Never in my life have I thought about transferring colleges, especially on my first day of freshman year. I started off my first two years of college at Pace University in the Lower Manhattan campus. I had achieved great grades, formed great friendships, survived living in New York City for two years, and became extremely independent. But living in Manhattan as a college student has an extremely high price tag and given a scholarship of $20K a year, it was still expensive. My parents informed me that even though they could afford to pay for Pace, I needed to be aware of the high price they were paying.
My brother, who, at the time, attended Rutgers University, informed me how about how Rutgers is cheaper than Pace due to in-state tuition, has a great reputation, and has a much higher academic ranking than Pace. I decided to apply to Rutgers for the Fall of 2016 semester as part of my consideration of the idea of transferring there. Once I was accepted, I decided to enroll because of financial and academic reasons. Leaving an amazing city which became home and all my friends was slowly becoming a sorrowful reality. But I realized that I had to do what is best for me, my family situation, and my future.
Going from a school in Manhattan with 5,500 undergraduates to a school with 42,000 undergraduates in my home state of New Jersey was definitely going to be a culture shock, especially since I wasn’t used to being on an actual campus. The bus system was confusing to me, i wasn’t familiar with the campus, and I went in not knowing anyone. To overcome these obstacles, I did my research online about getting around at Rutgers, the classes that I needed for my major, attended orientation over the summer, and attended events that were being held on campus.
By doing this, I became familiar with the campuses and bus system, picked out the right classes for my major and minor, and became acquainted with other transfer students who have become some of my good friends. Although I left a city I love and good friends behind, coming to Rutgers was meant to happen for a good reason. Not only did I adjust quickly, I am also closer to home and have access to the NYC train to visit my friends regularly. The reputation of Rutgers is very excellent in and outside the US. President Obama attended and spoke at our graduation for the 250th anniversary, and, at one point, Rutgers almost became part of the Ivies, which really speaks for itself.
My advice to potential transfer students is do your research on the school you are planning to transfer to, take advantage of resources, and attend events. You will not be successful in transitioning to a new school if you complain that you don’t know what you have to do and lock yourself up in your room. Do not feel shy to reach out to transfer advisors, upperclassmen, and fellow transfer students to help ease the process. Transferring can be difficult, but it’s worthwhile process and it has made me a more adaptable, mentally stronger person.