By Craig Barnes/reporter
The college transfer process may not be easy, but academic advisor Casey Ramos helped SE students ease the way Sept. 13 in Transfer Planning: Is the Hassle Worth the Tassel?
“Transfer planning should start during your first year of college,” she said.
During that first year, Ramos said students should explore majors and careers via assessments and job market information.
Picking a school is also important because each will have different requirements and deadlines.
“If you are going to UTA [the University of Texas at Arlington] because you don’t know any other school, that’s not OK,” she said. “Make sure that the school you want to attend has your major offered.”
A large number of students overlook their majors because they are only focused on getting into a particular college, Ramos said. She suggested students create a plan with a TCC academic advisor to help them get started and stay on track.
Ramos said it is important to get involved in campus organizations and volunteer opportunities as this can help with admission into more competitive or private colleges such as Texas Christian University, Rice or Southern Methodist University. Community service separates one individual from the average student.
By the second year of school, students need to start gathering admissions material. They can request applications or go online. If they participate in transfer days and follow up with the university representative, they may have the application fee dropped, Ramos said.
“Visit campuses because they all have a different feel than you may think,” she said. “Each campus has its own personality. A great number of students can tell that the campus is for them as soon as they step onto the campus, and sometimes they don’t care for the school when they get there and actually see it.”
Students also should apply for financial aid as soon as possible because more money is available in the fall than in the spring, Ramos said.
“January is the best month to file applications, and the first week of February is the best time to apply for financial aid,” she said.
When asked about minimum GPA for transferring, Ramos said it depends on the school. However, 2.25 to 2.75, based on the number of hours, should be sufficient, she said. The more hours a student has, the more lenient schools tend to be on the GPA, Ramos said.
