So, you thought you had enrolled in the “perfect” school… But then you realized that some aspects of it may not have been so perfect after all… Well, what are your options? Have you ever thought about transferring to a different college?
Many students transfer from one college to another for many different types of reasons. The most common reason why students choose to transfer to another college is because they are unhappy with their current college. Sometimes students’ experiences at their original college are not consistent with the expectations that they had of that college. Perhaps the college campus was too big, or the class sizes were too large. Or perhaps the college was just too expensive. There are a multitude of reasons that a student may be unhappy about their college.
Another very common reason that students transfer is because an academic major or interest may not be available, or perhaps not as strong. Often times, undergraduate students begin college pursuing one academic major, only to decide to pursue a different academic major after a few semesters. What happens if this new major or interest is not available at the college? Or worse yet, perhaps you just discovered that there are no faculty on your campus who have a particular expertise in that new field you have just chosen. Students then may considering transferring to an institution that has that program of study and faculty that are experts in that field.
Students who attend 2-year colleges offer a whole new explanation for transferring. Most two-year colleges award the Associates in Arts and the Associates in Science degrees upon completion of academic requirements. If a student is interested in continuing their studies toward the Bachelors degree, then they have no choice but to transfer to a 4-year school that offers the Bachelors degree.
There are some things to keep in mind when transferring however. First, you should definitely find out as much about the college of interest as possible, particularly if you are transferring to the new college because you are unhappy or dissatisfied with your current college. You would want to avoid leaving one unfavorable situation and landing into another situation that’s even more adverse. Also, you need to make sure that the new college has your academic program of interest, as well as faculty that can prepare you for success in that discipline. Ultimately, you should visit that institution to make sure that: 1) you are comfortable with the campus, 2) you are comfortable with the faculty and staff, and 3) that the campus community feels right to you.
As a prospective transfer student, it is also important to find out if that institution accepts transfer students. Institutions that have transfer departments and transfer services typically do a better job ensuring smooth transitions for transfer students. This typically means that there is more support for transfer students and creates better opportunities for students to be successful at the new institution. As a public, state institution, The College of New Jersey does accept transfer students from New Jersey community colleges, as well as transfer students from other 2- and 4-year colleges.
In addition to ensuring that the new college accepts transfer students, it is equally important to determine if the new college accepts the transfer credits. Some states, like New Jersey, have simplified the transfer credit equivalence process, via New Jersey Articulation Services (www. Njtransfer.org). Particularly useful for students transferring from New Jersey Community colleges, NJ Transfer allows students the opportunity to learn which of the courses will transfer to The College of New Jersey even before they apply. Moreover, unlike some of our competitor institutions, if a student applies to TCNJ as a transfer student, and is admitted, included in his or her admission materials will be a review of all the credits that will be successfully transferred to The College. The more informed a student is about the transfer of credits, the better the opportunity for them to make a more informed decision about whether transferring to The College of New Jersey is the right choice for them… We certainly hope it is!
And since we are speaking about transfer credits, it is important that we mention the official college transcript. Most, if not all, colleges will require students to submit official college transcripts if the student wishes to be consider for transferring to that college. Some admissions offices will even request the high school transcript as well. The college transcript reports to the prospective college, the courses that you have taken, the credits you have earned, and your performance – by grade and GPA – in those courses. Naturally, it is extremely important that if you intend to transfer, that you work hard to demonstrate a strong academic record to increase your chances of being admitted. In many cases, the college transcript will weigh most heavily in the decision to accept a student as a transfer student into that college. Although The College of New Jersey requires both the official high school transcript and the official college transcript(s), we will typically give more consideration to your college transcript if you have completed several semesters of coursework.
In closing, the last point I will make is the suggestion to students to be mindful of transfer application deadlines. Often, institutions that admit transfer students will have a Fall admissions cycle and a Spring admissions cycle – unlike the traditional fall-only freshmen admissions cycle. Because of these two cycles, you may want to familiarize yourself with the various deadlines, not just for the application itself, but for any other necessary and supporting documentation that you wish to have reviewed by the Admissions committee. Keep in mind, the most important part of being reviewed for admission to any college as a transfer student, is to make sure that your application has been submitted for the committee to review it!!!
Kevin Ewell
Kevin Ewell has worked at The College of New Jersey for 4 years. Currently, Kevin serves as Assistant Dean of Admissions and Transfer Counselor. In addition to directing transfer admissions, Kevin also coordinates non-matriculated applications and re-admission applications. Kevin has over 10 years of experience in Higher Education having worked professionally in Student Life, Residence Life, Academic Affairs, and now, Admissions. Kevin graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Psychology and a Masters in Educational Theory.
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