Transfer during COVID-19: Understanding student experience in a shifting context

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions rapidly closed their campuses and switched to remote instruction. Transfer students had to navigate the transfer process and transition into a virtual educational environment. This study sought to understand how students described their transitions and planning in a shifting context. We found that transfer students experienced challenges with academic planning, motivation, and social connections as they managed the transition into a large public university in the Midwest (MidU). Higher education administrators and faculty must consider the student services and supports offered for transfer students during a time of virtual learning and uncertainty to support their continued transition and overall academic success.