The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 41, No. 2 & Volume 42, No. 1 - 184

through the process of coding and writing
memos (van Manen, 1990). Coding was both
chronological (pre-college, initial institution,
current institution) and experiential based on
the themes of academics, housing, involvement, transfer process, making friends, etc.
These codes included both descriptive data and
interpretive data (Bazeley, 2013; Finlay, 2012).
After coding was complete, the researchers
selected the codes that yielded data related to
the areas of housing and living arrangements
as they pertained to social integration and adjustment. Individual participant memos were
created based on these selected codes, which
summarize the individual experience for each
participant as it related to the areas of the study.
These memos include both the structural description of the experience along with the underlying and precipitating factors that explain
how the student experienced the phenomenon
(Bazeley, 2013). Through this inductive process,
the researchers were able to use the coded data
to describe the student experience as it related to
housing and residential life. From these memos,
the researchers described common themes and
how relationships between themes provided an
understanding of the integrated student experience (Finlay, 2012). As an additional measure of
trustworthiness, as we interpreted the data, we
referred continually back to the original interview transcripts and coding excerpts. To protect
the anonymity of the participants, pseudonyms
have been given to each one.

ANALYSIS
During the interviews, participants described
their experiences as a transfer student starting with their previous institution, the decision to transfer, the process of transferring,

184

and ending with their experience at their new
institution. Students reﬂected on their experience, including what they would do differently
if given the opportunity and what advice they
would give to other incoming transfer students. During the interviews, students provided comments about the people, programs, and
processes that challenged and supported them
throughout their collegiate careers.
Participants compared the difference
between the experience at their previous institution and the experience at their new institution. This comparison seemed to be particularly
strong as it related to their living arrangement
at the transfer institution. Participants lived on
campus at their initial institution and had to
adjust their expectations at the transfer institution. In analyzing the theme of how lateral
transfer students' living arrangements inﬂuenced their experience in transition to their new
institution, three sub-themes were identiﬁed:
the difﬁculty of securing housing, longing for a
social connection like they experienced in their
traditional ﬁrst-year residence hall, and the connection provided by the roommate relationship.

Good Luck Getting Housing
Of the many challenges that accompany the
transfer process, students identiﬁed ﬁnding
and securing housing as overwhelming and
stress-inducing. Regardless of whether or not
they were looking on or off campus, the process
of ﬁnding housing was more complicated than
most expected. They described the search for
housing as "stressful" and "difﬁcult" and, for
many, the most negative aspect of the transfer
experience. The challenge of securing housing
and the accompanying stress and worry about
securing housing had a negative inﬂuence on
their transition and integration experience.

THE JOURNAL OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENT HOUSING

The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 41, No. 2 & Volume 42, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 41, No. 2 & Volume 42, No. 1