Transferring Colleges - All You Should Know

Introduction

Almost 30% of all the students in their higher education from the different tertiary institutions across the country change colleges along their studies. Switching colleges can be caused by different personal reasons. When you complete high school, you come to college to start your degree, have new lifelong friends, earn your degree, graduate, get a job, and live an enjoyable life thereafter, but this is not always the case. Students change colleges because circumstances change, and they might realize there is a need to change their career paths leading to switching colleges. If you want to change and move to another college you can consider reading this article to know all you should have a well understanding of before you transferring colleges.

All You Should Know When Transferring Colleges

While transferring to another college there are steps you should know and follow and some reasons you should have in mind for you to switch colleges. This article explains the steps to follow and the reasons for switching colleges. The steps to follow include, assessing why you want to transfer, searching for a new college, getting advice, checking your credit requirements, assessing all your financial aid, collecting all the application components, and the application process. Some of the reasons for transferring colleges include covid 19 impact, transfer from a community college, social isolation, change of environment, change of majors, poor academic performance, financial problems, school prestige and recognition, sports transfer, job transfer, international transfer, and when returning to complete an incomplete degree.

Steps While Transferring Colleges

Transferring from one college to another can be a long and tedious process just like the process of joining a university in the first year. You should therefore sit down weigh your options, get all the important reasons for your transfer, and learn the steps of conducting a college transfer before you start the process of transferring from your initial school to another one. Here are some of the steps you should follow to ensure that you have a successful transfer process.

Asses all the reasons why you want to transfer to another college

Before you switch from something to another, there should be some reasons for the switching, likewise, when switching colleges, you should have your reasons. Make sure that you have solid reasons as to why you want to change and shift to another. Asses all your reasons and if you find them to be of less impact you can decide to stay and not switch colleges because there are also disadvantages associated with changing colleges.

Do thorough research on the college you want to switch to

Before you start the process of changing a university, you should be ready to do thorough research to ensure that you have information with you about the transfer. You should research information such as, which universities or colleges offer the degree program you are aiming for, where is the university you want to move to locate, their school fees costs, their rules for graduation, and the services they offer. By searching this information, you get a good number of universities that best suits your destination’s demands.

Get advice from your academic advisor

Many students do have academic advisors in their education journey. If you do not have an academic advisor, you should start looking for one. Academic advisors are of great importance to students in that they advise them on every step they take in their academic journey. Before you decide to switch schools, you should seek advice from your advisor to listen to what they say about your transfer. If you are allowed to transfer, go on and continue with the process but in case, they are suspicious, you should consult further before any transfer processes continue.

Choose the best college you want to go to

Because you will have several other colleges that meet your demands, you should carefully with the help of your advisors, teachers, friends, and family choose a college you want to move to the best college should meet all your interests and demands. Choosing a good college to move to will put the chances of having another transfer very low.

Check all your credits, are they in line with the requirements of your new college

Before you start the application to move to another college, you should ensure that your credits earned and GPA is satisfactory to the requirements of the new college you want to move to. When you have any plans of changing schools you should ensure that your grades and GPA are high to allow the new college to allow you in without complicating issues.

Know all the information about any financial aid available

Many students who have transferred to other colleges are left out when financial aid is given to other students to cater to their university costs. Therefore, when you want to switch schools and you depend on financial aid, then check with the school you are moving to if they allow financial aid to students who moved to their schools from other schools. If you rely on financial aid, you should only move to a college that allows these aids for students transferring in from other schools.

Put together all the components of your application (essay)

Some schools will require that you write an essay when doing the application, if it is so, writes your essay early because it should come in hand with the other documents during the application. Put together all your academic documents, personal information documents, and any other documents required for the application. Make sure you have all these documents at hand before you make the application.

Do the application

When you have followed all the above steps, have all the required documents, and are satisfied that you have met all the criteria, you can proceed and submit your application to the university you want to move to. Give them time to review your application and wait for a call, email, or letter allowing you to join your new college.

Reasons why students transfer from one college to another

Students studying in community colleges will transfer to other national universities or higher universities to complete their degrees. An example is a student who might do a diploma in a community college and then advance to a national university to do a degree.
The impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic. The pandemic ravaged many things including the financial situations of many institutions and parents and that is why some students might transfer to other colleges that have lower school fees costs or are nearer to their homes.
Some students might transfer to colleges when the environment is unfavourable to them. Some people’s bodies do not adjust to climatic changes and this might force them to move back to areas where their bodies had already acclimatized hence switching colleges.
Students might transfer from one college to another whenever they feel that their social life is not what they wanted. Someone might move to another university where they want to meet with many of their friends learning in those other colleges.
Searching for colleges that offer better programs for the course you are majoring in.
A college recognition and its prestige will see many students transfer there because many students want to attain their degrees from prestigious and well-known universities in the country.
Poor academic performances have forced many students to transfer colleges to see if they can revive the situation and start performing well in exams again.
The financial situation of many students has forced them to transfer to other schools that have school fees costs cheaper and affordable.
Students who have talents and are good at sports might transfer from one college to another one because the other university takes part in national college games and the current one does not.
Job transfers might force working students to transfer from one college to another that is nearer to the place they are posted to work.
Some students might change colleges when they had an incomplete degree and they are making a comeback to school to complete the degree.
A student might get a scholarship to study abroad in a foreign country and this might force them to undergo an international college transfer.

Tips for making a college transfer process easy, faster, and successful

Have early plans.
Know what are the impacts of changing colleges both the negative and the positive impacts.
Set good grades and have a nice GPA.
Consider having classes during the summer.
Have a good academic advisor.
Avoid being found in university or college disciplinary cases.
Have all the required documents for a transfer.
Have a good rapport with your lecturers and professors because they are the ones who will be writing for you all the recommendation letters that you need.

Costs associated with transferring colleges

Transferring from one college to another can be costly. You will need to have the money to facilitate all the things you will do in the new environment. Some of the costs include.

School fees. Might be higher or lower depending on the school you transferred to.
Food and accommodation costs.
Buying new books, stationery, and other learning materials.
Adjusting to new environments might lead to some mild diseases, have many to cover your health.
Transport cost to the new college.

Conclusion

The dream of many students coming from high school is to move to a college or university, enrol in a degree program, get new friends, acquire the degree, graduate, and get work to sustain their future lives. This is not always the case for many students, due to changing circumstances, they find themselves changing from one college to another. Changing colleges has its pros and cons. The reasons for changing colleges include financial problems, social isolation, sports transfer, environmental concern, and international transfer. You should also ensure you follow college transfer steps when changing colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone switch from one college to another during a four-degree year program?

YES! It is possible to transfer colleges provided you have reasons for the transfer and meet the transfer criteria.

Does your GPA have any influence when transferring to colleges?

YES! Some colleges will consider your GPA before you transfer to their college.

What are the tips for ensuring you have a faster college transfer process?

Ensure you have valid reasons for the transfer and submit all the required documents together with the application.