Top 10 Tips For College Transfer Students

Being in a new place can be frightening at first, and when that place is a new university, it’s an entirely different frightening. I transferred into a major university last year, so I know the exact feeling of being anxious in a nervous yet exciting way. Throughout the year, I had to adapt and learn – quickly. Below are my top 10 pieces of advice for having a successful year as a college transfer student. 

1. As soon as you get your acceptance, find out when orientation is and register for the earliest date possible. Obviously you can cry tears of joy first, but the next step should be to find out orientation dates. I say this with such importance because every college student knows the hassle of trying to create an ideal class schedule. As a transfer student, you’re the last of the bunch to register. Having an earlier registration date will help give you priority to the few spots remaining in good classes. Plus it will ease the stress of getting your schedule together.

2. Do some prior research on what clubs and organizations are available on your campus. You’ll likely find out the bulk of the information throughout the first few weeks, but it’s beneficial to have an idea of what you want to be involved in. This is also important because some organizations at some schools (like Greek life) may have earlier sign-up deadlines. This brings me to my next point: 

3. Get involved. I cannot stress the importance of this enough, but it is so important as a transfer student to be involved on campus in any way. Almost every major school has a wide range of clubs (social and academic), athletics, greek life, campus work, and so much more. Find a group that matches your interest because it’ll help your initial transition. 

4. Don’t be afraid to be the first to say hello and initiate a conversation. As a college transfer, it’s easy to feel out of place at a new place, especially if it’s a school with such a big student body. Chances are, there’s a good amount of students who are in the same exact place as you and are looking to make friends. Even the most intimidating looking people could be the friendliest. So initiate conversations with classmates and peers, and you’ll quickly see that getting acquainted with someone isn’t the scariest thing. 

5. Stay true to yourself and your goals. It’s really easy to be influenced by those around you. Especially when it feels like everyone somewhat has their life together. When I first transferred, I heard a majority of my peers talking about a career in Investment Banking and how much they’ve accomplished so far. It made me feel like that’s also what I had to do in order to be succeed in my career, but eventually uncovered that it’s really not for me. Bottom line, don’t let other people’s goals define yours. If you’re interested in starting your own project in college, check out my advice in this post. 

6. With that being said, don’t wait until your senior year to begin career exploration. Whether you’re a sophomore or junior transfer, take the time to discover various career events on campus. If a company you’re slightly interested in is coming to campus to give a presentation – go and listen. If there’s a career fair – go and hand out your resume. Take a few hours and do these things even if they seem intimidating, because you never know what positive outcome can come from it. 

7. Stay on top of your grades. Transferring to a new school means new professor’s with new methods of grading. Some are project heavy, others only give you 2 tests for the entire semester. I was extremely overwhelmed during as a transfer, and ensuring I did good in my classes became slightly difficult to manage. So with all you have going on, be sure to prioritize your grades and try to understand the way your professor works. 

8. Time management is key to having a balanced college life. Learn to prioritize tasks and cut down on habits that are overly time consuming with little benefit. Academics should be your main priority as a student, followed by working/interning and campus involvements. However, don’t loose sight of the things that make your soul happy. Whether it be working out or spending time with friends. Just be sure to prioritize and manage all that you need to do within a day, and get a sufficient amount of sleep. 

9. Leave campus once in a while and explore the city. College campuses are extremely convenient because there’s pretty much everything you need within walking distance. But if you’re transferring schools and in a new state for the first time, explore the greater area of the city as well. 

10. Enjoy the stress of college. Yes, I know how overwhelming and traumatic the stress of classes and exams are, but be grateful for the opportunity to be at your school. Many don’t have the chance or the ability to make it as far as you have. So be proud, stay focused, and enjoy the rollercoaster.