Many students start their studies at MCCC without thinking about what comes next in their education or what is involved in the transfer process in general. They are just focused on that first semester and getting the hang of being a college student.
Many students, especially those that are the first to go to college in their family, might get a late start thinking about and planning for transfer because they feel unsure or overwhelmed by where to transfer or what to do and have no idea what steps are involved in the transfer process.
FIND A MENTOR
Students don’t necessarily know, for example, that it is important to find a mentor who knows the ropes and can take the mystery out of the process. This could be an academic advisor, a trusted professor, a success coach, or someone in transfer services.
A good mentor can help a student think about what matters to them and what they want in a transfer school. A specific program? Rural? Urban? In state? Out of state? Public? Private?
A mentor can also help explain things like how to fill out an online application, how to request transcripts, how to ask professors for recommendation letters, and how to write a good application essay.
VISIT TRANSFER SERVICES
Director of transfer services, Laurene Jones, says that she notices many students make the mistake of waiting late in their journey at MCCC to talk to a transfer advisor.
“Students often think they can wait until it’s almost time to leave Mercer to gather their information then. It’s really important students start early,” she says.
The common notion is that students at community colleges transfer at the end of their sophomore year, but the definition of a sophomore year is more complex than it seems.
More than half of MCCC students attend part time and the number of students who complete their Associates degree in two years is under 20%.
STAY ON TRACK
For those on the two year track, thinking about the transfer process early is critical, but for everyone else, it’s important not to forget about it along the way because it seems so far away.
MAKE CONNECTIONS
Professor Bettina Calouri, director of the Honors program at MCCC, explains the importance of making connections.
She says, “Everyone should know how important it is to go to office hours because going to office hours is where a student talks one-on-one with the professor and the professor gets to know them a bit more. You’re automatically forming a stronger impression about how motivated you are because you took the time to go to office hours, but the most important thing is that the professor knows you more as an individual, and that will help when they want to write a letter of recommendation.”
A basic timeline Jones says is this: “In the beginning, attend a [transfer] workshop, come in and meet with a counselor and then each semester choose your classes, maybe visit the school, gather information, go to transfer days.”
KNOW THE OPTIONS
Jones says staying in state and graduating MCCC with an Associate’s Degree is usually what most students decide to do because state schools are lower cost and because NJ has a beneficial transfer law.
“They have to give you 60 credits no matter what,” Jones says.
This means that while private and out of state schools may look at a MCCC transcript and not award credit for certain classes, New Jersey state schools are required to give transfer students who have completed their Associates all 60 credits.
This is a law that has benefited many transfer students as well as limiting the programs to 60 credits for each degree program, instead of allowing more credits to be added as requirements.
As a result, most of the transfer workshops at MCCC are held are for in state schools.
MCCC alumni, Jackson Thompson, who transferred to Rutgers University and is now a Senior majoring in Journalism, says this transfer agreement was very helpful in his decision to stay instate. He knew that it would be an easier process when transferring credits.
Thompson gives this advice to students, “Treat the transfer process like it’s going to determine your life, so just cherish the process.”
But Jones noes that there are resources available on the web for students looking to consider other options. One program that connects a significant number of MCCC students with out of state schools is Mercer Honors and having honors classes on a transcript can look good when it is time to transfer.
GIVE YOURSELF AN EDGE
Students with learning differences can call 609-771-7137 for testing accommodations.
Professor Calouri says, “If it works for someone’s program and they’re a strong student, then the nice thing about an Honors course is that it’s discussion-oriented, and the smaller class size [means] students can function more as leaders. The four year [transfer] schools will assume [the student has] a level of initiative, and a deeper engagement with a topic, and that can help.”
In addition to finding a mentor, going to transfer workshops, and considering Honors classes, other things that help make a student a strong transfer candidate are maintaining a strong Grade Point Average (GPA), and participating in sports or curricular activities, particularly ones that are related to the field they want to study.
Jones says, “The idea is you don’t have to do it alone. That is what we’re here for. We do this day in and day out and meet with students and try to guide them as much as possible.”
