (NTCCC)
#txgap17

15. Considerations
Data Management is Messy
Established Partnerships
Follow Up
ROI Difficult to Measure
Still Expanding
◦ Other Community Colleges
◦ Universities with Limited/No
Graduate Programs
#txgap17

16. Thank You
Dana Mordecai- dana.mordecai@unt.edu
Ashton Brown- abrown50@twu.edu
Andrea Yen- andrea.yen@uta.edu
#txgap17