So your first college didn’t work out. It happens! It could be the student life, campus environment, financial reasons, or maybe you wanted to change your major and another college had a better program. It’s all okay—you have to do what’s best for you personally and in your educational career.
But, adjusting to a new environment can be nerve-wracking. You may have to start from scratch as you leave what you knew behind, but don’t worry! We have some tips for transfer students so you can be successful as you leave your previous school and adjust to your new university!
Flickr user COD Newsroom
Best Tips for Transfer Students
1. Get Your Paperwork Done
If you’re finished with the process of transferring colleges, it’s important to get all your ducks in a row. Double-check that your college credits transfer to your degree and that it’s a smooth transition from one college to another. As a college transfer student, you can easily get overwhelmed with all the different things you need to fill out.
Getting your paperwork done and sending your college transcript over as quickly as possible to the admissions staff will help you fix anything that needs adjustment before the transfer application deadline approaches.
2. Apply for Scholarships
Our most important advice for transfer students? Check your scholarship eligibility and new financial aid options! Now that you’re at a new college, there may be different scholarship opportunities available that your previous college didn’t have. You can check if they have transfer student scholarships and see what other scholarships you may be eligible for through the institution. If you switched to a different major, this may also open up other scholarships and financial aid opportunities for you.
3. Speak With an Advisor at Both Colleges
Your college has people to help you when you don’t know what the next step is. In this case, speaking to the advisor or transfer counselor at your first college will help you figure out what loose ends need to be tied up before you’re finished. The college advisor at the new college will let you know what to expect from this new school.
College advisors and counselors see hundreds of students each semester so if anyone has good advice for transfer students, it would be them! Don’t be afraid to ask for tips for transfer students and helping with new students adjust – that’s what they’re there for! This is super helpful for your overall transfer experience as you embark on this journey at a new college campus.
4. Get Involved in Clubs
Now that you’ve officially transferred, it’s time to get involved and make new friends. Making new friends after you’ve already gone through the process at your last college can seem exhausting. One of our biggest tips for transfer students is to get involved in clubs at your new college.
Clubs and extracurricular activities are amazing places to meet other like-minded people in college. We suggest starting with one academic and one fun club or activity. With the academic club, you can expand your knowledge of your major and meet other college students that might even be in your classes. With the fun club, you can try a new hobby and meet people who you wouldn’t normally meet in your lectures or study groups. If you’re an education major, you can find clubs that cater to you. If you like to play soccer, you can find clubs or extracurricular activities where you can meet current students who also like the same thing.
After the first semester, you can join more clubs and meet more people! There may be a club or organization dedicated to helping new students adjust! It’s important to put yourself out there, especially when you’re new.
5. Introduce Yourself to Professors
This is advice we give to all college students, not just the transfers. Introducing yourself to your professors will make yourself known in their lectures. Attend office hours to get the help you need with the curriculum so you don’t fall behind your first semester at a new college. For the professors that teach subjects in your major, you can ask them if they know of any internship or volunteer opportunities. Even if they don’t have any themselves, they may be able to refer you to other people who do. Networking is key in college for your academic and professional career!
Going to a different college is a new opportunity for transfer applicants to get the college experience they are looking for. Whether you transfer institutions during your freshman year or your senior year, the transfer journey can make any college student a bit nervous.
Going to the right college is often a game-changer for many students but adjusting to this new college life may be difficult. By following our tips for transfer students, you can enjoy the new college campus to the fullest extent! Don’t forget College Raptor has FREE resources for you to use to find amazing scholarships and other advice!
