Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Master's Theses Theses and Dissertations 1965 An Analysis of Transfer Students: Values, Problems and Academic Acheivement Walter Francis Block Loyola University Chicago Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.edu/luc_theses Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Block, Walter Francis, "An Analysis of Transfer Students: Values, Problems and Academic Acheivement" (1965).edu/luc_theses/1910 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact ecommons@luc. Copyright © 1965 Walter Francis Block AN ANALYS IS (P TBANSFER.
STUDENTS: VAWES, PROBLEMS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT BY Walter F. Block A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Loyola University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts June 1965 PREFACE Transfer students became of interest to the author in connection with his position in student personnel work at Loyola University. In his daily contact with the student body I he observed a number of the transfer students and their diversified manner of coping with curricular and co- curricular activities at the University. It was then he expressed the desire to explore the needs of the student, who for one reason or another, came to the University after he had begun his education at another institution of higher learning.
The purpose of the thesis, in the opinion of the author, serves a particular need expressed by the author as well as a more important need, the identification of the transfer student at Loyola University. A profile of his values, his problems and his academic achievement, with determination of the needs of this segment of the student body is the major goal of the thesis. The scope of this study is, of course, limited. It involves 315 transfer students, full-time undergraduates attending the School of Liberal Arts at Loyola University, Chicago.
This group includes a sub- group of seventy-two former seminarians who are currently studying at Loyola University. It is also limited in that although the values I problems and academic achievement have been stated, significant causal iii and related factors in many instances were not to be found. The many related factors that are represented, however, will hopefully clarify these three areas involved with the transfer student. Coupled with other studies of a similar nature at other institutions some generalities could be developed and projected of transfer students in general.
The author wishes to extend his gratitude to Loyola University. Without the use of data and the necessary facilities, and also the advice and assistance of various personnel, this study could not have realized its various goals. Thanks also to the many students who participated in the study. A note of particular appreciation is expressed to Dr.
Wellington for his guidance and assurance and to Patrick Pierce for his many efforts in the processing of data. Lastly, most sincere thanks to many close friends who were so generous of their time and efforts and expecially to one who was so understanding, encouraging and unselfish in her efforts. iv VITA Walter Francis Block was born in Chicago, Illinois, April 14, 1936. He was graduated from St.
Bonaventure High School, Racine, Wisconsin in June, 1954. He attended St. Francis College in Burlington, Wisconsin and then transferred to Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences in February, 1961.
He was employed as a cost clerk, a recreational leader, a caseworker and an Administrative Assistant to the Dean of Students. He is currently dmployed as Director of HOUSing and Administrator of Foreign Student Affairs at Loyola. He began his graduate studies at Loyola in September, 1962. v TABLE (J!' CammTS !3u PREFACE •.
v TABLE CF C<m'ENTS •. vi LIST <P TABLES. viii LIST CF ILWSTRATICliS •. IN'rRODUCTICIi AND STATEMENT (P PROBLEM • • • • • • • 1 Four purposes leading to investigation--Statement of Problem--Questions to be Answered--Definition-- Description.
REVIEW (J!' RElATED LITEBATURE. 5 General studies of transfer students--Research with Mooney Problem Check List--Problems of College Students, Seminarians--Research with Study of Values-- Values and College Students. DESIGN CF THE RESEARCH ·. 13 Total student population--Transfer Student Population-- Residence--Former Institution--Campus--Marital Status-- Co-Curricular Activities--Familial Background-- Anonymity and Confidentiality--Directives--Variab1es-- Processing of data.
23 Areas tested--Valid~ty--Reliability--Norms--Mean Averages of Groups--High and Low Scoring--Correlation :Between Religion, and Morals and Religion--Correlation Between Social-Psychological, Social and Personal- Psychological. 34 Average of Total Native Student Population--Transfer Average--Loyola Average--Cumulative Average--Semesters at Former Institution--Average Credit Hours Lost-- Probation. 42 Mooney Problem Check List--Validity--Reliability-- Norms--Results--Questions--Group Comparison Correlation with Academic Achievement--Correlation of Questions and Mean Average of Problems. SUlM\RY AND C<liCWSICIfS • • • •.
57 Implications--Further Research BIBLIOOBAPBY. 68 APPENDIX 111 Study of Values, Test Booklet ••. 69 APPENDIX IV Problem Check List •••. 70 vii LIST <P TABLES Table 1.
Percentages of Transfer Students According to Permanent Residence • • • • • • • • • • • • • 15 2. Percentage of Transfer Students According to Former Institutions Attended • • • • •. Distribution of Transfer Students by Campus • ·. Transfer Student Involvement in Co-Curricular Activities.
Number of Parents Who Attended College. Size of Family of Transfer Student ••• • • • • • 20 7. Table of Average Scores in Each Value, Compared to Norms. Number of Students Scoring Outstandingly Low ·.
