Rethinking your college choice?

Female looking a lab vial

Around weeks four or five, new college students are getting set in their semester “groove”. Courses are set, relationships with instructors are established (hopefully), friendships with classmates are formed, and the class papers/projects are set in motion.

Is the motion different than you expected? Did your college throw you an unexpected curveball? Do you just “have that feeling” it isn’t the right match?

It happens.

At Moraine Park Technical College, we see students transferring into our college all the time. Students that started undeclared elsewhere and now know what they want to do. Students looking for more hands-on classrooms and labs. Most recently, students that started at ITT-Tech.

Finding the right college fit can be tough; but the reward when you do find the right fit is wonderful. It is like the perfect pair of jeans. You know them; they know you. They are comfortable enough to keep you moving. You feel confident wearing them and you see yourself keeping them for a while. What works for you, may not work for your best friend. (But real friends will remain friends, even if they wear different types of jeans).

There are a few key factors to think about when you are thinking about transferring colleges.

  1. Have you talked with someone (teacher, advisor, or counselor) at your current college? Maybe there are some opportunities you are missing. Remember, this college thing is new to you.
  2. It is okay to transfer. In fact, it is quite common. More than one-third of all college students transfer at least once. More than half of transfers from 4-year colleges transfer to 2-year community colleges. (National Student Clearinghouse). It may be difficult to tell certain people, but if you do your research and let them know “why”, they usually understand.
  3. It is better to transfer earlier than later. The first-semester classes have a better chance of matching other college first-semester classes versus later classes. The number of credits you accumulate and the number of colleges you attend can eventually affect your financial aid. At Moraine Park Technical College, we will do an unofficial review of your transcripts for students interested in transferring to our college.
  4. Ask yourself a few key questions (and be honest with yourself).
    • Do I know what I want as a career? How can I get there?
    • Do I want my instructors to know who I am? What size college is right for me?
    • How do I learn best? Am I more of a doer or a thinker?
  5. Visit the new college. Ask questions. See the labs. Talk with instructors or current students. The more you know, the better decision you can make. Events like the upcoming Career Showcase at Moraine Park Technical College are perfect times to see what is offered.
  6. Keep studying. You always want to present your very best. Stay strong in the classes you are in. The more you can transfer in, the further ahead you will be.
Written by admin