Innovative Strategies Deliver Big Results to Help Transfer Students
Cody Wieder is on track to graduate a year early, thanks to an innovative strategy that helps transfer students count more of their credits toward a degree.
After attending two other colleges, the Lehigh County resident transferred to Kutztown University. He's one of the first students to benefit from a Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) initiative to use improvement science to further streamline an already efficient transfer process.
For Cody, that means more credits from his previous colleges applied toward general education requirements. This gave him the flexibility to pursue a major in information technology and a minor in data science, all while commuting and working part-time.
”By transferring more credits and maximizing my schedule, I'll graduate sooner, start my career earlier, and save money,” Cody said.
What Is Improvement Science?
Improvement science is a problem-solving strategy often used in healthcare and manufacturing. Front-line staff rapidly test small changes over short periods of time, typically every 45 days. The data guides the next set of changes, allowing successful results to be expanded—or scaled—across the entire organization. This method encourages teams to innovate quickly and create reliable, lasting improvements.
PASSHE is a National Leader in Improvement Science
Cody is one of many students benefiting from PASSHE’s work with the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH). Commonwealth, Kutztown, and Shippensburg universities are among the first in the country, along with the Texas A&M System, the University of Illinois System, and others, to apply improvement science to the transfer process.
Together, the universities are streamlining transfer pathways, helping students earn credit for prior learning and move more efficiently toward completing their degrees.
I was nervous about getting back into the swing of things. The Transfer Support
Team was a big help when I needed a quick answer. Also, the constant email reminders
were good before I started my semester. I honestly wouldn’t change anything!”
— Delaney Delph, first-year transfer student
Kutztown University
Kutztown University used improvement science to increase the two-year graduation rate of transfer students by seven percent. By using small tests, the university successfully encouraged more incoming transfer students to provide their full transcripts and associate degrees. This helped the students transfer more credits and be eligible for additional scholarships.
For students like Cody, improvement science helped identify ways to encourage transfer students to submit their most up-to-date transcripts. That simple step led to a 69 percent increase in students receiving general education waivers, as more completed classes from other universities could be recognized, saving students time and money.
”Small changes can have big results for students, from acceptance to Kutztown to earning their degree,” said Briana Zdradzinski, Kutztown's Coordinator for Student Success & Transfer Engagement, who worked on the effort.
Shippensburg University
At Shippensburg, the university used improvement science to cut the time it takes to advise and register transfer students for classes from 15 days to just 4, a 73 percent improvement.
Quicker advising and registration mean students can line up their schedules earlier, making it easier to balance classes with jobs, childcare, and other responsibilities. What started as a small pilot in four programs grew steadily as faculty and staff saw results. Today, the process is in place across all undergraduate programs, giving transfer students a clearer path to graduation and greater motivation to stay on track.
The work is led by Associate Provost Dr. Tracy Schoolcraft, who is recognized nationally for her expertise in improvement science. This year, she joined colleagues from NASH to share Shippensburg’s success with higher education leaders across the country.
I’m proud of our transfer faculty advisors for recommending process improvements that
led to earlier advising appointments and registration of transfer students. Once a
student confirms their attendance to Shippensburg, they can get their course schedule
within two days when registration is open; this is 73 percent faster than before.
These motivated students get the classes they need and can plan their lives more easily.
Improvement science made this possible, and we’re expanding to other needs at Shippensburg.”
— Associate Provost Dr. Tracy Schoolcraft
Commonwealth University
Commonwealth University used improvement science to help 456 transfer students apply an average of five additional credits directly toward their degrees, with some gaining the equivalent of a full semester.
This progress was made possible by a team of faculty and staff who saw that too many transfer credits were being counted only as electives. Through a series of small tests, they built a comprehensive list of courses that meet credit requirements across the university. Commonwealth is now expanding this approach to improve other transfer processes, lowering costs for students and helping more of them stay on track to graduate.
”Using improvement science to make this critical change for our transfer students has been a game-changer for so many,” said Dr. Gretchen Sechrist, interim Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education at Commonwealth. ”These changes made it possible for a number of students to graduate earlier than previously anticipated and reduced their total cost of attendance by shortening the time to degree completion. We are consistently looking for way to improve our processes to benefit our students.”
The Bigger Picture
The lessons learned at Shippensburg, Commonwealth, and Kutztown through improvement science have helped guide other universities in the system, enhancing the transfer experience for nearly 6,000 students last year.
Today, all 10 PASSHE universities guarantee admission to students with associate's degrees from Pennsylvania’s community colleges, and more than 96 percent of community college credits transfer across the system—a significant improvement in recent years. The number of students transferring from community colleges to PASSHE universities surged 14% in Fall 2025.
PASSHE is also leading a statewide effort to help students transfer more credits and earn credit for prior learning. The State System brought together more than 30 colleges, universities, and partners, allowing all participants to share best practices with one another.
For students, these changes save time, reduce costs, and keep them on track to a bachelor’s degree. For Cody, it means graduating a year earlier, starting his career sooner, and cutting expenses. “Not only am I graduating sooner, but I’m finishing without taking extra courses,” he said.
The transfer experience went well. The process felt like it went smoothly and was
an easy adjustment. I think the multitude of people who reached out helped make it
very successful for me.”
— Aidan Demsey, sophomore transfer student in Business Management