A Guide to Assist You in Transferring Smoothly to a
Four-Year Institution
It is never too soon to plan for your transfer to a four-year
school. The following are some tips that can help you initiate the
process.
- Decide Your Major
Once you
have decided on a major it will dictate the specific courses that
you need to complete in order to have an efficient transfer. Be
sure to speak with your advisors about the correlations between
careers and majors in order to find out what program is best for
you.
- Plan Ahead
This may seem
obvious, but many students are caught unaware when they find out
that certain classes don’t transfer, that they took the wrong
classes in preparation for their program, or that they have missed
a deadline. Be sure to contact your prospective college or
university and even make a visit or two. Immerse yourself in as
much information about the school as possible. Seek advising from
the institution that you are planning to transfer to. Never play
anything by ear.
- Make Sure the University is Right
for YOU
Be certain that your chosen institution
has the program and major that you are seeking. Not all schools
have the same curriculum, so a certain school may not cover your
major as well as you would like. Also, avoid choosing a school based on peer/parent
pressure. While it is good to listen to the advice of other
students who are attending your prospective school, you should
make educated decisions that are right for you. Campus
visits/tours are good ways for you to find out whether or not you
wish to attend an institution.
- Be Sure the Price is
Right
Before you can attend school, you obviously must
pay for it. Aside from tuition costs, know book
costs, room rates, and other living expenses that you will need to
cover before you make a commitment. Though a particular university
may have cheaper tuition than another, the cost of living may be
much higher. How will you go about paying for it? Be sure to
holistically analyze such factors. Also, it is important to check
out each school’s financial aid packages. Don’t forget to ask
about scholarships!
- Know What Questions to Ask and Whom to
Ask
Knowing what you need to know is half the battle.
It would be a wise idea to formulate a list of important
questions that you need addressed. This way you
can be sure that you cover all of your bases during your advising
sessions.
- Formulate a Battle
Plan
If you write out what you need to
accomplish and then carry out these tasks in order, you will find
that the transfer process will be far less stressful for you.
Knowing what it is that you have to do and what order to do it in
will decrease anxiety. Ask your advisor to help you draw out such
a battle plan.
- Be Motivated
None of this
stuff will get done unless you make it happen. You have to have
the motivation in order to pull all of this off because the execution
of almost everything is dependent upon you.
|
 |
|
