It’s never too early to start.
They say this about saving up for retirement, which I plan to do at 35, but it’s true for transferring too!
If any freshman asked me for a single piece of advice, it would be to start with the end in mind. “EYES ON THE PRIZE, JONNA!” My volleyball coaches yelled this out whenever I closed my eyes when a ball was coming at my face. Knowing where you want to be helps you decide what you need to do. Acknowledging from the get-go that my goal at CCBC was to graduate and transfer to a good business school allowed me to get my ducks in a row early on. If your ultimate goal is to transfer, it really helps to start the preparation process as early as you can.
First, it gives you a long time to decide where you want to go. Take the time to look at university websites, visit their campuses, and talk with admissions advisors. The Honors Program takes its members on a couple college visits per year and it was a great way for me to see whether or not I vibe with the school. Second, it can help set your semester sequence especially if you know where you want to transfer to. ARTSYS was my best friend. It helped me figure out exactly what classes would transfer or not and what GPA I needed to maintain. Finally, it adds the “why” to your daily routine. Every time you complain about a class or a club meeting, you can remind yourself that you’re a total champ for not having to pay twice the price for that same class and having a BOMB resume with a million extracurricular activities that will set you apart from every other transfer student in the country. When you run into any trouble, remember transfer advisors are always there to guide you.
Knowing you’re on the right track early on takes a lot of the stress away especially when you have a lot on your plate. But while you have the end goal in mind, don’t forget to enjoy the process. Make the most out of your years at CCBC, connect with people, form relationships, join clubs. Make this experience personal to you. When you put a lot into something, more than likely you’ll get a lot in return.
Good luck to you!
