Tales of a Transfer Student
Applying it university is not something which happens once. Transferring from one university to another is a personal decision, and it happens for personal reasons, and it's something I have first-hand experience with, and I hope to provide some tips to anyone else who is considering a transfer.
Why transfer?
There are so many reasons someone might consider a transfer; change in programs, wanting to move locations, etc. For me, my transfer came for a number of reasons: I chose my first university out of panic because I was 17 and wanted to live at home, for free. But my family was leaving the country and I outgrew the city fairly quickly. More than that, I disliked the teaching style and program variations of my first university. I have a friend who transferred because she was in a music program, and felt that the city around her first university had few live shows and opportunities to explore music. Whatever your reasons, transferring can be an intimidating but ultimately exciting process.
So here are some tips on transferring, right from the beginning of the process through to the first few weeks at your new school.
Make a list. What do you want out for your new university? Consider the kind of place you want to live, on or off campus, the programs you are looking at and universities ranked high for that program, the kind of climate, and of course your budget.
Do your research. Read the website, watching welcome videos. Read student reviews too, but take them with a grain of salt: lots of people have biases that can come from one-off experiences; people rarely go online to say nice things.
Look at the requirements, and consider transfer credits. If you wish to remain in the same program, but in a different institution, then some of your credits may transfer, avoiding the need to retake classes. Make a note of universities that will accept transfer students and allow them to keep their credits.
Ask for advice. Visit an advisor, talk to your friends or family if you want help making a choice or picking a few to apply to.
Make an online student account. Most universities require you to sign up before you can start the application process. This will provide you with an online platform and, more importantly, a student number which will be linked to an advisor to help with the process.
Pay attention to deadlines. Application for programs can end at different times, so be aware of that, because it is possible to potentially miss your chance to apply for the program you want. If you are applying as an art student or writing student, you may be asked to provide examples of your work or a portfolio.
Contact your advisor with questions. They can provide information and specific instructions for transferring.
Send documents. Many universities will require an official, sealed copy of your transcript at the end of the school year, as a condition of your acceptance.
Once you've been accepted, start to work out housing/food/expenses. If you need to apply for campus housing or dorms, do so as soon as possible.
Work out legal issues. Will you need a new health care plan or to register for a new health card? Does the university provide some kind of health insurance? Will you encounter any banking issues? Do you need a student visa to travel out of the country?
Apply for your classes. Contact the advisor again to see what classes are required for your program, and which you will need to catch up on.
Speak to the advisor at your current university. You may need to unregister as a student before you can transfer. Let them know that you will be transferring, where you have been accepted, and ask what you need to do to make it official
You will probably need to set and arrival/move-in time if you are living in residence, in which case you will be able to arrange that through the university. If you are living off campus, make similar arrangements with the landlord: when can you arrive? Can you ship anything ahead?
As a transfer student, you may feel like a first year, even though you have university experience and trust me: it doesn’t matter how old you are or what year you are in. It's so different from high school, age barely matters (except in romantic or sexual relationships, those rules still apply)
Hopefully, this long post was worth it, and good luck to everyone who is thinking about transferring! I hope you enjoy your new universities!