NYNY Fellow Spotlight: 2012 Fellow Angelica
2012 Fellow Angelica is a junior at Columbia University, and plans to major in English and Comparative Literature. She transferred to Columbia earlier this year from Kingsborough Community College. Angelica spoke with us about her transfer experience and shared some advice for Fellows who are or will be transferring.
NYNY: How much time do you think students should give themselves in order to prepare for and follow through with the transfer process?
Angelica: The amount of time one spends on completing their transfer applications is unbelievable. I would suggest that students begin preparing for the transfer process as soon as possible, particularly community college students. Building up your extracurricular activities and finding professors to write you a glowing recommendation letter are almost just as valuable as the essay.
NYNY: What was the most difficult part of the transfer process? What took the most time?
Angelica: The hardest part of the transfer process is without a doubt writing the essay. No matter what kind of writer you might be, this should be the most time-consuming part of the process. Perfecting the essay is essential ‒ after all, in many cases it is your first and only introduction to admissions officers.
NYNY: Who on campus helped you with your transfer process? Did any of these people have relationships with the transfer schools you were interested in?
Angelica: The honors department on campus was extremely instrumental in my transfer process. It was because of them that I decided to apply to Columbia. If your school has an honors department, I would suggest meeting with someone in the office because they often have relationships with recruiters at other schools.
NYNY: How did you decide which schools you would apply to?
Angelica: I made a conscious decision to only apply to schools that I knew would have the best English and Art programs on the East Coast. Prior to beginning my applications, I did extensive research on the schools that I was interested in. This was also a great help when it came to writing my transfer essays.
NYNY: How did NYNY and your Mentor Coach support you during the transfer process?
Angelica: My mentor coach was amazing throughout the entire transfer process. She helped me edit my essays, visited schools with me and was just a great person to vent to when I grew frustrated.
NYNY: Is there anything else you’d like to share about the transfer process?
Angelica: The best advice that I can give anyone during this process is to follow your heart because you’re the only one who knows what’s best for you. I didn’t have much of an open mind throughout the process and although I didn’t end up where I thought I would and I couldn’t be happier.