It’s not always what you think.
Everyone’s path to college is a little bit different. Some students start and finish at the same school and never change their major. Others switch their majors halfway through their first year. For me, I switched schools after my sophomore year and I’m here to tell you the ups and downs of being a transfer student.
I started my college career at UW-Marathon County, a small two-year school where students could go to start the gen-eds. I chose to go there to save money and to live closer to home. After I finished my second year, I decided that it was time for a change and transferred to UW-Madison. Transferring has been the best and worst decision at the same time.
First, let’s talk about the upside of being a transfer student. Since transferring to UW-Madison, I have taken so many classes that are interesting to me and that wouldn’t have been offered at my last school. There are also so many different clubs here on campus that my last school didn’t have either. Joining different clubs on campus has been a great way to make friends with similar interests. The next great thing about being a transfer student is that there are scholarships specifically designed for you (let’s be real, we all love free money)! There is less competition for these scholarships so they’re a little easier to get. Not to mention, being a transfer student lets you stand out in applications for other scholarships and internships! Finally, my favorite part of being a transfer student is the perspective it has given me. Coming from a small college to a massive one has allowed me to meet so many different people and learn about their diverse backgrounds. The education I received at my previous school is so much different than here at UW. I have come to appreciate the level of education I am getting here. It has been such a great experience being here at UW for the last year and a half.
Next, the downside of being a transfer student. I found it really hard coming to Madison not knowing anyone. I lived in the dorms my first semester here which was during the pandemic. It made it so hard for me to meet people my age. Dorm living is supposed to be an exciting experience that you’ll never forget. Mine was an experience I want to forget. Being a transfer student also means you’re sometimes treated like a freshman even though you’re really not one. Navigating UW can be a tricky experience since there’s always so much going on, but as someone who already had two years of college experience under their belt, I knew what I was walking into. It could be really disheartening to be treated like I had no idea what was going on.
Overall, transferring to UW has been one of the best decisions of my life. I’ve made great friends, am taking classes I love and always have something to do. Even though there are aspects about being a transfer student that suck, there are more good things that outweigh the negative.