Transferring College Mid-Year

Your connection to your college is, sometimes, like a relationship. Sometimes things are going really well; sometimes they aren’t so much. You have to put in work to make your experience a positive one. The administration and faculty of your university have to put forth effort, as well.

But, like relationships, sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Maybe one party isn’t willing to put forth as much effort as the other would like. Or there’s just too strong of a personality difference. No matter the reason, you may feel like it’s time to part ways. And if this comes in the middle of the year, you’ll be making a mid-year transfer.

Stay or Leave?

On one hand, we would like to say “you should address the issue and see if you can make it better for yourselves and other students who may be having the same problem,” but on the other hand, “if you don’t like where you are or what you’re doing, get out!”

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So it makes it difficult to make a general prescription. It really depends on your situation.

Transferring is a big deal, even if you haven’t been at your school very long. You’ll be going to a new campus, new students, new professors, and maybe a new city. Possibly even a new state. It’s a big change, especially in the middle of the year—and adding stressors like these can make it tough.

Think about it before you make the decision.

I want to Leave!

If you’ve decided to transfer, our most important piece of advice is to start the process as early as possible.

Let your academic advisor know, so he or she can help you out with the things you need to do. Contact the admissions office of the school you’d like to transfer too, as well, so you know exactly what is needed on their end. The more information you can gather, the easier the process will be.

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Note: One point to make sure to cover thoroughly is transferring credits. It’s important to not only get to the new school, but to take your classes with you. You’ve probably paid a lot of money to get the credits that you have, so do your best to make sure that your classes will apply towards graduation requirements at your new school.

Start a New Journey

Once you’ve gotten the formalities taken care of, it’s time to start familiarizing yourself with your new school.

  • Go check it out, wander around the campus, and explore the city that it’s in.
  • Find the nearest coffee shops, grocery stores, and pizza parlors.

This will be your new home—get excited about it! It’s fun learning new places and meeting new people. It may be stressful, but you’ll have a good time. Good luck!