Transferring to a different university is a big, life-changing move. From someone who has recently transferred, I know that there’s a lot that goes into it. It’s a scary thing to do. College is scary enough with trying to find friends, figure out where your classes are, how to balance a crazy schedule with having down time, etc. But having to do that all over again is even harder.
First, I want to start off with why I made the decision to transfer and then talk about what you could expect and what I’ve learned about it.
I went to Sonoma State University for my first year of college. I was so excited to move far away from home, try new things, and meet new people. However, I got really homesick. At first, I thought it was the normal adjustment period, but it never went away. I tried to get involved and love the campus. I joined a sorority, made friends, went to the gym, cheered at sporting events; but it was never enough. Bottom line, I was just unhappy with where I was. Plus, my major program wasn’t what I wanted it to be. So, there were some issues that I had. I was also really afraid because I felt stuck and I didn’t know how to go about the process of changing things.
Here’s how I transferred:
Transferring after only one year of college is difficult because many colleges require you to have 60 credits or more to transfer, a freshman in college usually has around 30 credits. I called countless college counselors from different schools in order to learn about the process. However, private universities will often accept transfers with less credits as long as they have taken a few different college classes. For Cal Lutheran, this was an English and Math class. Although it was more expensive, I gave it a shot.
I toured Cal Lutheran while I was home on winter break, loved it, and decided to apply. Luckily, a few months later, I was accepted and given a scholarship. I was overjoyed at the thought of finally not feeling like I was stuck.
Other things I’ve learned about transferring:
Transferring is a long process I recommend that you’re really committed to it before making any changes. If you are able, touring the campus you’re hoping to transfer to is a great way to reinforce your decision. Another tricky aspect is that your credits from your last university might not transfer with you. Which can suck, because hopefully, you put work into those classes. So again, you have to be committed to it for it to be worth it.
Being a transfer student also puts you in a weird spot because you’re not a freshman. You’ve been to college, know what it’s like and what to expect. However, you are totally foreign to your new environment as a freshman would be.
Here’s me and some of the awesome people from Her Campus, Regina and Tyla (Left to right)
You have to adjust all over again and get involved. I’m not overly social so getting involved on campus was hard. I knew I loved writing, so I joined Her Campus in order to meet people and make friends.
In the end, I don’t regret my decision to transfer. It’s actually been one of the best choices I’ve made as it has made me so much happier. But I’m also glad that I went out of my comfort zone and moved far away; it just wasn’t right for me. I learned that finding the right college doesn’t always happen the first time around, and that’s okay.