The College Handbook 1992

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ESPECIALLY FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS Community colleges can be a jumping off point in many ways: you can prepare for a career, learn a skill, gain knowledge that will benefit you on the job, or prepare for entry into a college or university. If you're reading this book, you're probably thinking about transferring to a college or university to earn a bachelor's degree. This section is intended to help you plan a successful transfer. You will want to read the rest of the introduction, but some particular concerns of community college students are addressed in this section. PLANNING YOUR TRANSFER The decision to transfer may be one of the hardest, most important decisions you'll make in your adult life. You will have to plan carefully for the many changes that will result: a transfer may involve moving away from home and living on a campus for the first time. It may mean applying for financial aid for the first time, or for more financial aid. You may be uncertain of what you want to major in, and what you want to do once you've finished your college education. You may not relish the idea of leaving old friends and making new ones. But if you address your concerns one by one, and if you begin the transfer process well in advance of the time you want to enroll at a new college, the transition can be smooth and positive. Keep in mind that you have already become accustomed to meeting due dates for term papers, taking midterms and finals, using a library, and basically being a college student. The change you will make is really one of degree, not kind. WHAT IS A "TRANSFER PROGRAM?" "Transfer programs" are courses of study at community colleges that prepare students to enter a college or university as a junior. They are sometimes called "university parallel" programs because the courses parallel those taken by freshmen and sophomores at most colleges and universities. Transfer programs usually require three types of courses--general education courses, courses required as preparation for your intended major, and electives--the same mix being taken by freshmen and sophomores at other colleges. Students earn an associate degree after completion of the transfer program. A transfer program gives you a broad foundation of learning upon which you will be able to build in upper-division (junior and senior year) study. Basically, in your first two years of college you are expanding your knowledge in many fields and becoming a well rounded individual. In your last two years, you concentrate on a major interest. Naturally, you have to decide what your interests are some time before your junior year! That's why you are given ample room in your freshman and sophomore years to take elective courses in various disciplines. No matter what major you intend to pursue, you will be expected to complete a certain number of credits in the liberal arts. That makes it easy to prepare for transfer in a way: even without knowing your major--or whether it will be in an allied health field or in broadcast journalism--you can nevertheless put together a program that will enable you to enter a baccalureate granting institution as a junior. Most two-year colleges require students to complete a certain number of credits within specified liberal arts categories, such as languages, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics. Students usually have some leeway in completing each requirement. As an example, courses may be chosen in a number of fields, including anthropology, economics, history, political science, psychology, or sociology, to satisfy the social sciences requirement. On the other hand, colleges may have different, and very specific, course requirements for students pursuing certain majors: for instance, a nursing major may have to take "Behavioral Studies PSY 102" to fulfill the social science requirement. These requirements are described in the college catalog. "You expect all your courses to transfer, because they're college courses, but that's not always the case," says Ron, a student at a community college in Virginia. Read your college catalog carefully--it will describe the transfer program in detail, and may list the courses that are "transferable." Then (and this is essential), talk with an adviser about your course work. No matter how clear-cut the catalog seems as to what courses you should be taking, there's no substitute for professional advice. An adviser can help you meet the college's graduation requirements and prepare for transfer--with maximum credit--into the college and major you want. TRANSFER ADVISERS Ideally, you will be in touch with an adviser before you even register for first-semester courses. Your adviser can tell you exactly which biology course to take, or whether you need to take Chemistry 101 and 102. He or she can steer you away from courses that probably won't transfer, such as "Conversational French," and toward those that probably will--like French 201. The more information you can give your adviser about your college plans, the better counsel you'll receive. When you decide what your intended major is, or what colleges you'd like to transfer to, work with your adviser in putting together course work that will prepare you for that major or that college. And keep your adviser informed as you change your ideas about your major or your transfer plans. Transfer advisers are dedicated to helping students make effective transfers and succeed at four-year colleges. Many are brimming over with sound advice. They may suggest that you take more writing, mathematics, and science courses than the community college requires so you'll be adequately prepared for the rigors of upper-division work. They may indicate electives that would help you in your major, or that would enable you to develop certain skills. However, it's a good idea to do your own background reading before talking with an adviser. "Read catalogs, look into what degrees are offered where, and what you need to do to transfer, "says on student. "That way, when you met with a counselor, you'll have a base of information and you'll be able to assess what they're telling you more