How To Take A Gap Year

Anne Arundel Community College

Looking To Transfer from Community College? Follow These Tips

Nearly 80% of community college students are interested in getting a bachelor’s degree, yet only 14% actually attain one within six years of community college entry, according to a recent report.

US News recently spoke to experts who gave insight on how to best navigate the transfer process and effectively transfer to a four-year college or university.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL OPPORTUNITIES

Your time spent at community college, while temporary, plays an important role in your application to a four-year college or university. Everything from your personal essay to your letters of recommendation will help paint a picture for admissions officers of how you spent your time.

“All of those pieces come together to really tell a story of all of their accomplishments and all of the exciting ways that they might continue that work and those interests at their next institution,” Alex DiAddezio, senior assistant director of admission at Williams College in Massachusetts, says.

Taking advantage of opportunities both within the classroom and beyond—from joining a club or enriching your course selection, DiAddezio says, is important “because that’s going to make a stronger application.”

FIND A MENTOR

Mentorship can be extremely beneficial to better understand the transfer process and learn what elements you need to make your application stand out. Experts suggest speaking to a faculty member or academic advisor to determine which transfer credits are needed at your target university.

“Try to have a good faculty mentor, somebody to talk to about what those next steps look like, and then maybe that mentor can bridge an opportunity with a faculty member at the receiving institution,” Jerrett Phillips, vice president for enrollment management and student success at Cameron University in Oklahoma, says. “So often, I think students discount the length that faculty and staff can go to help them connect, stay connected and do well.”

CONDUCT RESEARCH AND ALIGN YOUR GOALS

To have a comprehensive application strategy, you’ll want to do some research both on your target universities and on your own personal and professional goals.

“Try to map backwards from there the academic path that you need to take in order to reach those goals,” Tania LaViolet, director of the bachelor’s attainment portfolio at the Aspen College Excellence Program, says. “Do that work first so that when you’re talking to your adviser, they’re able to provide guidance that aligns with those goals.”

Sources: US News, Aspen College Excellence Program

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