Firsthand Advice on College Transfers

Ms. Wilson原来是加州大学圣克鲁兹分校的学生，但她的梦想是以后当一名记者，所以萌生了转学的想法。最终她成功转学到了纽约大学，一起来看看她的转学经验吧。

The author in New York City, having transferred to N.Y.U. from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Ms. Wilson is a senior at New York University, where her major is journalism.

Here’s something you may never have heard from your high school counselor: It’s more than O.K. to change your mind when it comes to choosing a college. Whether a student is unhappy at a particular university, looking for different opportunities or ready for an academic challenge, the option of switching schools does exist.

I learned this firsthand when I decided to explore transferring from theUniversity of California, Santa Cruz(加州大学圣克鲁兹分校), to New York University in 2009, during my freshman year. I knew that I wanted to be a journalist, and I decided that attending a university with a strong journalism program would help me achieve my goal.

Transferring is a complicated process, one that could be especially uncomfortable for someone who might have only recently finished applying to colleges. Writing yet another personal statement was not something I looked forward to, but I knew that the small burden was worth the larger payoff: attending my dream school.

The best possible plan is to know what to expect before applying. The transition will not be easy, but it can be well worth the hassle(困难) for someone who wants to make the change.

Here are some tips on transferring, drawn from my own experience and reporting:

1、Know what you want to study and make a dedicated effort to pursue it.

“I’m not aware of many universities that will admit transfer students who are entirely undecided about their academic plans,” said Shawn Abbott, assistant vice president of admissions at N.Y.U.

“We expect that transfer students are — at this point in their college career — a little more self-directed and focused.”

2、Students should research their top choices and be familiar with specific programs of interest and their requirements. The ideal applicant has made the most of the time spent in college so far.

In my transfer application, I communicated my passion for writing and my postcollege goals. I was honest. I had some experience in journalism, and I explained how I thought N.Y.U might help me take further advantage of career opportunities in New York City. I outlined concrete objectives that I would pursue as an N.Y.U. transfer student.

“The key is to begin early and make a connection with a transfer adviser at the institution you are considering attending,” said David Burge, executive director of undergraduate admissions at Arizona State University, which had the highest number of transfer acceptances — 5,388 — in 2009, according to U.S. News & World Report.

“Each university has different requirements and processes, so having a connection with a staff member that can assist is important,” Mr. Burge said.

3、An acceptance letter does not end the difficulties.

Transfer students often feel displaced in a community where other students have bonded and shared experiences. Often, transfer services offices help to ease students into their new environment and engage them on campus.

“In the months leading up to fall 2011, A.S.U. sponsored an online admitted student social network called ‘Devil2Devil’ that includes opportunities to meet other transfer students,” Mr. Burge said. “By August, more than 3,500 admitted transfer students had joined the network.”

N.Y.U.’s student resource center sets up events like game nights and field trips around the city to introduce transfer students to their peers. A weekly newsletter goes out to all transfer students to keep them on top of the academic and social calendar.

Despite these great opportunities, I still struggled in the first months of my transfer, as a second semester sophomore. Which leads me to make this point:

4、Attempting to fit into a new university is intimidating.

As a new arrival at N.Y.U., I cringed at the thought of having to make new friends, navigate an unfamiliar city and excel in my courses at the same time. It took joining a few student groups and spending a lot of time figuring out what makes me happy to break out of my isolation.

5、Ultimately, the transfer experience is what one makes of it.

Hard work has gotten you to where you want to be, and hard work will allow you to stay there.

“I recently heard one of our faculty members give this advice: If someone, anyone, asks you to attend something — anything — say yes,” Mr. Abbott said. “New transfer students need to get involved immediately and not be complacent, hoping that a sense of ‘community’ will simply materialize.”

Transferring is a process that continues to prove difficult after the switch. But as a current senior, I can tell you that it is far better to take the risk and apply than to sit and wonder what could have been.