effectively." PROFILE: RAFAEL'S STORY "When I came here from South America, I looked for schools with an English as a Second Language program, because I didn't know English very well. I spent a lot of time in libraries, studying English. I bumped into a professor who explained the program at his community college. I enrolled, and the first quarter I took only ESL courses. I learned two things: the language and how the education system works in the States." In his second and third quarters at college, Rafael took a broad spectrum of classes--English, math, psychology, science--and thrived academically. "Then I decided I was ready for more of a challenge. I wanted to go to a liberal arts school, a small one where I could get to know the faculty. I was commuting to my community college, and working at the same time, and there wasn't much chance for me to interact with professors or students. I worked with a counselor who helped me look at various schools. One day she told me about a summer program at a school that seemed perfect for me. I went, and I fell in love with the college." He applied to several liberal arts colleges, both in and out of his state, and ended up going to the college where he'd spent the summer. "They gave me a large aid package--I have a loan and a job--and here I am." Rafael entered his new college as a sophomore. "A lot of my courses transferred, and a lot didn't. I was lucky--when I started at the community college I didn't know that I was going to transfer. After my first quarter, I just happened to take a broad range of courses--and those courses transferred." "Here I get to know the faculty, the students--it's a good place to grow. My classes are small and I can discuss my problems, my future plans, whatever, with my professors. There's a real dialogue." COLLEGE CATALOGS Begin early on to think about which colleges you want to transfer to. Request catalogs from those colleges; the catalogs may have useful information about transfer. Some even spell out exactly which courses community college students should take to transfer into various programs. Call the admissions office and ask to speak with someone about your potential transfer. The college receiving your credit is the very best source of information about specific course work you need to take and what requirements relate to your intended program of study. Its staff can also tell you which majors are in high demand and full (or impacted), which are closed to transfer, and whether there are any special factors affecting your transfer (for example, if in-state students are given preference). They may request a transcript of your course work and your college catalog to help them determine what courses you should take. Send them off promptly. ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS Your college may have articulation agreements with other institutions, which make it easier for students to transfer between institutions. In some states, such as Florida and Washington, students with associate degrees from a state community college are automatically granted junior status at state four-year colleges and universities. Many public community colleges have articulation agreements with private colleges, or with colleges in other states. Some agreements are at the program level; as an example, students with an associate degree in forestry may be granted unconditional entry into a university forestry program. Articulation agreements change; ask your adviser for the latest information. Check your college's description in this book to see if it identifies colleges with which it has articulation agreements. Ask your adviser for the details of the agreements. Some state or city college systems publish detailed listings showing what each community college course is equivalent to at four-year institutions within that system. Be sure to obtain and read all information pertinent to transfer from your college to another. BACKING IN TO TRANSFER Thousands of students enter community colleges with no long-range goal of earning a bachelor's degree. Rather, they want to get an associate degree and then enter the work force. Or perhaps they are taking a few courses that will help them get a promotion. But then, after a few courses or semesters, they decide that a bachelor's degree would enable them to do the sort of work they really want to do, to earn more money, or to develop a newly discovered interest. If you are one of these students who is "backing" into transfer, you are not alone. Changing your ideas, broadening your options, is what college is all about. As soon as you know--or think--you want to go on for a bachelor's degree, meet with a transfer counselor. Determine what course work will transfer, what probably won't transfer, and what classes you should take. If you want to transfer as a junior, figure out how many more credits you need to have two full years worth of transferable credits. STEPS IN THE TRANSFER PROCESS "Filling out the application is one of the last steps in the transfer process," according to one counselor at a community college. The chart below outlines the transfer steps from a community college perspective. Choosing a major and a college, applying, and deciding which college to attend are discussed elsewhere in this introduction, but will be reviewed briefly as we examine the steps in the chart. Self-assessment You may not realize how much you've changed since you began your college studies. Most students gain both breadth and depth in their first years of college, expanding their knowledge and skills by taking a wide range of classes, and at the same time focusing on the kinds of courses and skills that interest them or that they'd like to apply in a career. So what may be in order if you're considering transfer is a reassessment--of your current educational, occupational, and personal goals. Self-assessment is not easy. You may have a jumble of feelings and yet you must make decisions that will affect the next few years of your life--to move away from home or stay nearby; to work part-time, full-time, or not at all; to live on campus or commute. Perhaps you are both excited about the prospect of going to a new school and apprehensive about the unfamiliarity