With transfer rates hitting a new high, both the transfer center and college benefit from the increasing reputation of the school.

“It is definitely a draw for EC because students feel that we a strong transfer institution,” Sue Oda-Omori, transfer center coordinator, said. “I think we already have a good reputation, but more is always better.”

According to data collected by California Postsecondary Education Commission, there have been 323 students, an increase from 272, accepted to the UC system and1,161 students, an increase from 1,158, to the CSU system.

That is the best news because the success of most students depend on them transferring and getting a bachelor’s degree,” Joe Holliday, adviser for the Honors Transfer Program, said.

With the number of both applicants and transfer rates increasing, the Transfer Center hopes that negative misconceptions, such as transferring being impossible, are disappearing.

“A lot of the myths to transfer are getting dispelled,” Omori said. “Like expenses or it being out of reach.”

With more emphasis on transferring, the reputation of EC should only improve.

“University representatives, like in the UCs, base their number of visits on the interest they have on the college,” Rene Lozano, transfer counselor, said. “They do prioritize.”

This year, awareness was increased to draw more attention to the Transfer Center and to continue to create a more transfer oriented culture in the college.

“The Transfer Center is doing a lot more promotion, like e-mailing or events like the transfer conference,” Omori said. “I’ve always wanted to create a transfer culture.”

Some of the programs available to help the student understand how to transfer include the Honor Transfer Program (HTP) or Project Success.

“I hope that through all the services that the transfer center is doing, we are getting the word out,” Omori said. “The programs are made to get the students excited about transferring.”

The HTP has contributed greatly to the transfer rates for the school because students in the program eventually transfer and move on.

“Every honor student eventually transfers, the average honors student transfers after two years,” Holliday said. “The honors students cost EC very little money and has a high success rate.”

The program also does not look to be stopping any of its momentum.

“We’re almost double the size since I came here as advisor and that definitely has an impact on transfer rates,” Holliday said. “We will continue to increase the quantity and quality of the HTP as long as we have a proportional increase in administrative support.”

The increased reputation of EC being a good place to transfer has resulted in more university representative visits.

“Some schools, like (UC) Berkeley, (UC) Irvine and (UC) Merced have increased their visits. The Cal States are here often as well,” Omori said.

With the amount of services the Transfer Center offers, the progress in both increasing the awareness and the transfer rate is optimistic and does not look stop improving.

“We offer lots of workshops…just a whole range of options,” Lozano said.