Coming into college as a transfer student is not always an easy transition. It can be a struggle to acclimate to the new environment, meet new people, and make new friends. Starting at a new school can be very overwhelming and can cause a lot of anxiety. Students transferring into Geneva College are no different. They too have anxiety coming in and can feel overwhelmed once they are here.
Transfer students may feel a lot of anxiety because they wonder whether their credits will transfer and if they will have to start over in many of their classes. Timothy Parker is a Transfer Enrollment Specialist in Geneva College’s Enrollment Department, and he says that “it is common for transfer students in the admissions process to ask their counselor how many credits will or will not transfer. This question in some ways can be difficult to answer because it is dependent upon what major they are interested in. So, if a transfer student is not in contact with their college of interest in the beginning of their college search, then it is common for the transfer student to be sometimes surprised at what credits will or will not transfer.” He recommends that students use Transferology because it “is a great tool students can access that will allow them the opportunity to enter in their course on that site and depending on the college or university we might have an equivalent match already for the student.” Many students may feel anxiety about transferring credits to another school, but admissions counselors can be a great resource to help students have a clear understanding of the credit transfer process.
Another struggle that Mr. Parker identifies is that it can be difficult for transfer students to acclimate to an entirely new campus. He says, “Transferring to another college for some transfer students can take time to adjust to. For some transfer students they might not have planned to transfer. Therefore, they are in a new environment thinking about all the new adjustments that are going to happen. Those adjustments might include meeting new people, getting familiar with campus, and meeting different professors.” Transferring involves meeting new classmates and professors, learning campus rules, and getting used to a new campus. The best resource for overcoming these struggles is for students to reach out to their admissions counselor and a faculty member within their major. Mr. Parker says that “I have seen firsthand how the conversation with the faculty member can be so beneficial to the student.” At Geneva College the faculty members are dedicated to providing resources and encouragement for their students, so transfer students should reach out to their admissions counselors and professors for guidance in adjusting to their new environment.
Lexi McDowell '24 is a student who transferred to Geneva in the spring semester, and she said that she struggled with feeling behind in classes, learning building names, meal plan details, campus rules, and feeling somewhat alienated because everyone already had friend groups. She even wondered if she made the right choice. However, Lexi also mentioned some of the ways that Geneva made her feel welcome. She said that “everyone was so kind and understanding, especially professors and staff. The Learning and Transitions class and group was extremely helpful in getting to know people, being able to ask questions, and learning about Geneva. It was nice to be invited to game nights and other social events. Geneva gave me a Bible with my name on it. I know everyone gets one, but it made me feel special and welcome. Overall, Geneva as a whole was kind, genuinely caring, authentic, and very welcoming. It made me feel like I made the right choice!” Lexi’s story is encouraging, because many other transfer students are likely experiencing the struggles and anxiety that she felt, but hopefully they can feel just as welcome as she did.
Transferring from one college to another is not an easy transition, but there are many people that hope to see you succeed. By interacting with admissions counselors and professors, transfer students can gain all the necessary information they need, and also form genuine connections that will ease their transition into a new college. If you are interested in the process of transferring to Geneva College, the admissions counselors at Geneva would be happy to talk with you and help guide you throughout the entire transfer process and the adjustment to campus.
Mattigan Burleigh '24
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Sep 27, 2023
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