of a new campus, new friends, and new professors. If you're going to live on campus for the first time, you may wonder how you'll adapt to that. You may be uncertain whether your plan to pursue a bachelor's degree is justified by the expense that you, or you and your family will need to incur. Adult-world decisions are rarely easy; however, it is usually possible to set priorities for your goals and desires and figure out a way to pursue them while minimizing any problems that result. By considering transfer, you have made one major decision: to pursue baccalaureate-level work, which indicates something about your aspirations and how you plan to achieve them. Transfer gives you the opportunity to do more than pursue a degree. It may give you the chance to live on a campus, perhaps in a different part of the country. It enables you to meet with people from backgrounds different from you own, if you choose. As you will find when you visit colleges that interest you, each campus has its own personality. You can choose to attend a school that not only has the major, but also the atmosphere, you want. Choosing a major Your choice of a college may hinge on your choice of a major. Even if you've prepared for one major at your community college, you can switch gears now, perhaps with little or no loss of credit. You owe it to yourself to find the best college for you, given your career goals, your personal goals, your dreams. You may not have shopped around a lot when you chose your community college, but you should now. Read "Deciding on a major" earlier in this introduction. Then look around--spread your wings! Task For fall entry For spring entry -------------------------- --------------------- ------------------- 1. Self-assessment September or earlier February or earlier 2. Major identification September or earlier February or earlier 3. College selection November to January April to June 4. College visits November to January April to June 5. Admissions application February 1 October 1 6. Financial aid app. February 1 October 1 7. School decision May December 8. Registration August January (Adapted from Student Guide to Successful Transfer by Robert Durfey, City University of New York: LaGuardia Community College) College selection You have an advantage over students at four-year colleges, because your college counselors are trained to help you find and digest information that will enable you to choose a college. You will probably find college catalogs in your transfer adviser's office. This may be an extensive collection, or may represent the colleges to which students from your college frequently transfer. College guides like this one may make you aware of the numerous colleges near and far that might meet your needs. Send away for the catalogs of colleges that interest you, and explain that you will be applying for transfer--some colleges publish special brochures for transfer students. Your community college may sponsor college fairs at which colleges share information and meet with students to describe their programs and answer questions. Ask your adviser when the next fair is and go ready to ask questions. Find out whether your college has articulation agreements with other colleges. Look at the description of your college in this book--information on articulation may be provided there. Ask you adviser for the latest information on these agreements. Talk with you adviser about how many colleges to apply to. Realize that you might need to have more than the minimum admissions requirements to be accepted at competitive institutions or in popular programs. If you are applying for admission to very popular programs (business, engineering, and computer programming are in demand at many colleges), you might want to improve your chances of acceptance by applying to several colleges with the program you want. ACTIVITY #1: Copy the following worksheet and use it to compare colleges as you collect information for your decision from the college descriptions in this handbook and college catalogs. COLLEGE NAME: ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT: ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Academic standing (GPA) required: Other admission factors: My chances for admission: EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Transferability of my credits: Specialized programs: Availability of preferred major: Availability of related majors: Reputation of department: Requirements for a degree : Internship opportunities: Other: CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT Campus characteristics (e.g., urban, rural, size): Location of campus: Transportation to campus: Campus housing: FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS Anticipated Costs Anticipated Financial Aid ------------------------------ ------------------------------ Tuition and fees: Scholarship: Room and board: Grants: Books & supplies: Loans: Transportation: Work: Other (misc): Other aid: ------------------------------ ------------------------------ TOTAL COSTS: TOTAL AID: GENERAL IMPRESSION OF SCHOOL HOW DO I FEEL ABOUT ATTENDING? (Adapted from Student Guide to Successful Transfer by Robert Durfey, City University of New York: LaGuardia Community College) College visits Plan to visit the colleges that seem most likely to suit you. Go on a weekday so that you can see the college in session. It's one thing to read an articulation agreement or a college's catalog, and quite another to be on campus mingling with the students, touring the libraries, or talking with professors. You can either spend some time on the campus informally, perhaps visiting a friend who attends that school, or you can request an interview and an official tour of the campus. Admissions application Unlike many community colleges, to which you can apply for admission until right before--or even after--classes begin, most four-year institutions have application deadlines considerably in advance of the day you will start classes. Don't botch your transfer by failing to apply to schools in time. The college descriptions in this book indicate what the deadlines are; verify this information when you contact the college to request an application. Give yourself ample time to complete the