Deciding that the college you’re enrolled in is no longer for you is a pretty common occurrence in collegiette life. Maybe you realized that your academic goals would be better met somewhere else, or you want to be closer to (or further from) home. Perhaps the college or university isn’t what you hoped it would be socially. But whatever the reasons are behind the decision to transfer, hopefully you find the missing piece to connect to your new school that your old one lacked!
If you’re planning to transfer, at this point in the semester you most likely have been accepted to another school, or at least sent in all of your admissions requirements. But once you know where you’re heading after this academic calendar ends, what’s next? There are still so many steps to the transfer student process, and adjusting to the switch can get overwhelming! By keeping these 7 tips in mind, your transition to a new college is guaranteed to go smoothly:
1. Finish out the rest of the semester strong. Once the weather turns warm, it’s hard enough to stay motivated to study, but once you know you won’t even be going to the same school after finals, motivation might go out the window completely! Most acceptances are dependent on staying in good academic standing through the semester, so don’t let spring fever ruin your final transcript. Along with that, some schools won’t transfer courses where you received below a C, so let that be incentive to do your best!
2. Don’t burn bridges. This is especially important if your decision to transfer had to do with drama or social issues of any sort. You’ve already made steps to move on, so leaving your current school gracefully is the most respectable way to go. Not to mention, one of your peers could end up being a coworker or employer of yours one day; you wouldn’t want to squander potential networking opportunities for the future with a negative attitude now.
3. Talk to an advisor at your new college about your course plans, housing, and financial aid. Their job is to guide you through every aspect of switching to their college, so don’t be afraid to call the offices as often as you need with questions or concerns! Surf through the school’s website and do research of your own to find answers or important information.
4. Enroll in summer classes. Even if all of your credits transferred, it’s smart to stay in the habit of doing homework and studying so whenever you start classes somewhere new in the fall, the changes won’t be as drastic.
5. Figure out a day to visit your new campus. Take advantage of transfer/new student orientation days to familiarize yourself with your surroundings! There’s nothing to be embarrassed of if you still need to use a campus map or get lost on your first day, but at least you’ll have a better idea of where everything is located.
6. Join groups online, or look for opportunities to meet people. Also another reason to visit the campus! But if you can’t make the time, see if your school has a transfer student Facebook group to begin connecting with people who are in the same boat as you.
7. Focus on the positive. You’re beginning a new chapter in your collegiette story, so get excited for what’s to come! Enjoy the time you have left at your current school because even if you hate where you’re at, you’ll develop some nostalgia towards it later on. Make some memories worth remembering, and remind yourself that summer is just a few short weeks away!