By Jackson McGraw/reporter
“The process can go rather smoothly if students will just do their homework and investigate all the prospective colleges that they have an interest in,” she said.
The No. 1 question Specks receives from students is “Do I have to apply?” The answer is “Yes, students must apply.”
“This is why it is important to put in a little work before you decide to transfer,” she said.
Students will learn that most colleges typically charge application fees.
In addition, students will also need to present official transcripts from all previous colleges they have attended as well as high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores.
Raquel Daisy, admissions counselor for the University of Texas at Arlington, advises an early start to make transferring easier.
“If you know where you would like to transfer to, make contact with that university as soon as possible,” she said.
“The sooner you can talk with a representative from that university, the better, so that you can learn about benefits such as financial aid and other scholarship opportunities.”
Every university is different, but usually most of them have early deadlines for things such as financial aid and scholarships.
“This is why it is essential to start early and not wait until the last minute to do things,” Daisy said.
As a two-year college, TCC offers 46 core transferable hours and 18 hours to be geared toward a future major.
“But just because you have a lot of hours doesn’t mean that they will all transfer,” Daisy said. “Make sure that what you take at TCC is directed not only toward your associate degree but your possible four-year degree as well.”
Specks recommends all students try to be core-complete by the time they are ready to transfer but realizes this is not always possible for every student.
“TCC offers smaller classes with reasonable tuition, which is important to students,” she said.
Since students must complete another application process, having good grades might be key in helping them with their acceptance, Specks said.
“Leaving here with a good GPA really does help,” she said.
When looking at prospective colleges to attend, it is important to learn what the university has to offer.
“Taking a trip to the college campus and talking to members of the student body is a great way to get a feel for the university because the students will always tell you how it is,” Specks said.
Other considerations are the college graduation rates and the variety of degrees the school offers.
These could be influential factors for students in the decision-making process when choosing a four-year college.
“Be sure to take advantage of the resources TCC has to offer you while you are still a student here,” Daisy said.
Some students don’t realize TCC campuses have transfer centers with four-year representatives willing to help students through the entire transfer process.
NW student Conrad Schmid suggests students also visit the counseling center.
“I was able to take a career counseling test on campus that highlighted my personal strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “With this information, it gave me advice on different fields of studies I would be good at.”
Such tests enable students to discover their strong points and narrow the majors to choose from at a four-year college.
Students can get help with their own transfer needs through the counseling and transfer centers on any TCC campus.
