August 2016 marked the 10-year anniversary of the Accelerated Transfer Admission (ATA) events created and facilitated by EMM’s Office of Admission. Designed to speed up the application process, ATA events allow prospective transfer students to receive admission decisions on the spot.
To participate in an ATA event, prospective students must apply for admission prior to attending an event. They bring original transcripts from all post-secondary institutions they have attended, or if they have completed less than 30 credit hours, they also bring high school transcripts along with their ACT or SAT scores. Admission counselors review the materials and meet with students one-on-one to give decisions.
In the past, students had to apply at least 48 hours before an event, but with the introduction of
SLATE in 2016, which streamlined and sped up processing times, students can now apply as close to one hour prior.
“What makes these events unique is that our transfer admission counselors are both recruiters and advisors,” shares Cynthia Delgadillo, assistant director in Transfer Admission, who has been working on ATAs since their inception. “We provide admission decisions but we also advise on next steps in the process, whether or not they are accepted. If they’re not eligible for admission at the time that we see them, we let them know what they can do and when they should reapply for reconsideration.”
ATA events started as a once-a-month event at the Loop Campus before expanding to a biweekly program in fall 2014. Targeted outreach to community colleges began in spring 2007 with five of DePaul’s top feeder schools; now, partnerships extend to 11 community colleges. ATAs at the community colleges take place between February and March.
Over the last 10 years, Transfer Admission has hosted approximately 175 onsite and 100 offsite events, and met with a total of 11,036 students– 5,744 of which were admitted and roughly 3,400 of which were enrolled, resulting in a 60 percent yield rate. ATA events began serving SNL students in 2010, but they make up a small percentage of attendees compared to the traditional prospective undergraduate students who are drawn to the events.
In August 2016, Transfer Admission began using Instagram to showcase the events. Many students bring their families and take photos to celebrate admission decisions.
“The strong partnerships we have with community colleges, and the relationships we build with the students at each site, has allowed us to provide a personal touch in our service,” says Delgadillo. “I think those personal connections are what have contributed to making this program so successful all these years.”
For more information, contact
Cynthia Delgadillo, assistant director for Transfer Admission and the Adult Enrollment Center.