Read an interesting account of this students transfer experience:

Transfer Woes

For some students can be a headache, but going to orientation can alleviate the pain

 By: Elyse Marozick

This past May, thousands of Cal State Fullerton seniors, after years of classes, finally received their degrees. I want to know how they made it happen.

As a transfer student, I entered my junior year thinking I was definitely on the right path to be out in two years, as did many other transfer students. I mean, I had so many credits how could I not be just a few semesters away from earning my bachelor's degree? At the last minute I decided to attend the transfer student orientation on a Saturday in June. Thank God I did.

That first day at orientation, some of the general education academic advisers came out to speak with students. I thought it would be a good idea to meet with one considering how overwhelmed I felt at the end of that eight-hour day. I had bad experiences with the counselors at the community college I was transferring from so I was hoping a four-year university would be a bit better.

I had to have collaterals.

What exactly were collaterals?

I had to have a certain amount of upper division units, but I could combine them with collaterals.

Wait, what?

Oh, and don't forget the cultural diversity requirement, but that can count as an upper division class too.

Wow, I was only hoping everyone else in the room was as lost as I was. To add to my bewilderment, when I met with the academic adviser, I discovered that some of my classes did not actually transfer over from my community college. Now that didn't make any sense to me. The counselors over there told me they would. By this point I was so upset and frustrated that I left feeling like I knew less than before I got there. Throughout my next two semesters, I met with the academic advisers and the adviser within my major. What I don't understand is how there are only a handful of general education academic advisers for over 30,000 students?

How are we all supposed to get in our mere five minute discussions before deadlines arrive?

The Titan Degree Audit confuses me too. I took this in with me and spoke with an adviser. It turns out there is a class listed that I still have to take. Problem being I have yet to see that class appear in any semester's class schedule. I thought advisers were there to help students get out as quickly as possible and put them on the right path to do so. I'm entering what I believe to be my senior year, although my registration date fell into the junior block of dates. The last time I met with an adviser she confirmed that I would indeed be a senior. So why do I have this sinking feeling that once my grad check is complete, I'm going to find myself here longer than planned?

Maybe it's because after talking to some of my fellow students, I found that I am not the only transfer student with this anxiety of being stuck in college forever.

Jamie Espinosa, 22, a public relations major, is a transfer student who was supposed to graduate last year. She said once she got here, she discovered many of her classes didn't transfer and CSUF required her to repeat many of the courses she had already completed. She is now hoping that she can actually graduate this May.

Nate Bruhn, 22, is double majoring in business and public relations and said it isn't required for business majors to meet with advisers either. He had many of the same experiences as I did and realized he knew more about what classes he needed to graduate than the advisers themselves.

That was exactly how I felt. I went in to my academic advisement meeting with a list of questions that I ended up answering myself.

I knew I had followed the CSUF transfer checklist when I was at my junior college, so every class of mine had to transfer. I almost had to take two extra classes, one at Fullerton Junior College. It was me who noticed that I already had it covered, not the academic adviser.

Within each major I do believe it is a bit easier because there is that checklist to follow, but to get through the general education as a transfer student is a scary road. I think to help ease transfer students' worries, the transfer orientation should be mandatory.

I also think that these students should meet with a counselor from the university they plan on transferring to instead of meeting with a counselor in the junior college.

Whatever the plan of action, something has got to be done to make the transfer process much smoother.

As my college career comes to a close (hopefully), questions still remain unanswered. Until I get my grad check back, I'll continue thinking that I do get to be one of those lucky graduates who make it through this May.

To see article in it’s original context visit: http://media.www.dailytitan.com/media/storage/paper861/news/2007/09/19/Opinion/Transfer.Woes-2976275.shtml