I had a difficult time choosing a college. The first school I went to after high school was close to home, it was the most affordable, and it was where my parents wanted me to go. After a few months at my previous college, I realized I just wasn’t happy, so I started to apply to other schools. DePaul was my number one college choice in high school, so when looking at schools to transfer to, I knew DePaul was at the top of my list.
I have always been an anxious and nervous person, so transferring to DePaul was a huge step for me. I am currently living at home, but soon I will be moving to a new city with all new people. But that is why I decided to transfer. I chose to transfer to DePaul because of the academic programs, the opportunities the city provides, the hundreds of student organizations, and to get myself out of my comfort zone.
I’m not going to lie, the transition to DePaul has been hard. The pandemic makes things even more challenging, and it is difficult to talk with professors and classmates in an online setting. Also, completing school from home and staying productive and motivated has been a challenge, but there are ways I am working to make the most out of online school.
Here is my advice for what to do when transferring schools during a pandemic:
· Meet with an academic advisor to discuss a graduation plan. Before you switch schools, you’ll want to make sure all of your credits transfer over.
· Meet with a professor in the academic department of your intended major. I met with the director of the art school, and that played a huge role in my choice to transfer to DePaul.
· Learn as much as you can about the campus with online resources. I’ve actually never been to the DePaul campus, so I had to take advantage of online campus tours and zoom meetings to teach me everything I needed to know about the school.
· Let professors know you are a transfer student if you are struggling with something. Jumping into new classes and a new online program, in our case D2L, can be confusing.
· Join student organizations. Putting yourself out there can be hard, but I think it is important, so you can meet other students. I am only a part of one organization, but I plan to join more in the spring.