The Secrets of Successful Transfer Students

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Transfer students make up a good portion of our student population each year.   Last year Chico State admitted 3,306 transfer students alone.   As an insider to the admission process, I wanted to share some strategies I wish more students would employ to avoid disappointments and delays when trying to transfer.  

1.    Successful transfer students understand what classes they need to take.   Not all community college courses are transferable.  I’ve seen students fail to grasp this essential fact over and over again.  Working with your community college transfer center, a community college counselor and assist.org will help clarify the difference between transferable and non-transferable courses. 

2.    Successful transfer students leverage all their resources.  I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to get help when you need it.  Community colleges are busy and very crowded places.  Students need to learn to self-advocate, to ask questions and be persistent.  Does your campus have cross enrollment programs?  Can you join EOPS?  What programs are available to help students be successful?  Find out and join up, you won’t regret it. 

3.    Successful transfer students understand the application process clearly.  It’s important to connect early on with the university you want to transfer to.  I’ve witnessed a lot of confusion about admission requirements.   How many units do you need to complete?   Does having an AA or an AS guarantee admission?  Does your transfer campus require you to complete lower division major requirements as part of admission?  Students need to find out directly from the source.   If you want the bottom line, ask admission representatives what will keep you out of their university. 

4.    Successful transfer students know grades matter. Transfer admission in an era of budget cuts is becoming an increasingly competitive.   Students with lower GPA’s are finding it more difficult to transfer.  If a campus requires a 2.0 GPA to be eligible to transfer, a 1.98 GPA will not cut it.   Often campuses look at cumulative GPAs; a bad semester will follow you wherever you go.   Start strong, and finish strong academically.  
  

5.    Successful transfer students read university e-mails frequently and take deadlines seriously.  It’s common for Chico State to get over 22,000 applications in a year.   If a student does not respond to a request, pay a fee, or submit a transcript, chances are they won’t be an applicant for long.   The reality is that students who don’t follow through with deadlines make it easier for others to get admitted in their place.

Take it from me; successful transfer students are not passive.  They've learned their stuff and not only in an academic sense.  Do you have specific questions or topics you'd like to learn more about.  Feel free to ask in the comment or shoot me an email at chicoadmissioncounselor@gmail.com. 

Spring 2013 Admissions

 

We've been receiving a lot of phone calls and emails about the spring 2013 application period.  At this point, we don’t have a definite spring plan yet.  It appears that we may offer limited spring admission for very specific populations.  Potentially, upper division transfer students from Butte College, College of the Siskiyous, Feather River College, Lassen College, Shasta College, or Yuba College may be given the green light to apply for spring.  Students from these campuses may be considered if they have completed at least 30 units in residence and are also regularly admissible. 

We may also be admitting students with community college certified AA-T or AS-T degrees.  If you’re not sure what AA-T or AS-T degrees are, I’d recommend consulting the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office website for a list of approved degrees.  Students should work directly with their community college if they’d like more information about obtaining certified degrees.   Chico State may also be open to veteran populations.  It's important to remember that this isn't the final word about spring 2013 and all this is subject to change.  Final decisions will be available the last week in July.   Keep checking this space for the spring 2013 application status.

Fall 2012 Admissions Update Part 2

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s happening here in the Office of Admissions as of today:

1.       We are still processing applications for fall 2012.   A good deal of admissions decisions have already gone out, but we’re not quite done with all of them yet.  During spring break our databases were down for an upgrade, so we couldn’t process applications, but now we are back in full force.

2.     Students should still be checking Portal Accounts and Wildcat Email accounts because the most current and up to date information about admission decisions will always be there.  Often, notifications via the Portal and/or email are the quickest and only way to get information as we send far fewer letters and cards these days. 

3.     May 1^st is the all important Intent to Enroll (IE) deadline and unless you are exempt based on financial need, submit your $200 non-refundable deposit.  This tells us you’re definitely coming and saves your space at Chico State.  Hint: don’t wait until the last day and risk some sort of system failure on our part or computer malfunction on yours.

4.      If you are an admitted student there are a lot of things still left to be done.  You’ll want to make sure to use your What’s Next handout we sent in your admissions packet.  We hope this month-by-month guide will help you take care of other important deadlines like Housing, Financial Aid and Orientation.

5.    Speaking of Summer Orientation, their website is live. Check out their calendar and get a sense of when you might like to come.   We strongly encourage you to attend, as you are able to sit down with an advisor, get help selecting classes and register. 

