The cost of education continues to escalate, seemingly unmindful of the state of the economy. Most students who wish to attend a university cannot do so due to financial concerns. Instead, they have to be creative in their approach. One of the options is to enroll in a community college before making the big jump to a state or private university. This lets students get some credits at a much lower cost and gives them time to save money for the eventual transfer. If you are thinking about taking this route, then please note a few important things:
Make an Outline of Your Plans Early On
The transfer has its fair share of complexities but it is the best alternative for those who can't afford the direct route. To increase its chances of success, make an outline of the plan as early as possible. The junior or senior year of high school is a good time to put pencil to paper. This makes your thoughts clear and concrete. You will be able to anticipate problems and solve them quickly if you plan ahead. For instance, let's say that you are using this path to get an engineering degree. Choose the specific field and study the prerequisites for each.
Search for the Most Suitable Institutions
Find out which universities offer the course that you would like to study. Do not assume that all programs are the same. Compare various curricula to see which ones offer more subjects that you are interested in. Evaluate the school facilities and faculty members as well. Go to a school that has well-known professors in your projected major. As for the practical side of things, check whether the local community college has ties with certain universities. If so, then they are likely to have agreements that facilitate credit transfers. Use these as guides in selecting classes.
Meet Regularly with Community College Advisers
Every community college has designated advisers for transfer students. Get acquainted with them as early as your freshman year and meet with them regularly to discuss various aspects of your studies. They will be able to provide invaluable advice with regards to subject selection. College credits are difficult to obtain and your goal is to make every single one of them count once you make the move to a university. These experienced advisers have likely made the same attempt themselves. Thus, they will be able to keep you on track and prevent you from making costly mistakes.
Be Mindful of Application Requirements and Deadlines
Each university will have its own set of requirements. These will usually revolve around the number of units taken and the general weighted average. You will also need to affix several documents. Collect them ahead of time so that you will not have to rush later on. Be mindful of their deadlines. It would be unfortunate if you missed an opportunity just because you missed out on the closing date. Note that transfer students typically have to apply separately for admission in the university and the program itself. These may have different cut-off dates.
Ask for Available Scholarships
Inquire as to whether the university has available scholarships for transferees from community colleges. There are plenty of institutions that set aside funds for this purpose. You may also apply for federal student aid, which is geared towards helping the underprivileged. Finally, seek out private scholarships that are given by a variety of organizations. Many of them are specifically looking for promising engineering students so make the most out of these opportunities. Don't hesitate to give each of these a shot no matter what the odds are. Every bit counts towards the attainment of your engineering degree.
Author Bio
Ryan Ayers is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to education. In this article, he offers tips to transferring engineering students and aims to encourage further study through the New Jersey Institute of Technology Online.
