My experience at Cal Lutheran has been much different than that of a normal student. Why? I am a transfer student who spent two years at Moorpark College, which is a junior college in Southern California. I did this because I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I thought- why spend the money at a four year, right? As a transfer student, the first thing that you think about at your junior college isn’t what your major is going to be, it’s how can I get out of here as soon as humanly possible? We all want to have that long desired college experience, and we all want it sooner rather than later. However, my experience as a transfer student is nothing like I thought it would be.
Transferring to Cal Lutheran was something that I always knew I was going to do, I mean this in the most literal sense because Cal Lutheran was the only school I applied to. I also knew my chances of getting in would be higher as a transfer than if I had just applied right out of high school. When I found out I was admitted I was ecstatic; I had finally done it. After the countless appointments with several different counselors at Moorpark I had officially transferred. I’m going to be honest with you…..it was downhill from there. By this I don’t mean that my classes were horrible and the people were mean because the atmosphere of Cal Lutheran is amazing and I felt so welcomed by everyone. I mean that I had no idea how much more work transfer students have to do just to attempt to graduate on time.
During my first couple of advising meetings on campus I was told that there were at least 2 classes I had taken that didn’t transfer, this doesn’t sound like much but they were math classes. This meant that I had to take a prereq just to take the class I needed to fulfill a general education requirement. Why didn’t I know that my math classes at Moorpark wouldn’t count? Because the transfer counselors failed to tell me. More and more classes started to come up…now I need an Art…now I need a foreign language (after taking 3 years in high school) and the bad news just kept coming.
I took summer classes because I thought it would help me stay on track, paid extra money, planned my major classes out and I thought I was good to go. Just recently I discovered that even after I finish the classes I need for my degree that I would still need another 12 units. Immediately I begin to panic, what do you mean? I did everything I was told, I took summer courses, what else could I have done to prevent this? That’s when I realized that so many transfer students are also in my position. I know several other students that came from Moorpark that are trying to take classes at other schools over winter break so that they don’t have to overload on units at Cal Lutheran. I also know students that have transferred here from other 4 year universities that have to be here for at least a whole other year, because half of their units didn’t come over with them. So riddle me this, how is it fair for the students who decided not to go to a 4 year right out of high school, that they should have to stay longer and pay more money simply because the counselors at other schools don’t know what they are doing? I am one of several students that has to overload on units next semester because I am determined not to spend a minute longer at school than necessary.
Now don’t get me wrong, I know that this happens at universities everywhere, not just here. So here is what I propose to all of you who are considering transferring from a junior college to save money or to figure out your major, don’t waste time talking to counselors there, talk to counselors at the schools you are transferring to. Email them, call them, send them letters, do whatever you need to do to make sure you aren’t wasting any time or money taking unnecessary classes,]; when in the end it will only result in spending more time and money at whatever school you go to. I love being at Cal Lutheran so much, looking back I wish I could’ve gotten here sooner. If I could go back and tell myself what I know now, I would be much more prepared. So transfers make the most of your time not only with the activities you do in school but with the classes you take as well. Always remember that there are people who are meant to help you here, so don’t wait to take advantage of that.