6.    Not sure what residence hall  you want to live in?  Check out the virtual tours available online.   Just click on any of the hall names and  they will take you to floor plans, videos and more!  The housing application is now open to students.   

Choosing Chico

Hola Amigos!  We’re living in exciting times, are we not?   We now know that admissions decisions for first-time freshmen and transfer students are going out as I write and you’re aware, (because I’ve pretty much not let up going on and on about them) of submission deadlines.   Once you know you’ve been admitted to Chico State what’s the next logical step, besides jumping for joy and calling your friends?   Visiting campus, of course!  Really, any time is a great time to visit Chico State.  We’re a welcoming bunch and we love hosting students and their families every day, but I wanted to send out a very special invite to our spring preview event called Choose Chico! 

Choose Chico! is my favorite event of the year.  This day is especially geared towards students who have already been admitted.  Some have made up their minds and are coming for specific answers about Chico State and others are perhaps still unsure of which campus they’ll ultimately choose.  That's great!   On April 14, 2012, Chico State will roll out the red carpet for all admitted students and their families.   Everyone here, departments, faculty and current students, will be on hand to give you a bird’s- eye view of what the Chico Experience is really like.  Our Choose Chico! event will be packed with informational workshops on topics like financial aid and housing.  You will be able to participate in academic showcases with faculty and department deans.  Tours of housing, the campus and our community will also be on-going throughout the day.   

Another great aspect of Choose Chico! is that families can attend as many or as few of the sessions as they’d like.   There’s no pressure to do everything, but all the highlights of our campus are definitely represented.  There’s no charge to attend Choose Chico!, but we’d like for our guests to register online, so that we can better prepare for everyone’s visit.  It’s a simple, easy process and I hope lots of people will take advantage of this opportunity!  

This year is particularly special because we’re also celebrating our 125^th Anniversary on April 14!    Officially, it’s our Quasquicentennial!   Try saying that three times fast!  Even our current students have trouble, as you’ll see in the video below.   Adios for now!   We hope to see you on April 14th!

From Chico With Love

Hello there, future Chico State students!  I hope you had an amazing Valentine’s Day.    One of the fun things about writing this blog is seeing the search keywords people use to find us online.  As a little belated Valentine’s Day gift to you, I’ve decided to answer some of the questions that lead readers to chicoadmissionscounselor.blogspot.com in the first place.

Q. When will I hear back from Chico State about fall 2012 admission? 

A.  Very soon.   Decisions go out on a rolling basis so, it could be this week, it could be next month, but decisions are definitely going out.  Most students will know one way or another by early March.   It’s important to check your Chico State email account and Portal because what could be potentially holding up your decision is a request we’ve made of you, but hasn’t been fulfilled yet.   Remember deadlines are important!

Q.  What happens if you’ve missed the Chico State application deadline for fall 2012?  

A.  Think "Plan B” because Chico State is definitely closed for fall 2012.  Unfortunately, at this point there’s very little applicants can do.  We don’t have a waiting list.  It is possible to petition our office for special permission to apply late via a Hardship Letter sent to Admissions, but these requests are only granted for very extenuating circumstances, like military deployment, so it’s not likely that letters will be approved.  The next regular application period for fall 2013 will be from October 1, 2012 through November 30, 2012. 

 
Q.  Can I transfer to Chico State in 2012?   

A.  The application period for spring 2012 was from August 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011, so unfortunately transfers for this year aren’t possible anymore.   Students can contact us in late July 2012 to see what the status for the spring 2013 application will be.  We really don’t know what our spring 2013 plan is yet, but once we know students will see the announcement here and on our “Want to Apply”  webpage.    If we happen to open for spring 2013, the application will available from August 1^st through August 31^st of this year. 

Q.  What do I do once I’ve been accepted to Chico State?

A.  First of all, hurrah for you!   Congratulations and welcome to the Chico State family!  Once you receive your admissions decision you’ll be required to submit your Intent to Enroll (IE) decision and unless you are exempt based on financial need, your $200 non- refundable deposit by May 1^st.  This tells us you’re definitely coming and saves your space in Chico!  In your admission packet you’ll also find a “What’s Next” flyer with all the deadlines for making your transition to Chico State as smooth as possible.   Please read it closely and take action.

