Transferring Colleges
By Kate, age 19, New Hampshire
Sweet Designs Staff Intern
Sweet Designs Featured Writer
Over the last few months, I've been having my own doubts with college. I've been doubting my major, my future - everything! I even considered transferring schools and got halfway through the process before changing my mind.
The reason I changed my mind was mostly because of cost - the college I attend is very cheap for a private college. There was no way I could transfer without having to spend double what I pay now. But that doesn't mean transferring is a bad idea. In fact, it can be a great idea if it's something you really want to do! It can also save you a lot of money!
Many high school students are starting to attend community colleges. Once they complete the two years there, they transfer their credits to another college where they can get their Bachelor's degree. What's the advantage of this? You're starting at a very cheap college, getting your basic courses completed without having to commit to a major right away. Then, you can transfer those credits to the college you want to go to, focusing on classes that reflect your major. In the long run, you could be saving thousands!
Of course, maybe you've been in college for a year or two already. Maybe you decided it's not the college you thought it was, or you decided on a different major. If you're not a junior or senior, no worries! You can always try again. The great thing about college is, there's plenty of room for second, third, and fourth chances! Of course, it all depends on what you can afford, too.
All you have to do to transfer is talk to your Registrar - they can give you all the details you need to know about transferring. But most importantly, you need to find a college that will accept as many of your current credits as possible. Check out the colleges that interest you and sit down with someone there and discuss the credits you need and what you have already completed. They will match up your current college's classes with their own. So, say you took Art History 1, but need Art History 2. The college you are visiting might not have Art History 1 or 2, but they might have a class called Art and Lit History, and they might accept your Art History 1 class as a credit for that class. They might not have the same name, but for the most part, they are the same class, and that's what you need to check out. Make sure all your credits can be accepted and you can take the rest that you need. Once you do that, you need to tell your Registrar and transfer your transcript. Easy as that!
You can also transfer to a college for just one or two classes! Maybe you failed a class or two and need to retake them, or maybe you just want to get all of those annoying required classes out of the way as soon as possible. Many colleges offer online courses and even summer courses. But, if you are planning on taking an online class over the summer, and your college doesn't offer it, you will have to check out other colleges that do.
Once you find a college, the process is pretty much the same. You need to find a class at that college that will be accepted as a credit by your current college. For example, say you want to take Art History 2 online over the summer, but your college only offers it in the fall. You will need to find a college with Art History 2 offered online over the summer. Again, e-mail or talk to the Registrar at that college - their classes might have different names, but they might be the same thing. See what they offer, and tell the Registrar at your college. They will check to make sure that the class at the other college will be accepted as a credit at your current college. Make sure it is accepted. If you take a class without checking, it could be a waste of money for you!
So, that's about all on the subject of transferring! Just remember, extra classes will cost extra money and aren't usually included in your tuition, so keep that in mind. Best of luck, ladies!
