By Nicole Eisenberg > University of Maryland, College Park > Sophomore > Marketing & Finance, Photo by eHow
Transferring is much like football. You must do your best to find your way around the inevitable difficulties and run straight to the end zone toward graduation.
In order to run the play, do not hesitate to get some guidance; after all, your coach has had more experience than you have.
Erika Petty, sophomore at James Madison University, suggests beginning with your peer mentor or academic advisor at your new school. “I would highly suggest taking advantage of those programs and becoming close with your advisor because their job is to advise [you].”
It is also important to know your plays and know your plans. In order to get around campus, invest in a map early, suggests Alexandra Ley, sophomore at Barnard College. You can find one online or at the admissions office typically. She also explains that meeting “with the registrar early on to see what classes you got credit for and how you can get the maximum amount” is important to help you graduate on time.
If you just watch, you’ll be knocked down with no hope of getting your diploma, so throw yourself out there and get involved! Petty suggests attending transfer orientation. “It seems silly because you have attended your first year of school, and it’s like, why tell me things I already know? But it’s just comforting because you meet people that are in the same boat as yourself.”
It is also a great idea to find your niche at your new university by surrounding yourself with people of similar interests and becoming a part of organizations as soon as you get to campus. Try exploring a club fair, and “put yourself out there in the community early on. Do stuff you never thought you’d be into, even if just to meet people, says Ley. “Getting involved with the school will help you to become a part of the community and will make the transition to your new school much easier,” explains Lindsay Garten, sophomore at Barnard College.
These days, you can also use technology to help you settle in to your new school. Alice Margraff, Director of College Counseling at McDonogh School, suggests that a “student could also use social networking sites to connect with students.” It is especially helpful “if you know friends of friends who attend a particular school,” she says.
To avoid being knocked down by all of those two-hundred-pound sweaty men and a determined look in their eyes, just remember these tips. Then the transferring game becomes as easy as playing against a team of three-year-old ballet dancers.
