If you are about to be a junior transfer, some new fears may be arising. All the hard work you have completed these last years has built up to this moment, and now that it is here you should be excited, right? Well, it is okay if you have some nerves in this whirlwind of anticipation. This may be your first time leaving home, finding a new group of friends, or dealing with a university campus. This week I interviewed a friend who will be transferring to UCSB in the fall and three girls who transferred last year.
Following is my interview with Kaleigh, who just committed to UCSB after two years at her local community college.
What is your biggest concern about transferring in general?
Kaleigh: Feeling as if I have already missed out on the college experience, like I am coming late to the game.
How was the application process this time around compared to senior year?
Kaleigh: It was easier because I had a clearer view of my priorities. In high school I wanted to go to a school with a football team, good greek life I was to focused on what I thought my college experience should be. This time around I chose schools that I was interested in for my major and the opportunities it would give me.
Do you have anything you would like to ask someone who is a current transfer at UCSB?
Kaleigh: Is there anything you wish someone had told you before you started school at UCSB?
What are you most looking forward to in coming here?
Kaleigh: A change of scenery, moving away from home.
Image via giphy.com
Next is my interview with Alison, Amber, and Hannah who all transferred as juniors in Fall 2018 and live together in Isla Vista.
Was UCSB your first choice, or was it a hard decision to make?
Hannah: After I was waitlisted at SLO, UCSB became my first choice.
Amber: UCSB was always my number one.
What was your biggest concern about transferring in general?
Alison: Probably finding a group of friends and not getting lost on campus.
Hannah: Finding a group of friends and whether or not I would like the environment of Isla Vista.
How have you adjusted with the academic workload of a university? Or has there been an adjustment?
Hannah: It is a lot more difficult than a CC, a lot faster paced with the quarter system and time consuming but it is manageable.
Amber: I actually transferred from University of Florida, to a community college then to UCSB, so I was accustomed to the competitiveness of a university but there was still a big difference in how much studying I had to do to keep up with the quarter system.
Image via giphy.com
Some prospective transfers I have spoken to are concerned that they have missed out on a college experience, do you feel this way?
Alison: I feel like I missed out a little bit while staying home but I also don’t regret it because I grew up a lot and I’m still getting a college experience now so it all has worked out.
Hannah: I don’t because I went away to cc before (cuesta) and I had a college experience there but that’s very personal towards myself.
Amber: It was definitely hard leaving a university and seeing all my friends have so much fun without me while I was just at home working really hard to transfer within a year. I couldn’t help but feeling like I missed out on a year of college, but I also had so many positive experiences my second year of college that made me grow so much as a person which was really necessary.
What is something you wish someone told you before you transferred?
Alison: The communication major is not easy and living next to bagel cafe may make you fat.
Amber: Transferring is the way to go. It is easy to make friends and you save a lot of money so don’t be nervous.
Hannah: When you transfer in as a communication major it doesn’t mean you are in the program, you are still a pre-communication major and have to maintain a certain gpa and pass a number of classes before you are accepted into the program. I wish someone gave me a heads up.