College Planning Tip of the Week: Tips for Transfers

Tips for Transfers

Whether you started out at a community college or you've suddenly decided that it's time to transfer to UAF, the transfer process is a little different from your standard high school to college experience.

So I've asked around and below you'll find a few tips from our experts on how to make your transfer experience a breeze!

1. Complete your associate's degree. National research shows that community college students who finish their degree program complete the baccalaureate at a much higher rate than those students who transfer with simply a grab bag of credits.

• Be sure to attend a school that is regionally accredited. Credits will not transfer from schools which are not accredited or from schools which are nationally accredited only!

2. Shop around. Examine all of the options available to you as a transfer student. Examine both public and private four-year institutions to decide what will be the best fit for you. The four-year institution that you had your heart set on in high school might not ultimately be the best choice for the subject you want to pursue.

3. Plan ahead. The earlier you begin to prepare for transfer, the better. Visit, collect transfer materials, and find out if there are any transfer agreements between where you are and UAF. The more information that you have, the easier it will be to make a decision.

• Did you know that your Advanced Placement test scores can count as transfer credit? Plan ahead and have your scores sent directly to UAF!
  

4. Know what actually transfers. Make sure you are picking courses that are transferable. At UAF you can go to the UA Transfer Credit Resource Site to find out how transfer credit has been evaluated in the past. Also, here a link to the UA Table of Substitutions for Non-UA Institutions as an aid to choosing general education classes that should transfer easily to UAF -- http://www.uaf.edu/catalog/catalog_09-10/admissions/transfer_placement_chart3.html

• Did you know that quarter credits convert to semester credits at UAF by multiplying by .667 (i.e., a 5 credit quarter class transfers to UAF as 3.335 semester credits).
  
• Did you know that, in general, 100 and 200-level (lower division) courses are not equivalent to 300 or 400-level (upper division) courses?
• Did you know that a 3 credit class does not equal a 5 credit class?
  
• Did you know that a science class with a lab is not equal to a science class without a lab even if they are the same number of credits and the course descriptions match in every way but with the lab? Sign up for the lab sections!
  

5. Don't be shy. Meet regularly with advisors at the community college. Keep your advisor informed of your transfer plans, and as transfer approaches, set a time to meet with an admissions counselor at UAF. If you try to navigate this process without the help of advisors, you might not be able to maximize your community college courses.

6. Choose a major. Pick your major early, and seek advice about the best courses to take to meet requirements. By choosing your major early, you can take the prerequisites that you need for that program at the university. Well-planned course taking will help you finish your transfer program more efficiently, saving you time and money in the long run.

7. Get admitted. At UAF we evaluate your transfer credits after you have been admitted. So get that step out of the way early to give yourself enough time between getting admitted and getting advised.

8. Talk to us about Money. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if you have not done so already. Apply for scholarships. We have scholarships available to transfer students but you can't get them unless you apply by Feb. 15! Make sure that you meet all of the deadlines for financial aid. Otherwise, you might miss out on assistance that is available to you.

9. Attend orientation. You might think that you do not need this because you already are a college student. But navigating the university is different. Take advantage of the opportunities that UAF's Orientation Program has created for transfer students.

10. Stay focused. This one is easy to forget. Whether it's your associate's or bachelor's degree we're talking about, finishing on time is not easy. But it can be done if you are focused and work hard. Keep your goal in mind even when you're working in your hardest class, which you don't much like. It will all pay off.

1 - 10 Source: http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/professors-guide/2009/09/16/10-tips-for-transferring-from-community-college


Types of transfer credit:

• AP - Advanced Placement
• CLEP - College Level Examination Program
• Credit for Prior Learning
• Military (Navy, Marine, Airforce, Army)
• College credits
  
• IB - International Baccalaureate
• DSST or DANTES
• Certificates (may have been pre-approved for transfer by UAF's departments)
  

Please visit: http://www.uaf.edu/admissions/undergrad/transfer/ for more details on transferring to UAF!

