Choosing a college isn't easy. It's a lecture we hear all through high school, make sure it has a good department for your major, check out the dorms beforehand, make a good financial decision. Well, I went through that as a Senior in high school and again as a Sophomore in college. I transferred to the University of Wisconsin Platteville as a Junior and in my first article as an Odyssey writer, I'd like to share 5 helpful hints to make your transfer process easier.
1. Visit Campus
This should go without saying but you'd be surprised at the number of students who go to college without visiting the campus first. This to me is a crucial first step. Campus visits give you an overall feel of the campus atmosphere. You get to experience how long it takes to walk from the dorms to your classes. Sometimes you even get to try the dining hall food, which is obviously the most important part of any campus. You can almost immediately tell if the school is right for you. I felt so at home on Platteville's campus that I didn't need to look anywhere else.
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2. Meet Your Transfer Adviser
I was absolutely blessed to have such an efficient transfer adviser. She and I emailed each other at least once a week with questions about financial aid, the application process, and most often: transfer credits. When you are on a tour of the campus, stop in the admissions office and ask if you can speak to the transfer adviser, even if it's just to introduce yourself. I did, and it made my transfer so much smoother.
3. Make Sure Your Credits Transfer
I knew I wanted to go to UW Platteville my first semester of my sophomore year. Therefore, when I was building my schedule at the community college I was attending, I checked online and with my transfer adviser (see I told you they were important) to make sure I wasn't taking classes I wouldn't need or wouldn't transfer. That is why I still hold the title of JUNIOR, even at my new school.
4. Get Involved
What I did this summer was sit on my computer for hours at a time and researched all the organizations on campus and the jobs I was interested in. I made a list and applied to them all. When I got to campus I was already in Future Young Professionals and had an interview lined up to be a student writer for the communications office. Through only those 2 organizations I've met so many wonderful people and feel so connected to my campus.
5. Social Media
Not only did I follow my school on social media but I also went through my school's followers and creeped on every single one. I am not joking. If I found a person that I thought I would click with then I followed them. I know it sounds superficial but someones Instagram tells a lot about that person. And what's funny is that is how I found my best friend Brookelin. I'm proof that taking the time to cyber stalk is worth it, and come on. I know you do it to your ex all the time anyway.
