Begin the transfer discussion by exploring transfer schools and what to consider when deciding on which school to transfer after graduating. Pathful Explore's College Comparison tool can be very helpful in showing the differences between different schools your mentee might be interested in.
You are either preparing to apply to colleges/universities or soon will be. This can be a stressful process, but by understanding the steps to transfer, you can take control of your time and have a clear expectation of what needs to get done and when. Here are some key ideas to be aware of as you prepare to transfer:
1. Apply before the PRIORITY DEADLINE. Most schools fill their next year's class from applicants that submit their application by the priority deadline. Although you may be able to apply after this date, it is likely that it will be more difficult to get admitted and you may not get the first choice on registration, orientation, or housing.
2. You may be applying more than once! It's very common for the university and its programs to have separate admissions applications, due dates, and requirements. For example, if you are going into EWU's Mechanical Engineering program, the admissions application is due February 1. However, you need to complete math, science, and engineering pre-requisites before completing a SECOND application to their Engineering program. That application is completed the first week of the quarter, the quarter before you want to enter the program.
3. Gather important deadline dates and plan ahead. Each university will have its own deadlines. Pay attention to admissions, financial aid, scholarship, housing, and major/department application due dates.
4. What type of transfer student are you? How does this impact your admissions requirements?
Transfer students with 40 or less college level credits may be required to submit their ACT/SAT score along with official transcripts.
Transfer students with more than 40 college level credits only submit official transcripts.
5. Complete the FAFSA/WASFA BEFORE you apply! Both applications opened up on October 1. Use 2020 financial records to complete the 2022-23 FAFSA/WASFA. Send it to ALL of the schools that you plan on applying to.
6. Scholarships! Spend time completing the scholarship application. Most universities offer both financial-need and merit-based scholarships. We will go into more details in the next mentor meeting!!
7. How can BBCC help?!
Talk to your advisor to plan out your best options.
Attend a FAFSA/WASFA Workshop to complete the application!
Work with the Writing Center to review your personal statement (if required) and scholarship essay.
Guiding Questions/ Activities:
1. Research a college/university and program of interest with your mentor. Write down all of the due dates including university admission, program admission, financial aid, scholarship, and housing (if applicable). Make a plan together of when you will start and complete each task.
Note: You can use Pathful Explore to see which universities in our area have majors that will help you land the job/or job area that you are pursuing.
2. Identify any certification or pre-requisite course requirements and use the University's Equivalency Guide to map out if they are available at Big Bend.
3. Write a list of questions that you have about the transfer process and talk together about what resources at Big Bend or the transfer school can provide answers.
4. Mentor, please share your experiences applying to transfer institutions. What went well? Were there any hiccups along the way? How did you get admitted into your major? What did you do after you received your admissions acceptance letter?
5. How are you feeling about the process? What questions do you still have? How can you get them answered? Make a plan!
If you are a first-year college student or are undecided in your transfer major, topic for mentoring....
What is a transfer education plan?
A transfer education plan links your Big Bend degree with bachelor's degree requirements in your desired major. If you are unsure of your major, the transfer education plan should consider possible majors and university specific requirements. For example, if you aren't sure between computer science and engineering, you might focus on completing courses that are required in both majors, like math, physics, and computer programming. If you are transferring to EWU, you might consider taking courses in your humanities/social science areas that satisfy EWU's diversity and international studies requirements.
Why should I make a transfer education plan?
College is expensive! Making a transfer education plan saves you time and money by clearly outlining courses that fulfill requirements at Big Bend and your bachelor's degree. This make you "major-ready" and helps you transfer at- or close to- junior status in your bachelor's degree.
Who can help me with my transfer education plan?
Your advisor! You should develop your transfer education plan during Winter or Spring Advising. Be ready to tell your advisor what transfer schools and programs you are interested in. This will help you nail down the right Big Bend degree and select courses within that degree that will help prepare you for your major.
What tools will assist me in formulating this plan?
1. Explore bachelor degree options: What career do you want? What degree and level of education is required for that job? What colleges and universities offer the degree? Once you have the bachelor's degree that you want decided, review the transfer school's departmental page to see if there are pre-requisite, certification, and/or recommended first and second year courses in that major. Pathful Explore is a great resource to use for looking at which colleges and universities offer majors related to your career goals.
