Picking the right school for college can be daunting. There are so many places to choose from and it can seem crazy to have to pick one place that you want to be for four years. It is extremely important to be happy where you are as well. However, college is a time for self-discovery and you may discover that the institution you picked feels like the wrong choice. If you think you'd be happier elsewhere, I'm not saying don't leave, but wait to start the transferring process until after considering the items below.
1. Consider what you will lose when you leave
There are a lot of little things you may not realize that you love about your school. You will lose the close access of your friends, where you live, your favorite hole in the walls, the organizations and sports, the fun Friday nights, and the quirky things about your school. Not every school is the same and you will lose certain things that you take for granted. Now, if you just read those last few sentences and were thinking, 'yeah nope, don't have those' then I would say it is time for you to leave.
2. Keep in mind your age
From my experience, transferring as an upperclassman is tough. There are less automatic ways to meet people. You will have to push yourself out of your comfort zone constantly especially if you don't know anyone or are more introverted. The sooner the better when it comes to transferring. It will be easier to make the second school your new home.
3. Not every school has the same gen eds
This was a big issue of mine when I transferred. I was one class away from being done with my general education requirements at the first school I was at, but the school I transferred didn't accept some of those classes. I ended up being told I still have four of these types of classes left. That may not sound like a lot, but that determined an entire extra semester of classes. My suggestion would be to have your associates finished (gen eds completed) before transferring if you can. If you transfer earlier, you are less likely to get off track since there are fewer classes to pick apart.
4. Keep track of the transfer deadline
If you have the feeling in the middle of the semester of wanting to transfer, you may have very limited options. Most four year schools require about an entire semester to accept you. The only option you may have are junior colleges which only offer 100 and 200 level courses. While that may work for some of you, others of you may not enjoy that discovery. Make sure you know when the deadline is.
5. Finances
This is a big one...literally. Paying for college is a big deal, so recognize how you are currently paying for school. Does the school you are at have a good payment plan? Are you on a scholarship? It will be a much easier transition if you know ahead of time how to pay for the new school.
6. Do your research
Know everything there is to know about the school you want to transfer to. Have a game plan on how to get involved, professors you should have, the resources you have, and the things that current students love (and hate) about that school. Not every school is perfect, but you'll want to make every opportunity count.
Transferring is not always a smooth process. However, the best way to be prepared for a new chapter is to plan. There are incredible memories waiting for you wherever you choose to go and you don't want to miss out on any of them.
