TRANSFER AND TRANSITION: UNDERSTANDING TRANSFER SHOCK STUDENT EXPERIENCES WITH UNIVERSITY RECEIVING CULTURE

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the experiences of diverse Southern California Community College (SCCC) students who experienced “transfer shock”—a posttransfer decline in academic performance—upon transitioning to Southern California State University (SCSU), a large public Hispanic-serving institution. Using a critical race theory (CRT) framework lens, the research focused on the counter-stories of seven students from various ages, abilities, ethnicities, and parental status to understand how SCSU’s culture impacted their academic performance and socioacademic connections in a post-COVID-19 global pandemic context. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews and analyzed thematically. Findings revealed participants’ academic performance was significantly affected by systemic challenges, including access to academic advising, accessible course materials, course registration issues, unclear credit transfer evaluations, and confusing financial aid processes. Furthermore, establishing a sense of socioacademic belonging was a major hurdle. Despite their resilience, participants illustrated that transfer shock often results from an institutional culture unprepared for the diverse needs of transfer students. The study concluded that transfer success depends on the university’s proactive and inclusive culture, recommending systemic reforms like a holistic advising model, improved orientation programs, and a supportive campus community for all transfer students.