Q.  How do I become an admissions counselor? 

A.  I thought this was funny way of stumbling across our blog, so answering this isn’t completely gratuitous.  The road to the glamorous life of an admissions counselor is varied.  However, admissions counselors definitely have a bachelor’s degree; usually in a subject that lends itself to communicating with people.   I was an English major, but majors like communications, psychology or student services are also good.  Really, a student’s major is almost incidental in a way; practical work experience in higher education is the making of a future admissions counselor.  Working in university offices as a student is a great way to gain knowledge of what it’s like to be an admissions counselor.  If you can work as university tour guide, orientation leader or financial aid assistant, these will lay a good foundation for a career in higher education down the road. 

That’s all for now, stay tuned for my next post when I’ll tell you about some of the awesome activities taking place on April 14th for Choose Chico!   It's an amazing opportunity to see what the campus as to offer and you can help us celebrate our 125th anniversary at the same time.  Until next week! 

Fall 2012 Admissions Update

Hello potential students!   My apologies for the long silence, things have been hopping here in the Office of Admissions, as you can well imagine.  We’ve been receiving transcripts and test scores and all manner of required documents.  I hope you’re staying abreast of your own requirement deadlines and checking your Chico Portal account and Wildcat email regularly.  We’re getting tons of phone calls about whether we’ve received your transcripts and I just wanted to remind everyone that processing takes time; so we really appreciate your patience on our end.  

I’ve got some good news about fall 2012 admissions decisions.  A big part of the application process has been decided!    We know what the initial fall 2012 eligibility index is for in-state freshmen students!   If you’re an in-state, first-time freshman, who has earned a 3200 eligibility index and are on the way to completing your A-G requirements, chances are good you’ll be admitted.  Transfers who are waiting to hear can rest a little easier too.  We know that the out of our local admission area GPA cut off is a 2.5 GPA for transfers.  From this point on, more and more admission decisions will go out every week.  Check your mail boxes because there’s good news on its way! 

On a completely unrelated note, we hosted a PIQE Parent Empowerment Conference on campus last weekend and I wanted to share two of my favorite quotes from the day.  One junior said, “I’ve been here two hours and I love it already.  I want to come here!”  I did internal fist pumps for Chico State when I heard that.    One of the dads who attended called our campus, “a temple, a temple of learning.”  Not too shabby if I do say so myself!  Sometimes I think working for Chico State is the easiest job in the world because the physical beauty of the campus is such a huge asset.  It’s pretty much love at first sight when students visit.  Have you seen Chico State for yourself?  Schedule a tour!  It’s easy and we’d love to host you.  Until next time! 

New Links for a New Year

Happy 2012!  Are you excited to see what the New Year will hold?   Perhaps you’ll be a Chico State Wildcat in a few months time.  Wouldn’t that be a great way to kick off 2012?   In the spirit of new beginnings, I wanted to share some of the online places future Chico State students might find useful.    

·     Chico State’s Student Portal:  I know I talk about the Student Portal a lot, so this isn't exactly new, but that’s because the Portal is super important.  It holds the key to a lot of the processes that you’ll have to complete before you come to campus.  If you’ve applied to our campus and haven’t created your portal account yet, do it ASAP.   All you need is your Chico State student ID number we’ve sent to you and your date of birth.   It’s easy peasy and you'll save yourself tons of trouble by staying abreast of requirements and deadlines. 

·    Need to make a safe and secure online payment? CashNet is a great tool to do just that.  Note that VISA is not accepted, but most other major credit cards are.  

·     Scholarships:  Okay, also not new, but what can I say, I'm a giver!  I want students to benefit from all the amazing opportunities we have here.  They are often based on academic achievement, but there are also athletic scholarships, community service scholarships and scholarships that are attached to different majors.  Students should to apply in the fall the year before they plan to attend.  

·     Housing:  Students can take virtual tours of all our housing facilities.  That’s right; students can see floor plans and get inside and outside views of all Chico State's dorms and common areas.   

·     Did you know Chico State has a nationally recognized, awarding winning student newspaper?   Check out The Orion  for an inside view of what current Chico State students are thinking, writing and talking about. 

·     Are you interested in playing for one of Chico State’s Division II sport teams?  Fill out the recruit questionnaire as a first step and then checkout the Athletics page.

·     Go to college and see the world?  Is that possible?  Yes!  Chico State's Study Abroad program sends students to every continent except Antarctica.  How’s that for adventure in the New Year?

I hope 2012 will be amazing for you and that Chico State will be a major part of the bright future ahead of many, many students.   Go Wildcats!