Every Myth You've Heard About Transferring Colleges, Debunked

I spent two years at a community college in my hometown before transferring to a four-year university. Though my experience differs from the norm, it was one of the best decisions I ever made, and I don’t regret it. Having gone through the process, I know that there’s a lot of ideas out there that simply aren’t true.

Here, I will tackle the transfer myths that are out there and share my experience.

1. My credits won’t transfer

This is perhaps the biggest and scariest myth out there, and for good reason. It would be disappointing to take a bunch of classes only to learn that your new school won’t take them. This was especially true years ago when transferring wasn’t a big thing. Now, transferring is much more popular and accepted. Chances are, your new school will take most of your classes. To avoid problems, talk with an advisor or utilize Transferology.

2. It will take longer to graduate

This can be a daunting myth, but it’s not necessarily true. As long as you plan ahead and take the right classes at the right time, you should be able to graduate on time. You may get delayed or need to bump up your credit hours per semester if you change your major or pick up a minor.

3. I’ll never feel at home at my new school

It’s not easy going into a new place and trying to learn the ropes, but it’s not impossible. If you go from a small school to a large school, there’s definitely a learning curve, but you’ll catch on. Get to know your roommate, join clubs, and get involved to make friends. Soon, you’ll feel like you’ve been there all along.

4. The process is difficult

The process is not much different from a regular application. It varies by college, but there are not too many extra steps involved in transferring. If it seems like too much, you can always talk with your advisor to guide you through the process.

5. If I transfer, it means that I’ve failed

I’m not talking about literally failing: some people think that if they have to transfer somewhere else, it means that they didn’t do well at their first school. That is far from the truth. There are a lot of reasons why you may want to transfer: save money, be closer to home, have more opportunities, etc. That doesn’t mean that you aren’t good enough in some way. It may actually be one of the smartest decisions you ever make.