Transfer101

It only took one semester for Wiley Jones to realize that Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was not the right fit. He’d remembered a few friends from high school who had toured the campus of Angelo State University and really liked it, so he put in a call. “I came down for a visit and spoke with a transfer counselor, “says Wiley. “I had a great day. They were willing to work with me and my schedule so I enrolled the following spring.”

Today, the pre-engineering student is very much at home on campus. He’s an active member of Pi-Kappa-Alpha and enjoys a number of intramural sports. “The community of ASU is so friendly. I’ve had a great experience since transferring.”

So great, in fact, he hopes to become an ASU RAMbassador so he can help other transfer students find the same success. These student ambassadors give campus tours, volunteer for community service projects and help with many ASU functions, like Ram Jam and the Homecoming Dinner. “I’d like to be involved in the organization so I can help incoming transfer students,” says Wiley.

What advice will he give them? “Get involved with as many organizations as you can handle,” he says, “and have good positive relationships with all of your professors.”

When Magan Marder visited a high school friend during Texas Tech University’s homecoming weekend, she quickly realized Texas Tech was where she needed to be.

Texas Tech’s down-to-earth atmosphere and the friendly and welcoming people she encountered on campus solidified her plans to transfer from a regional university in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex to Texas Tech.

Texas Tech’s admissions staff made transferring easy, she said, ensuring that all her application materials were submitted.

“I regret not starting at Texas Tech my first semester of college. Yet, when I transferred at semester, it was an easy transition for me because of all the opportunities available to students,” Magan says.

Magan advises other transfer students to visit Texas Tech and seek out all the ways to get involved on campus. She knows firsthand how easy it is to get involved from the beginning. Magan got involved in student government, joined a Greek letter organization and became a member of President’s Select, a student ambassador group.

“The transition becomes even easier when you know that they offer your major,” she says. “When I transferred to Texas Tech, my major was psychology, but then I discovered a major that better fit my career plans.” She’s now majoring in human development and family studies with the goal of one day becoming a licensed professional counselor.

Magan readily admits telling students that “Texas Tech was the right choice for me, and I know it can be for you, too.”

When Nate McCann was making plans to transfer from Northwest Vista College, he knew he had a number of big choices ahead of him, and a number of things to consider.  Angelo State University seemed to be just the right fit. “I chose ASU because of its size,” he says. “And the financial aid package they offered made it one of my most affordable options.” He also liked the fact that ASU is relatively close to San Antonio and his home town of Helotes, so going home on the weekends is always convenient.

Set to graduate in Spring 2011, Nate is a Communications major who has made the Dean’s list in both 2009 and 2010. He notes a number of campus resources that have helped him excel at ASU. 

 “The Porter Henderson Library has helped me tremendously with different research projects,” he says. “I’ve also used the Writing Center to proofread papers and get help with my writing skills.”

 But it’s not all academics for Nate. “I play various intramural sports,” he says. “I love being involved in the Film Club. I attend ASU volleyball, basketball and football games and other sporting events.”

 When asked what advice he’d give a potential transfer student, his answer is simple: “Get involved in as many activities as possible and enjoy college while you can.”

After receiving her associate’s degree from Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, Brittany Green transferred to Stephen F. Austin State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in dance.

“I felt after getting an associate’s degree, I had to go on. It just seemed natural to keep going to school,” Brittany says.

Being familiar with class registration and other administrative requirements helped make the transition easier for Brittany. The hardest part, however, was getting involved in campus organizations and meeting people. “It was difficult to meet people at orientation, especially since at the time, transfer students weren’t allowed to go to Jack Camp with the freshmen,” she says. “But now they have changed that rule to help include transfer students.”

Brittany advises other transfer students to try living on campus because it is another way to meet people and to get involved. “Even though you may have enough hours to move off campus, living on campus for at least a semester will help you meet more students, especially ones that you don’t have class with.”

Brittany graduated in December 2009 and is now an admissions counselor at SFA. “I feel like I made the right decision to transfer,” she says.

For Michael Zarzosa, a biology major at Lamar University, community college offered an opportunity to ease back in to higher education.

 Zarzosa describes his first stint in community college immediately after high school as “not quite successful.” He had a different mentality then and was trying to balance too many competing concerns.

After several years in the workforce in Southern California, he began taking a few classes at a community college “simply for self-edification. I went because I wanted to learn some things.” That experience provided a smooth transition and a head start on his degree program when he enrolled full time at Lamar University a few years later as a biology major with the ultimate goal of earning a doctor of veterinary medicine and Ph.D. in public health.

Lamar’s admissions staff made transferring easy, he said, evaluating his transcript for classes that met Texas core curriculum requirements and informing him of necessary steps in the application process.

“I think a community college is a nice stepping stone. It bridges that gap between high school and the university,” Zarzosa said. “I came (to Lamar) knowing what I wanted and knowing I was at a time in my life where I didn’t have a chance to goof off or to mess around. I had to be focused.”