A Multilevel Approach to Examining Transfer Student Belonging in Different Academic Majors

Abstract As the number of transfer students at four-year institutions continues to grow, questions remain about how their experiences vary once they arrive at four-year institutions. While previous research has documented the academic and social challenges transfer students face, less is known about how a student’s academic major shapes their transition, particularly their sense of belonging to the institution. This study explores how sense of belonging differs between transfer students and non-transfer students and whether this difference varies across majors. Using multilevel modeling and institutional survey data from graduating seniors, we found that transfer students reported lower levels of belonging than their non-transfer peers, though this effect varied across majors. Although differences in sense of belonging across majors were modest, some programs exhibited larger gaps between transfer and non-transfer students. These findings contribute to efforts to better understand how academic programs shape student experience and highlight the continued importance of supporting transfer student integration.