What classes at Big Bend can you take to prepare you for this degree?
2. Connect your bachelor's degree to Big Bend: Find the most similar advising map to what you are interested in: Next, bring this advising map (or refer to it) in your advising session. You and your advisor can decide if this is the right degree for you and develop a quarterly plan. Make sure you discuss meeting university and major requirements (for example, meeting a diversity or foreign language requirement).
3. Use the What-If Report on CTClink: With the What-If report, you can see how the classes you have already completed meet the degree requirements and what you still have left to complete. You can use this information to map out what is left. Make sure to run through this with your advisor as the report occasionally does not put every class in the audit correctly, and if you are taking extra pre-requisite courses needed for your transfer school they may not show up in the degree requirements. Also, if your listed degree is WRONG, please let your advisor know so they can request to have this updated correctly.
4. Use our BBCC Transfer Website
: Check out our transfer page for information about our top transfer schools. This includes their transfer guides, admissions, and scholarship information.
TASK: Please watch this short video about the importance of planning your transfer.
If this is not your first year of college and you have decided on a transfer major, complete this page....
What is a transfer education plan? How have you matched up with it?
A transfer education plan links your Big Bend degree with bachelor's degree requirements in your desired major. Hopefully you have already had a detailed conversation with your advisor about matching up your BBCC degree to what you need to graduate and meet university and major requirements. If you have not, contact your advisor and we will put a plan together.
I'm getting ready to graduate. What do I need to do now?
1. Use the CTClink What-If report: With this report, you can see how the classes you have already completed meet the degree requirements and what you still have left to complete. You can use this information to map out what is left. Make sure that this report matches up with your expectations. Will you be completing your degree after spring quarter? What do you have left to take to meet graduation requirements?
Any surprises? Don't panic. There are options including reverse transfer that can keep you on target to transfer.
What is a reverse transfer?
Reverse transfer is a process for awarding an associate of arts degree to students who transfer from a two-year to a four-year institution prior to completing the AA degree requirements at the two-year institution. The remaining credits are completed at the transfer school.
2. Use our BBCC Transfer Website
: Check out of transfer page for information about our top transfer schools. This included their transfer guides, admissions, and scholarship information. Make sure that you have completed all of the admission's application and funding steps. Utilize the transfer guide to verify how your BBCC credits will meet bachelor degree requirements.
3. Do you have a secondary admission's application to complete for your intended major???? MANY STEM majors require a secondary admission's application showing the courses that you have taken to prepare for that major. Make sure you know the due dates and expectations for this part of the process. Some majors require that you meet with an advisor at the transfer school. This takes time, PLAN AHEAD!
4. Do you need to take classes over the summer? Some majors have transfer students take a summer term to catch up with their junior-level students. This is something you may need to plan for now.
Guiding Questions:
1. Discuss together what your next steps are in the transfer process? When will you have orientation and register for classes? Will this be in-person or online?
2. What non-academic factors do you need to prepare for? Do you have housing in place? Will you be bringing a vehicle? If so, what is the school's policy and parking fees (make sure to add this to your budget)? What is your meal plan? Will you be purchasing a plan or cooking on your own? Talk to your mentor about other important elements to plan for in your transition.
3. Look at the program's academic schedule. What classes do you anticipate for your first term?
4. Are there any local opportunities that you can take advantage of to prepare you for your desired career? For example, job shadows, volunteering, gaining experiential hours, etc.
Guiding Discussion Questions and Tasks:
1. What degree are you completing at BBCC? Review the advising map together. Write down any questions that you have about the courses requirements or scheduling so that you can ask your advisor.
2. How can you intertwine university and major requirements into your degree plan?
3. Discuss with your mentor how making a degree plan helped their transition to a university. Discuss their planning strategies and any roadblocks they hit along the way.
4. Make next steps for solidifying your transfer education plan. Review the recommended courses to enter your desired major at all the transfer schools you are interested in. Are they the same or do you need to make adjustments to your plan? Make an advising appointment with your assigned advisor to finalize your plan.