application, submit required forms, and mail everything before the deadline. Read the section on applying carefully. You might want to fill out copies of the following chart for each college you're applying to. Applying for financial aid The good news is, you've already saved a considerable amount by earning part of your education at a community college. Nonetheless, you will probably incur greater annual expenses once you move to a four-year college. The tuition will most likely be higher than it is at your community college. If you choose to live on campus, you will pay a room and board fee, and you may increase or decrease your transportation costs. An average range of costs for each year at a four-year institution is $6,000 to $14,000 for resident students. The other good news is that the country's financial aid system is dedicated to making it possible for students to complete their college education. Millions of college students receive grants, scholarships, or loans, or take jobs to enable them to pay for their education. Read the section "Arranging your finances," which reviews the types and sources of aid. "Financial considerations," might answer some of your questions. Aid is based on individuals' or families' ability to pay. While you may have been able to pay your community college costs easily with savings or by working part-time, you might not have enough money to pay for your transfer college. But if your need for money is greater (and because you are attending a more expensive institution, it will be), there is greater likelihood that you will get aid--whether in the form of a scholarship, a loan, a campus job, or a combination of these. Don't rule out a college because of cost! Many colleges are dedicated to enabling students who've been accepted to find the funds they need. School decision If you are accepted at more than one college, you will have to make a choice. Review the reasons that prompted you to apply to the colleges you did. Keep in mind the major you want, the location you feel is desirable, and where you think you'll be happy socially. You may also want to assess how much credit each college is giving you for your course work. If you were accepted into a college but not into the program of study you wanted, decide what is most important to you: going to that school or getting a degree in that field. You may want to talk with counselors, faculty members, or parents about this. The transfer institution may be able to assess your chances of getting into your preferred program in the future. Once you decide where you want to go, you will have to reserve space by putting money down. You may also need to make a room deposit if you want on-campus housing. Be sure to submit all necessary deposits on time. CHECKLIST FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS - Visit your community college transfer center or counseling office. - Carefully read the transfer section of your community college catalog. - Discuss your transfer plans with a counselor and read viewbooks and catalogs of four-year colleges and universities. - Send for transfer information and catalogs from four-year colleges and universities that interest you. - Find out about transfer requirements and deadlines. - Plan your general education transfer program carefully, asking about general education certification and transferability of your courses. - Check with your department adviser about completing lower-division courses for your major. - Visit the four-year institutions of your choice. - Make an appointment with a department adviser or other counselor at your chosen transfer institution to talk about your major and plan your course of study. - Complete and send the required financial aid and scholarship applications along with any additional required documents. - Contact a counselor at your transfer institution if you plan to apply for EOP or other special programs. - Take the SAT or ACT if it is required and have copies sent to your transfer institution. - Obtain an application form from your transfer institutions. - Complete and send the applications for admission with the application fee or fee waiver form prior to deadlines (check due dates). - Continue the recommended course work at your community college. - After you're accepted, request that your transfer units be certified. - Have official community college transcripts (and official high school transcripts, if necessary) sent to the transfer institution. - Select classes with the help of a department adviser and preregister (or register) for classes. - Pay fees by deadlines. - Participate in orientation programs and buy books and supplies. - Begin classes. (Used with permission. Adapted from materials prepared by the California Round Table on Educational Opportunity.) FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS Q: In my current school, I am in a special program for students who had inadequate academic preparation for college and limited financial resources. I have received substantial financial aid from this program. Will there be anything similar at an institution I might transfer to? A: Many colleges have similar offerings (often called Educational Opportunity Programs, or EOPs) and will accept participants into four-year-level programs. Ask the admissions office at the colleges to which you might transfer for information. Q: I want to continue to attend college part-time while completing my bachelor's degree. Is aid available to part-time students? A: Many institutions give priority to full-time students in awarding aid; however, you may be eligible for some aid on a half-time basis. Depending on the priorities and availability of funds at a particular college, half-time students could be eligible for many forms of federal aid. Depending on your financial situation, you could be eligible for a Pell Grant. Ask the financial aid office at the college you're considering whether part-time students are given any assistance. Q: Are there any scholarships expressly for community college students who are transferring? How do I find out about them? A: Yes, there are some scholarship programs for students transferring from community colleges. Some colleges have their own programs, which they may