Abstract
This research investigates the transfer process of college transfer students, including their transfer motivations, transfer strategies and self-evaluation after transferring. Furthermore, transfer policies in higher education in Taiwan are discussed. .Through review of literature and interviews with 16 college transfer students from two universities, the researcher reveals the following findings. The recruits and admission policies of student transfer vary from university to university. Transfer examinations are held twice a year, in summer and in winter. The credit transfer policies are also different in every universities and the major concern of transfer students. The transfer students experience several issues in the transfer process such as deciding whether to transfer or not, strategies on transfer preparation and adjustment to the new school after having successfully transferred. Students’ motivations for transfer include: “pursuing a better quality of college education”, “self testing” and “other personal consideration”. Every transfer student has to judge his or her own ability and choose appropriate preparation strategies including whether to “attend a cram school”, to “apply for the same discipline or for a different one”, and “transfer for the Fall semester or the Spring semester”. Students’ self-evaluation of the transfer is related to their transfer motivation. Students with not so strong motivation of transfer tend to have moderate evaluation of the move. Students with strong motivation, tend to either have very positive evaluation or be very disappointed about the transfer