COLLEGE TRANSFER WORKSHOP

Workshop Agenda

We will address the following questions in our workshop. You can also find FREE downloadable resources to help you navigate the difficulties of the college transfer process in the descriptions.

Let's get started!

Did you know that people search your online profiles before meeting you in person? Of course you knew that, because everyone does it and colleges are no different.

Do you have a professional online presence? If your answer is no, make one now. In so doing, colleges can focus on your achievements and aspirations instead of reading your funny dog posts and comments on another person's funny cat posts. Linkedin.com is a great place to start your first professional profile.

Download the Linkedin Profile Checklist and create one before you start your transfer application. When colleges Google your name, your Facebook and Instagram will not be the first results they see.

9 Why do you need to start your career brand so early and how do you do it?

We will talk about the importance of showing your interest in a college and how to connect with them through social media and email.

Building a relationship with a university before applying helped my students to stay motivated and excited about transferring. After all, what is the point of graduating from a school that you feel no connection with?

Think about the school culture you will embrace and the identity you will carry around as an alumnus. Try to find what you like about the college, introduce yourself to them, ask them questions, send them emails, attend college fairs, meet with the students and representatives, and again, email them. You want to take all of these steps in order to know which college is the best choice and because college is important to you and you are serious. Without a doubt, they will be interested in you and you will have a better chance of getting into the school you are really interested in. See if you are interested in the college first by getting to know them better. Never base your transfer decision solely on the name and prestige of the school .

Download the Article – Demonstrated Interest: Ten Ways to Connect with Colleges and start connecting with colleges.

8 Why is relationship building important and how do you do it?

We will review your college application together and with other applicants. The key is not to impress but provide a holistic picture of yourself, showcasing your strong traits that convey your readiness and potential.

You finished your college essay and application, now what? Ask yourself the following:

Did you answer the questions? Read again and again and again. Make sure you do.
Do your application, essay, and letters recommendation amplify and enrich your character?
Are your aspirations connected to the major you are applying to?
You do not need to be unique, but do you demonstrate your character with strong points and examples?
Have you shared your application with a group of close friends and family and do they agree with what you have said about yourself?
Do you feel confident that the admissions committee will see your academic readiness, career aspirations, and commitment to the major by reading your application and essay?

If any of the answers are no or not sure, have someone who knows you well to go over your application and ask them if they can see you as a successful applicant with potential. Brainstorm with this person and see if you can add stronger points to enrich your character and show your potential.

7 How do you make your college application pop?

We will talk about the same writing method that helped my students transfer to a college beyond their expectations.

I hated writing college essays when I applied to college as a transfer student. I had no idea what to tell them. Later, I found out that hardly anyone does at the time. Luckily, I have figured it out for you.

Your essay should demonstrate readiness, commitment, coherence, and congruence. A compelling college essay demonstrates your academic readiness, commitment to your major, and career outcomes. Your essay has to help the admissions committee connect the dots and show them the trajectory of your aspirations after graduation. Finally, they want to know if you are who you say you are. It is essential to think of your college application and essay as a whole and deliver a holistic picture of who you are. Your application, essay, and letters of recommendation, if any, have to fit together.

Watch the 10-minute Youtube Video on 5 College Essays That Suck to avoid common mistakes and help you focus on showing who you really are.

6 How do you write a compelling college essay?

We will discuss the importance of following your own pace and critical milestones along the way.

Many of you may not be aware that the transfer process starts when you register for your first class in community college. Most community college students want to transfer in two years. But If waiting one more year leads to your acceptance by your dream college, it is worth the wait.

Each step of the transfer process is evaluated for admissions decisions . Colleges want to know as much about you as they possibly can. By understanding the process and timeline, you can think ahead of time and be ready to demonstrate your positive qualities every step of the way. That includes careful planning at the beginning of the transfer, sending follow-up emails, replying to additional requests for information, and accepting/rejecting admission offers.

Watch Stephen Handel, Ph.D., Executive Director, Community College Initiatives, talks about When Does Your College Transfer Begin.

5 What is the admissions process and timeline?

We will talk about how admission committees evaluate your application and how you can present yourself as the perfect fit for their university.

The problem is ... it depends. The evaluation process depends on the university's mission and admissions goal that year. Luckily, admission communities mostly evaluate applications based on 19 different criteria. See them as the vehicle to demonstrate your performance in school. If you are not sure how to make your application stand out, focus on improving these criteria.

Download the Worksheet – What Do Admission Committees Look At?

4 How are transfer applications evaluated?

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We will explore different transfer programs of various colleges and universities. For example, there is a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) for the Universities of California and other transfer programs offered by prestigious universities, e.g., NYU Transfer and CalTech Transfer.

College transfer is not guaranteed and some colleges do not accept transfer students at all. But don't worry, there are plenty of excellent schools you can choose from.

Use the College Transfer Progress Tracker to keep track of your college research and download the Worksheet – Quantify Your Time and Identify a Personalized Timeline to start planning your college transfer.

How do you create a transfer plan?

We will examine the study skills that work best for you and practice tactics that will give you a head start, let you cruise through exams and assignments without a sweat, and manage finals week just like any other week.

We all study differently—and that’s fine as long as you study effectively and perform well in school. There are some basic principles to follow to be an effective learner. Suppose you did not perform well in high school or have been out of school for a while and have decided to give education a second chance. You will need to sharpen your study skills for college-level courses. College courses are becoming harder for a good reason. To transfer, you need to have college-level study skills.

Check out the Resource from UC Berkeley to see if you have the college-level study skills you need.

3 What college-level study skills do you need?

We will explore the different reasons for college transfers to determine whether a transfer is the right idea for you. This information will also help you to write a compelling college transfer essay later on. See this Quora thread – What are some good reasons for college transfer?

What are your reasons? Are they different from the reasons in the thread? Think of the college experience as part of your career preparation and write down your educational goals. Having an educational goal will keep you focused and motivated while you are pursuing a degree. Educational goals are statements describing the skills, attributes, and competencies you want to develop and the desirable outcomes of completing a degree.

Download the Worksheet – Clarify Your Goals (or Golds) to identify your educational goals.