Transferring

We are fast approaching the end of the Spring semester and I've had a few students enter my office and tell me (with averted eyes and mumbling speech) that they were planning on transferring to another school. Why the shame? Why the embarrassment?

I will often jokingly ask these students why they want to leave me, but the simple fact is that this boils down to one equation. Your education=your choice. If you aren't happy with your current school, then you need to do what feels right for you. There are hundreds of different factors that make up your college experience (family, money, programs, school location, etc.) and an academic year is a disastrously long time when even one of these things is out of whack.

My first priority is the happiness of my students...and I want to make sure that you're making INFORMED decisions about your education. So let's talk through some transferring issues:

1). The Major Change. I have a lot of students who have decided to change their major this year--and quite a few of those students are coming from out-of-state. If your home state has a school with a good program in the major you are interested in, I'm certainly not going to fault you for saving a hell of a lot of money. But do yourself a favor (heck, I'll even help you!) do a little research first. Find out about the professional reputation of your current school. If you're interested in Psychology, how well is your school's Psyc program ranked nationally? Talk to some current Psyc majors (or grad students). If you can avoid essentially having to re-do your freshman year (which is what happens when you transfer), why not avoid it??

2). Little City/Big City Blues. Let's say that you love your classes, you love your friends, you love all of the services offered by your current school--but if you have to spend one more minute in this godforsaken town you are going to go postal. Everyone falls into a type; some people love big cities, some people die a little death if their town has more than 1,000 people in it. It's important for you to know what kind of person you are. It's also important for you to realize that, as magical of a place as your school is, it can't pick itself up and move to a location of your choosing. So you can either open yourself up to new experiences in the big city (or, conversely, learn how to survive in a small town)--or you can transfer. But when you check out the new school, really make sure you get the lay of the land first.

3). Ain't Got No Money, Honey. Let's face it, the economy is in the crapper. Your parents may have had to cut back on luxuries. One, or both of your parents may have lost their jobs. If you are currently attending a private school, you may be asked to switch to a public university. If you're going to an out-of-state school, you may be asked to return home for a while. Before you do anything, TALK TO SOMEONE. Yes, university budgets are tight, but retaining students is a huge priority for most schools and someone will try to help you (additional financial aid, grants, scholarships, etc.) If there is no way for you to stay at your current school, consider going to a community college so that you can retain those academic skills you worked so hard to achieve during your first year. If you're already attending a state school in the area, move back home to save money and become a part time student. Both of these options will keep you out of student loan repayment (remember that you are eligible for financial aid as long as you are registered for at least 6 credits and you don't have to start re-paying your student loans until 6 months after you stop attending school!)

4). I GOT IN!! Some students didn't get into their first choice school on the first go-around. If you cared enough to apply again, then that says a lot to me about your dedication to that school. If you do get accepted to your top choice, remember that you are going to be starting over--but that's not necessarily a bad thing.


I can't stress enough how important it is for students to make INFORMED decisions at every point in the learning process. If you are considering transferring, learn as much as you can about the other school. And you might not want to trust the school's admissions website. Remember that Admissions events and materials will only show you the best parts of the school...they're designed to make you want to go there so you aren't necessarily seeing the reality. Consider using www.unigo.com (a website of college reviews written BY THE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THOSE COLLEGES!!) You are going to get a far more accurate depiction of the school by talking directly to the students.

Above all, remember that I don't stop being your advisor just because you aren't stopping in to my office. I'm always available for questions and freak outs.