describe in this handbook. Some foundations and corporations have also set up scholarship programs. General Electric, for example, funds scholarships for minority students who plan to pursue baccalaureates in engineering or in business administration. Ask the financial aid officer at your community college and at the colleges you're planning to transfer to for information about these scholarships. Q: I'm self-supporting. Will four-year colleges take that into account when I apply for financial aid? A: Yes, they will. Your ability as a self-supporting student to contribute toward college costs is evaluated on the basis of your own income, assets, and expenses. Because you do not get help from your parents, and because your expenses (for maintenance, sometimes child care, etc.) are generally higher, self-supporting students often have greater financial need. Q: Is it wise to borrow for education? A: Borrowing is an honorable way of paying for education; many students and parents take out loans to cover college costs. The important thing is not to get in over your head. Every borrower, but especially student borrower, should know the answers to the following questions: - How much have I borrowed already? - From how many different sources have I borrowed? - How much more in total will I have to borrow to complete my undergraduate education? - Do I expect to attend graduate or professional school, and if so, how much more will I have to borrow? - How much will I have to repay every month after leaving school before I have paid off the debt? - How much can I reasonably expect to earn every month after leaving school before I have paid off the debt? - How much can I reasonably expect to earn every month in the kind of job I am likely to get following graduation? Q: If I am awarded aid, when will I actually get my money? A: You should get your money when you enroll (although not necessarily "on the spot") or at the start of the term or semester. The financial aid officer can tell you exactly when you will receive your award. Note that awards are not necessarily cash grants but may also be in the form of loans and jobs; most students get a combination or "package." ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Senay's dream is to get a bachelor's degree (and eventually a master's) in art from Berkeley, but he hadn't really taken that dream seriously until recently. He thought his C grade-point average at his Sacramento, California, high school and low SAT scores would prevent his acceptance. "I thought you had to have straight A's to get into Berkeley," he said. He was encouraged to talk to the admissions staff at Berkeley, and they told Senay he had a good shot at getting in through the community college system. The student affairs officer he met with gave him a precise list of the courses he should take at a community college, in this case Sacramento City College. The officer suggested that Senay spend at least one year and perhaps two taking general education courses and beginning art courses there. If he earns high enough grades, he should be able to transfer to Berkeley. Senay's admission to Berkeley is not guaranteed--it hinges on his performance in the community college. But by meeting with the admissions staff, Senay not only got good advice about how to reach his goal, but he also has a well-charted path toward that goal. Like more than a million other high school graduates, Senay will start his academic career at a community college. "Students and their parents often ask me if community colleges are real colleges," one high school counselor says. Yes, they are real colleges, offering the equivalent of the first two years of course work taken by freshmen and sophomores at four-year institutions. The community colleges described in this book are accredited, meaning that by and large their credits will be recognized and accepted at other accredited institutions. There are many excellent reasons for starting out at a community college. Many students want to improve college skills before moving on to upper- division study. Others, uncertain of what they want to do with their lives, feel they have greater freedom to experiment with courses--and even with going to college in general--at community colleges, which are less expensive than most four-year colleges. "At the community college, I got lots of personal attention from faculty. They were very willing to give me advice on career goals, courses, everything," says a recent Harvard Law School graduate who spent two years at a community college. Other students are not ready to leave home when they graduate from high school and prefer to commute to college. Others want to work full- or part-time, and find that study at a local community college fits in with these plans. If you are thinking of spending some time at a community college before moving on to an upper-division institution, it's a good idea to think now about the transfer process. If, like Senay, you can identify an institution you want to transfer to, talk with staff there about how to prepare for entry. This will give you a clear idea of what courses you should take at your community college. College admissions counselors are happy to talk with students who are thinking of transferring to their institution from a community college, and their advice can help you make the transition smoothly. If you really can't think that far ahead, there are nevertheless steps you can take to ensure that you make the most of your community college years. Below is advice from community college graduates and high school guidance counselors who have counseled numerous students about the transition from community college to a four-year institution. - Don't sell the community college short. It's a real college, offering the same types of courses offered at universities and four-year colleges across the country, with many motivated students and professors. - Take college admissions tests in high school, rather than waiting until you're at the community college, even if you think transfer to a four-year college is a remote possibility. Few community colleges require the SAT or ACT, but most four-year colleges do. - Plan to spend a minimum of a year at the community