Number of Students Scoring Outstandingly High • 28 10. Comparing Social Value with Mean Number of Social Psychological and Personal Psychological Problems • 31 11. Comparing Religious Values with Mean Number of Moral and Religious Problems • • • • • • • • •. Comparison of Academic Averages of Transfer Students to Native Loyola Students •• • • • ·.
Credit Hours Achieved by Transfer Students at Former Institutions and Number of Semesters Attended. Credit Hours Lost by Transfer Students Upon Transfer to Loyola University • • • • • • •. Transfer Students on Probation and on Dean's List. Mooney Problem Check List Average Number of Problems and Standard Deviations • • • • • 45 17.
Average Total Major Problems and Average Total Major and Minor Problems. Transfer Students Marking High Number of Major Problems and Total Problems 49 Academic Achievement and the Mooney Problem 19. Did the List Give a Well-Rounded Picture of Problems? • • • • • • • ••. Was the List Worthwhile? • • • •.
Would You Like to Talk Over These Problems? • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 54 23. Those Answering ''Yes'' to Part 1, and ''No'' to Part 2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 54 24. Those Answering "Yes" to Part 1" and ''Yes II to Part 2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 55 ix Figure 1. Profile of Values • • • • • • • • • • • • • 25 2.
Graph of Total Problems Marked by Transfer Students. 47 x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTICN AND STATEMENT CF PROBLEM As college enrollments grow the number of transfer students also increases. Increased mobility is another reason for the growing number of transfer students. A continued increase in junior colleges across the country provides the senior colleges with a large percentage of transfer students.
Comparatively little is know regarding this distinctive group. Studies in the areas of transfer students have dealt almost exclusively with academic achievement and prediction of achievement. Their limitation is expressed frequently in stating that relevant factors have been omitted. Ul'his study does not include personal factors that are relevant to the transfer student, despite their obvious import, but is limited to a review of academic factors.
Restrictions must be made in any study; thus this work has been designed to encompass only the academic progress of the transfer student. Such intangibles as previous home life, parents, siblings, economic status, dormitory life, dating habits and many other factors pertaining to social adjustment that might be of interest were omitted. Holmes, 'The Transfer Student in the College of Liberal Arts," Jvniqr CoUtgp JOUrnal, (31, 1960-61), p. 1 2 Such admissions are COIlInOn regarding the studies of transfer students.
Although the author of this study has included many of these factors, he, too, admits to a number of these limitations. It is the hope that others will attempt to resolve these limitations to complement this effort. Another difficulty with former studies in this area is that relatively few have been published. This has encouraged the author to pursue this study in order to enhance the possibility of increasing public information in this area.
Another cammon admission is that the transfer student population is unique to its institution. It is hoped, however, that if many similar studies were made, they would inevitably establish a basis and contribute to the ultimate framing of generalizations to be applied to the academic realm. To emphasize the fact that a transfer student population is unique to each institution is also to indicate the need for this type of study within each institution. These stated reasons, the need for more studies of transfer students to establish generalizations, more studies in depth and a study within the particular institution provide us with reason justifying an investigation in this area.
PURPWE (I' THIS 8TllQX The purpose of this study is to investigate those full time undergraduate students of the School of Arts and Sciences at Loyola 3 University who have transferred from another institution of higher learning to Loyola University. The study will provide one more body of information regarding transfer students from which possible generalizations can be made upon conferring other studies. It will provide a thorough coverage of the transfer student for this particular institution. Also, it will be a study of the transfer student in depth, since the study will investigate transfer students with respect to their values, problems and academic achievement.
More specifically, this study will answer the following questions regarding the transfer student at this institution, and thus give us a more meaningful insight into the transfer student. How do these transfer students compare in their values as compared to the norms established by other college students. Is there any relationship between the score of the social value and the number of personal and social psychological problems a transfer student admits to. Is there any relationship between the score of religious values and the number of religious problems a transfer student admits to.
How many problems are the transfer students aware of and admit to in problem areas. How many of these problems do they consider serious. Is there any relationship between academic achievement and the number of problems marked in the areas of college adjustment and curriculum and teaching procedures. Does the transfer student wish to resolve his problems.
If so, does -he know whom to contact. How well does the transfer student perform. academically at Loyola compared to his achievement at his previous institution. How well does the transfer student perform academically compared to the native Loyola student.
What loss in credit, if any, does the transfer student suffer in the process of transfer to Loyola. In resolving these questions, the study will attempt to give a well rounded picture of the environmental conditions of the transfer student. Thus, the study takes into consideration the residence of the student, the institution formerly attended, the campus presently attended, involvement in co-curricular activities, and familial background regarding size of family, and parental education. The group of former seminarians, included as a sub-group, provides another strong reason for this investigation.
The author in his attempt to discover related literature was unsuccessful in locating a study which dealt with the former seminarian.