Emily stands in front of Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota on her first day of junior year.
I was sitting in a lecture hall at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, surrounded by hundreds of students, feeling completely invisible. The campus was filled with people, but I was just another number in a sea of faces.
When I was a senior in high school, I applied to eleven colleges, most of them Big Ten schools. I knew I wanted something big: somewhere I could study sports marketing at a big sports school, in the Midwest, and a strong sense of community. Nebraska checked those boxes. I was excited to leave Minnesota, to experience something new, to be somewhere I didn’t know anyone. I pictured myself going to a big sports school and majoring in sports marketing, which made Nebraska the perfect fit.
During my first month there, I kept wondering, Is this really what college is supposed to feel like? I didn’t feel at home. I’d sit through lectures, walk across campus, and realize I didn’t have a place that felt like mine. I missed the familiarity of Stillwater, MN—not just my family and friends, but the sense of belonging that came with it. When I came home for fall break, I could feel the difference instantly. It wasn’t just nostalgia; it was clarity.
Emily (right) with her college roommates during freshman orientation week at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
MAKING THE DECISION TO TRANSFER
I thought about transferring for weeks, maybe months. It wasn’t a decision that came easily. I had several late-night conversations with friends from home, friends at Nebraska who cared about me, and even the Minnesota and Nebraska transfer coordinators who helped me navigate what felt like an impossible choice. Leaving meant admitting that something wasn’t working, and that was both terrifying and freeing.
It wasn’t just that Nebraska “wasn’t working.” It felt heavier than that. Admitting I wanted to leave meant admitting that I had made the wrong choice, maybe the first big mistake of my adult life. I’d worked so hard to get there, told everyone how excited I was, and now I wasn’t happy. I remember sitting in my dorm room one night after another long day of classes, feeling drained and out of place. That moment — realizing it wasn’t about college, but about fit — changed everything.
As I started thinking about my future, I realized I wanted to plant roots in Minneapolis. I hoped to be close to the Fortune 500 companies I’d grown up hearing about: 3M, Target, General Mills, Best Buy — and I knew the Carlson School had strong ties to those networks. I wanted a business school that could open doors, where I could gain real-world experience and connect with professionals who inspired me. The more I researched the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School, the more I could see myself there. I didn’t see my future in Nebraska anymore, but I could see it in Minnesota.
When I decided to apply, I poured everything into that application. Waiting for the decision was agonizing; I refreshed my email constantly. When I finally saw the word “Congratulations,” I cried right there in the dining hall. It wasn’t just relief — it was the moment I knew I had taken control of my path.
FACING THE TRANSFER REALITY
When I got to Minnesota, I was nervous. What if I never caught up? I knew I had only three years to build my network, gain experience, and secure internships. It was intimidating.
But I quickly realized that a shorter timeline didn’t mean fewer opportunities, it just meant I had to be intentional. Before classes even started, I attended Transfer Welcome Day, met with my advisor and a career coach, and explored campus with my new roommates to find my classrooms ahead of time. My advisor gave me advice I still think about: “Don’t compare your chapter one to someone else’s chapter five.” It reminded me that everyone’s journey looks different, and that I had the power to make mine meaningful.
That first weekend, I went to a Gopher football game with my roommates. As the crowd sang the school song and the stadium pulsed with energy, I felt something I hadn’t in months. For the first time since high school, I could see myself staying.
Carlson Crew leaders together to celebrate College Day and welcoming incoming first-year and transfer students to Minnesota Carlson.
FINDING BELONGING AND BUILDING CONFIDENCE
Even with that preparation, my first semester as a transfer student wasn’t easy. Everyone around me already seemed to know each other. They had friend groups and internships lined up.
Before classes even began, one of my biggest sources of stress was finding roommates. I was anxious about who I’d live with and whether I’d find people I connected with. I spent hours scrolling through the University of Minnesota’s Facebook page, where students posted about needing an extra roommate. Thankfully, I found a group of women who welcomed me with open arms. From the first day, they were kind, genuine, and made me feel like I belonged. Having a solid living situation made all the difference—it gave me stability and confidence when everything else felt new. They showed me around campus, helped me figure out the bus system, and went with me to fun events. They quickly became my people, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.
Carlson’s Design Your Life course was another turning point. I enrolled in a section made entirely of transfer students, where we developed an understanding of our values and goals for our time at Carlson. In our first session, we did an exercise where we mapped our “pivot points” — the key decisions that shaped who we were. Seeing “Transfer to Carlson” written on my paper stopped me. For the first time, I saw that choice not as a setback, but as my turning point.
I also started saying “yes” more often. I joined Women in Business and the Student Marketing Association (SMA). At my very first SMA event, one of my roommates, who was on the board, introduced me to everyone. Each board member personally came up to welcome me, ask about my story, and share how excited they were that I’d joined Carlson. It was the first time I truly felt like I belonged.
I began introducing myself to professors after class and attending networking events, even when I was intimidated. One of those events eventually led to my first marketing internship — a reminder that saying “yes,” even when you’re unsure, can open the best doors.
Emily in the Hanson Hall skyway at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School during her transfer orientation day.
THRIVING IN THE SECOND CHAPTER
By the time my second semester rolled around, I felt grounded — surrounded by supportive roommates, a growing community at Carlson, and a clearer sense of who I wanted to become. Transferring taught me that growth doesn’t come from comfort, but from the moments you choose to lean in and show up.
My first marketing internship taught me how to turn creative ideas into measurable results, while my summer internship at Cargill pushed me to think strategically about how marketing connects across global teams. Later, my role as a Content & Design Assistant in the undergraduate program showed me the power of brand storytelling and authentic community engagement. These experiences deepened my passion for marketing and helped me chart my own career path.
Academically, I worked hard and was proud to maintain a high GPA — a reminder that I could hold my own in these classrooms. Eventually, I became a Carlson Crew Teaching Assistant, helping to welcome new students, especially transfers.
One student I worked with reminded me a lot of myself. She had just transferred from another school and admitted during our first meeting that she was worried she’d made another wrong choice. We met for coffee, and I shared my story, how uncertain I’d once felt, and how that uncertainty had turned into confidence over time. A few months later, she told me she’d joined two student organizations and had found her own group of friends. Watching her confidence grow was one of the most rewarding parts of my Carlson experience.
Now, when I walk into a Carlson classroom, it’s not a sea of strangers, it’s a community of peers who challenge and inspire me. I’m no longer just another face in the crowd. I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
Emily and her friend Chloe outside the Nebraska Union spending time together.
TO EVERY STUDENT CONSIDERING A CHANGE
If you’re reading this and wondering whether to transfer, know this: it’s okay to realize that your first choice wasn’t your forever fit. Choosing to start somewhere new isn’t a failure, it’s self-awareness.
Look beyond rankings or names. Research how schools support transfer students, what resources they offer, and how they help you integrate into their community. And when you get there, say yes often. Show up. Reach out. Build belonging for yourself.
For me, transferring wasn’t just about switching schools, it was about realigning my life with who I wanted to become. It was scary, uncertain, and messy at times. But it also gave me confidence, clarity, and a sense of purpose I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Transferring taught me that sometimes, the best decision you can make for your future is to have the courage to change your path.
Emily Elletson is a Marketing major at the Carlson School of Management, minoring in Strategic Management. She’s a Content & Design Assistant for the Carlson School undergraduate program and actively involved in the Student Marketing Association and Women in Business.
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