transferring?

Happy New Year!This is the time of year when we hear from students who want to transfer for the spring semester. On the one hand, it can be normal to have a bit of buyer's remorse during your first year of college, especially during the post-holiday January doldrums. On the other, sometimes you may, indeed, decide that you need something else in a college. If you're in that boat, here are some tips:

1. Especially if you're a freshman, it takes a while to get adjusted to a new life in college....different friends, a new routine, harder classes. Give yourself time to make your mark. We often hear from students who have gone home over the break, have talked to their friends, and now want to transfer here for spring semester. Although we'd love to have them, we want them to make a good decision, not a hasty one.

2. If you do find that you want to transfer schools, plan ahead. Every admissions office will have a professional staff member who works with transfer students. Call or email them. They can give you great advice about classes to take, deadlines to meet, etc.

3. The admissions decision is often based on a combination of your high school record and test scores and your GPA in your college classes. The more college credits you have, the less important your high school record is, and vice versa.

4. Will your credits count??? Usually, but there are some important notes. If you are at a technical school or an unaccredited school, sometimes those credits won't. Again, call the admissions office at the school you want to go TO for more info on what they accept. If you are planning at least a semester in advance, that's a good thing because you can then plan to take the right classes for your new school.

There's no shame in changing your mind on which school fits you best. We enroll over 500 new transfer students each fall. Some want to be closer to home, some have discovered they want a different major, and some started at a two-year school first. Over half of all college graduates nowadays have attended at least two different institutions. Some (most) of you will find your perfect fit right away and stay at your school all four years. If you don't, first give it time. Don't give up on your school too quickly. But if you want to change, we can help you.

Good luck!
Kris