college. Depending on your major, you may want to transfer after a year so you can do most of your course work at the four-year institution. Some colleges, on the other hand, want to admit students who are ready to do junior- level work. - If there are several community colleges near you, look into which one best meets your needs. Like four-year colleges, each community college has special courses, programs, and facilities. One might meet your needs better than another. - Meet early on with your adviser at the community college. This person will help you choose course work that will transfer to other colleges. Don't rely on hearsay or the advice of friends in selecting classes. There will be plenty of room in your schedule for "trying out" courses, but you also want to be taking the same courses that freshmen and sophomores everywhere are taking, and that will transfer to other colleges. If you are in a professional program, such as engineering or nursing, it is especially important that you plan your course work with the help of an adviser. - Think now about what four-year college you want to transfer to. Talk with admissions officers who visit your high school. Tell them you plan to transfer after spending some time at a community college. Visit four-year colleges that interest you and talk with admissions staff there. They may help you plan course work that will transfer to their college with no loss of credit. Long-range planning is especially important if you want to attend an out-of-state or private college that might not be as familiar with your community college as the local state colleges are. - Plan to work hard at the community college. If you were an average student in high school, try to be a better-than-average college student. You may need a good GPA from your community college to transfer into the college or program of your choice. ESPECIALLY FOR REENTERING ADULTS More and more adults are fitting college into schedules already crowded with family responsibility, demanding jobs, and involvement. Most want to improve or expand their job skills, many want to complete a degree they started a while ago, and some want the personal satisfaction of learning. Colleges are increasingly responsive to the needs of adults on campus, though the transfer process can, for many reasons, be more complex for reentering adults than it is for students who did not interrupt their college work. This section is intended to help you prepare for and respond to the complexities of reentering the college environment. Reentering students sometimes complain about dealing with the welter of bureacracy they encounter when transferring. One way to find the most direct path into the college and program that suits you is to have a clear sense of your goals. In this way, you can tell colleges what you plan to study, and how you plan to do it. Will you attend part-time? full-time? at night? during the day? Do you know what program you plan to pursue? If not, do you know what end result you want--completion of the same degree you were working toward earlier, a new degree, personal fulfillment? If you can tell colleges what you want, you will be in a good position to find out what they can offer you. Before you apply, tell the admissions office how old you are, what credits you've earned, and when you earned them. Some colleges have different requirements for students over a certain age (sometimes 21 or 25), whether those students have earned credit elsewhere or not. Ask the college what requirements you need to meet to transfer into the degree program you want, and what application or portions of the application you should complete. Some colleges, for example, do not require high school transcripts from returning adults, and other don't require standardized test scores. Ask whether your credits will be accepted for transfer. Some colleges accept credits no matter when you earned them; others don't accept "old" credits. (For example, an institution might accept only credits earned within the last 10 years.) If you have taken some college-level courses in a nondegree program, find out if you can transfer any of those credits. Ask a college how you can go about earning credits for knowledge you've gained since you were last in college. Some colleges grant credit for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests, others administer their own tests. If you want to transfer credit that you earned through another institution's testing program, or through CLEP, find out if the college will accept those credits. Ask colleges if they will recognize knowledge gained through courses offered by businesses, professional associations, or the government, or for distance learning courses you may have taken. Make notes about experience or knowledge you have gained through these or other activities that might be granted credit: -- your job -- volunteer work -- study abroad -- participation in community theater, an orchestra, or civic activity -- participation in local government -- military experience -- in-depth independent study. More and more colleges are providing services for reentering students, such as specially trained counselors or reentry centers. You may want to ask the colleges you're considering what support they provide--whether networking services, child care, orientation, or reentry counseling. Some colleges have staff especially trained to handle the questions and concerns of students who have been out of the formal learning environment for several years. Find out where you get information on financial aid or financial planning. Who will your academic adviser be? Will you be able to meet with advisers at a time that is convenient for you? The College Board Guide to Going to College While Working by Gene Hawes (College Entrance Examination Board, 1985) provides practical advice and tested strategies for fulfilling your college goals while working. The checklist below summarizes the steps you may want to take in working through the transfer process. - Determine how you are going to fit college into your current schedule. - Decide what you want to achieve by returning to college. - Gather information on colleges that offer the program you want. - Determine how you will