By ALYSSA FANT
Online Editor
As Amarillo College enters the second half of the spring semester, many students’ thoughts are turning to transfer. Jamie Perez, the director of transfer and success, said prospective transfer, said students need to start now to get ready for university next year.
“Every student needs to do research when they are getting ready to transfer to decide what university they want to attend,” he said. “Even students who have a university in mind need to do some research.”
Amarillo College’s website has information to help transfer students, including how to attend virtual transfer sessions held by universities such as West Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University and Eastern New Mexico University. These sessions will teach students about what their perspective university offers in their field of study and their available resources. The website also offers a transfer guide that tells students what they need to know before applying to a university. More information is available at https://www.actx.edu/advising/transfer-information.
Ella Duck, a general studies major, said her college plans changed due to COVID. “I am so thankful I could attend AC with my Thrive scholarship and take classes online,” she said. “Originally I had planned to attend Texas Tech and may go there as a sophomore. I am also considering Colorado Christian University and am in the application process there. I’m just trying to take basics and work part-time to be as prepared for my sophomore year wherever I end up.”
Perez said students should research are university admission requirements. Some schools require a higher GPA than others, but most schools will say that you have to be in good standing, which means you can’t be on probation from the prior college and must have a 2.0 GPA or higher. Some universities also have specific academic requirements for particular programs.
Students should also research the costs of going to that university. Things such as living on or off-campus will affect the cost of going to that school. It may be better for some students to go to a school they live near. Different schools have different requirements for students who live off-campus, such as age. Some students may prefer virtual online learning over in-person classes, so checking to see what virtual classes the university offers is important, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alison Neatherlin, an interdisciplinary studies major, transferred from Amarillo College to West Texas A&M University. “You definitely should start planning early,” she said. “Find out what steps you will need to take, who you need to talk to and if you need financial aid. Do not wait until the last minute. You might also want to familiarize yourself with the campus. When you find out what your classes are, scope them out beforehand.”
Another important step is to look at the scholarships offered by that university for transfer students. Many scholarships are tied to GPA. Some colleges also require you to fill out a general scholarship application form before transferring.
After doing research and choosing a university, the next step would be to submit an application form to that university. Most universities have an admissions portal on their website. Universities will ask transfer students to send in an official AC transcript. Do this by going to the Ask AC desk in the Student Services Center and ask for a transcript to be sent to that university.
Once the application is sent in, students should check their emails consistently for an acceptance letter, information on how to set up a student portal and other updates on housing, student life and college services.
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