College Prep Tip of the Week: Plan Ahead

College Prep Tip of the Week: Plan Ahead

"In a speech to Congress on Feb. 24, 2009, President Obama encouraged every American to complete at least one year of education beyond high school, whether at a community college, or a four-year school, or through vocational training, or an apprenticeship. This checklist will tell you how to get ready for that education — and how the government will help you pay for it." - http://studentaid.ed.gov

The website studentaid.ed.gov provides a great road map of the college planning process for students (of any age) who haven't attended college or trade school and parents of students in elementary and secondary school.

Having a checklist such as this provides you with a plan, a compass if you will, to help navigate the path to college. This particular list is great because it talks about the academic and financial preparation families should have for education beyond high school. The page is split into sections for students and parents, explaining what to do and which publications or web sites might be useful.
The three basic principles outlined on this site are:

College Preparation Checklist

1. FIND MONEY FOR SCHOOL
2. TAKE THE RIGHT CLASSES
3. CHOOSE A CAREER

At UAF you can contact the Financial Aid Office for information on where you can find money for school; you can talk with an Admissions Counselor for questions about what classes to take in high school; and you can explore your career options with our Career Services Office.

Of course, we encourage you to visit campus so that you can meet with representatives from these offices and our academic programs. For information about how to visit, got to: http://www.uaf.edu/admissions/info.

Until then, happy planning!

Making the most of your campus visit

UAF's Discover UAF: Inside Out event is just around the corner (June 24th) and so I felt inspired to share this little nugget with our followers.

I found the advice listed below in an article on the College Board website in a section dedicated to helping students prepare for their college search process. (I highly recommend checking in out!) As you read through the article you will notice that there are links you can click on. These links will (more often than not) take you to a UAF website. My advice: click through and read more about these areas and then...COME VISIT US.

If you haven't signed up for Discover UAF: Inside Out, it's June 24, 2011 and you can sign up by clicking here!

Campus Visit Checklist - www.collegeboard.com/student Make the Most of Your Trip
Visiting a campus helps you get a sense of what that college — and life for its students — is like. This can make a difference when you’re deciding whether the college is a good fit for you.

When you’re planning your trips, make sure that you allow enough time to explore each college as fully as possible. Wander around the campus by yourself and imagine being a student there. Here are some things you can check out while you’re visiting.

Admission and Academics
Find out what you need to do to apply. And see if the college environment supports your educational goals.

Participate in a group information session at the admission office.
Interview with an admission officer.
Pick up financial aid forms.
Sit in on a class that interests you.
Meet a professor in your chosen major or in a subject area that you may want to pursue.
Get business cards and the names of people you meet for future contacts.

Campus Life

Daily life has a big effect on your happiness — and your success — at a college. Get a feel for student life and decide whether the college is a setting where you can thrive.

Take a campus tour.
Scan bulletin boards to see what day-to-day student life is like.
Talk to the coaches of sports in which you might participate.
Go to the career center and learn what services it offers.
Plan an overnight with a student.
Ask to see the residence hall where most freshmen live.
Visit the cafeteria, fitness center, library, bookstore and other campus facilities.
Walk or drive around the community surrounding the campus.

Campus Media

Tune in to learn what’s happening on campus and what’s on students’ minds.

Listen to the college radio station.
Read the student newspaper.
Review other student publications — department newsletters, alternative newspapers, literary reviews.
Browse through campus blogs.

Current Students

Being on campus gives you a wonderful chance to talk to the students who currently go to that college. You can ask questions like these to see what their experience is, and what yours might be like:

What are the best reasons to go here?
What do you do on weekends?
What do you love about this college?
What do students complain about most?


Photo credit: Todd Paris, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Marketing and Communications
Participants at the Spring 2011 Inside Out event pose for photo opportunities with UAF's mascot, the Nanook.

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