finance your studies for the period you expect to be in college. - Apply to the colleges that meet your needs. - Be sure you understand course requirements, graduation requirements, and what placement tests, if any, are needed. DEALING WITH TRANSFER SHOCK "It will be the most unorganized time of your academic life." That's the opinion of someone who has watched the transfer process at a private liberal arts college for more than 20 years. He was referring to your first few weeks at your new campus. Don't underestimate how different a new college will be. Each college has its own personality and its own way of doing things. You will be emotionally and academically at sea until you get used to your new environment. It may be somewhat more difficult to make the transition than it was when you were a freshman. Then you had a "herd" advantage: you could recognize other freshmen by their puzzled expressions or seeming confusion in the dining hall, or by being with 500 of them in "Introduction to Psychology." As a transfer, you will have to work harder to find your niche. Forewarned is forearmed, and just knowing that there is such a thing as transfer shock might help you combat it. Below is a list of suggestions from college personnel who have helped transfer students adapt to their new environment, and from transfer students themselves. - Attend orientation. Almost every school has either a new student orientation or an orientation especially for transfer students. Even if you meet only one other person at that event, you will have established one bond at your new school. You will also begin to learn how the college "works." - Find a niche. Knowing your major can provide just such a "home" by giving you a place to hang out (the department office) and people to talk with. Departments often have their own social events at which you can meet people with similar interests. Involvement in an activity such as the newspaper or a sport can also give you an anchor in the life of the school. - Request or find housing with people your own age. "It worked out all right in the end," one transfer said, "but at first it was really isolating to be living in a freshman dorm when I was older than the average junior." - Find out what the advising system is--it's different at every school. Find out how to declare your major. Meet with your academic adviser early on to discuss your progress toward your degree. Scan the college catalog to determine where you can get career or personal counseling. - Don't expect your new college to solve all your problems. Difficulties with boyfriends or girlfriends or spouses or parents might not disappear just because you've moved closer to or farther from home. Personal unhappiness is almost never "cured" simply by a change of locale. If you are transferring from a community to a four-year institution, you may find your new college to be academically more rigorous. This is partly because you are now an upper-division student doing advanced work in certain fields. More reading and writing and independent work may be required, as well. And many community colleges graduates find four-year institutions to be less nurturing in that students are expected to take more initiative in picking courses, completing courses, and getting financial aid. Transfer advisers at community colleges suggest that students do the following: - Take a challenging and comprehensive program at your community college. It is a good idea to take more than the minimum requirements in English and math. - Allow more time for your studies at the upper-division college. - Make college your number one priority. Though you may still hold a job or have responsibilities for taking care of a family, to be a successful student it is necessary to put most of your effort into your studies. - Ask questions--of professors, fellow students, your adviser. Many community college students think they'll look dumb if they ask a question. In fact, students who have been at the college longer than you have may be even more in the dark because they didn't ask questions. Change is usually unsettling and rarely easy. However, it can be managed and the tumult minimized if you know what to expect and understand that sooner than you realize you'll be busy with courses, new friends, and new activities, and your new college won't seem strange at all. PROFILE: CAMILLE'S STORY "After that, I couldn't deal with accounting any more. I knew I'd been craving something, but I didn't know what it was. The course I took in literature and politics really opened my eyes." "That" was the five week summer session Camille spent at a private liberal arts college. She had pursued accounting at a community college, with a goal of becoming a certified public accountant. She planned to transfer to a four-year college within the same system. But after her first taste of humanities, she switched gear. "When I returned to the community college, I began a liberal arts program of study. I applied to two liberal arts colleges, and attended the one where I'd spent the summer." She entered as a sophomore; most of her courses transferred. Filling out the application was very challenging. "I'd worked with figures in high school and college. Now I had to write--about my interests, what I wanted to do with my life, what meaningful experiences I'd had. I spent months on my application." She decided that psychology interested her as a major and she took a psychology course her first semester at her transfer college. "I really didn't have a clue what it involved, but I thought studying human behavior sounded good. I've always liked to help people." It took her four weeks to write her first term paper--for her psychology class. "I've never experienced such pain." she says. But she stuck with that major. "Once I transferred, there wasn't much support for me. I met with a counselor, but she told me that all transfer students have a rough time, and that "I'd just have to deal with it." Camille had made friends during her summer on campus, and they served as her support group. She feels transfers have to be assertive. "You don't want to lose valuable time trying to figure out where things are on campus, or how to do things. Ask for help. Be vocal!"