UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State will celebrate its thousands of transfer and change-of-campus students during a national week of recognition. 

Oct. 16-20 is National Transfer Student Week, when colleges and universities highlight the successes and struggles special to this group of undergraduate students. The Penn State Undergraduate Admissions Office and Student Orientation and Transition Programs will hold events throughout the week at the University Park campus. 

In fall 2023, 5,834 students transferred to Penn State from another college or university. A total of 3,969 Penn Staters changed from one campus to another.  

Events 

Events will be held each day during National Transfer Student Week. For each event attended from Student Orientation and Transition Programs, students will earn one entry to the end-of-semester drawing for a change-of-campus crewneck sweatshirt prize pack. 

Daily appointments offered

The Undergraduate Admissions Office (UAO) will offer virtual appointments for prospective transfer students to chat with an admissions counselor about the application process, eligibility for their intended major, transferring credits and more. 

Monday, Oct. 16 

Student Orientation and Transition Programs (SOTP) will be tabling on the ground floor of the HUB-Robeson Center from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. 

Tuesday, Oct. 17 

Join SOTP and transfer and change-of-campus students for a “Snack n’ Study” from 7 to 9 p.m. in the HUB-Robeson Center room 131. Students can bring their assignments to work on while munching on provided snacks.  

Wednesday, Oct. 18 

A library escape room event will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Dewey Room on the lower level of Pattee Library.  

Thursday, Oct. 19 

• The UAO will host a virtual admissions presentation specifically geared toward transfer students from 7 to 8 p.m. Oct. 19. The UAO will be joined by admissions counselors from Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses, as well as current Penn State students who were transfer students themselves. Students can sign up for the virtual information session at apply.psu.edu. “National Transfer Student Week is always an exciting time, and I am excited to invite prospective transfer students to our virtual presentation sponsored by the Undergraduate Admissions Office,” said Lindsay Bolt, assistant director for Transfer Admission in UAO. “This presentation is open to any student interested in transferring to Penn State. We will explain the application and transfer credit process, while discussing resources for students interested in transferring to Penn State.” 

• SOTP will host “PIZZINGO! Game Night” from 6 to 8 p.m. in Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center. This signature event for the semester features bingo, prizes and pizza. There will also be board games, cornhole and giant Jenga after bingo.  

Friday, Oct. 20 

Join SOTP and OUA for a tour of the Old Main Bell Tower. Students can stop by anytime between 5 and 7 p.m.  

Recognizing transfer and change-of-campus students 

Penn State defines a transfer student as someone who will have attempted 18 or more college after high school graduation prior to enrolling at Penn State. Transfer students apply to Penn State after completing college courses at another college or university. Change-of-campus students are undergraduates who have gone from one Penn State campus to another. 

Nationally, the number of transfer students decreased in 2021 and 2022 compared to 2020, according to data compiled by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The rate of decrease from 2020-2022 for transfer students (6.9%) was higher than the decrease of non-transfer students (5.4%) in the U.S. undergraduate population. Penn State recorded 2,603 undergraduate transfer students enrolled in fall 2022, with 1,935 of them full-time students. A total of 2,655 transfer students were enrolled in fall 2021 and 2,928 in fall 2020, according to the Penn State Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research. 

George Zimmerman, associate vice president of Enrollment Management and Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Penn State, said that as a former transfer student himself, he enjoys working with transfer students and recognizes that many different circumstances propel them to seek a different institution to continue their degrees. 

“In the end, they are all looking for the same thing: support and guidance through the process,” Zimmerman said. “Penn State has a team of experts that can help guide transfer students as they explore options systemwide. With campuses all over the commonwealth, a Penn State degree is in reach no matter where you began your college career.” 

SOTP works with all incoming students to help them adapt to Penn State’s University Park campus and provides a special orientation program and support for transfer and change-of-campus students. 

“Transfer and change-of-campus students are a unique population because they aren’t new to college, but they are new to our University Park community,” said Becki Leonard, assistant director for Transition Programs at SOTP. “Because of that, they may face challenges adjusting socially, personally and academically. We want students to be proud of their identity as a change-of-campus or transfer student because they are an integral part of our University Park community.” 

Follow UAO @psuadmissions on Instagram, and SOTP @psusotp.