Dr. Kassabian's Advice on Transferring -- Virtually Advising

Dr. Kassabian's Advice on Transferring:

Transferring is a sticky business, so think through it carefully. On one hand, if you've gotten bad grades and think you've cleaned up your act, it can be a way of wiping the slate clean. (Your GPA generally doesn't come with you.) On the other hand, you always - yes, always - lose credits and time and money. And sometimes you think you know what you want, go through all the work to transfer, then find out you were wrong. (As someone who transferred three times, I know whereof I speak on this.)

So, you might transfer if you're absolutely sure you're looking for something your current school doesn't have. You might transfer as a way of getting a second chance. Another reason to transfer is to move up the prestige ladder if you're thinking of going to grad school. Not so surprisingly, some students who didn't love high school find themselves in college. If you're at a school that doesn't routinely send students to the kind of graduate school you're hoping to attend, think about transferring. It's not just that the name of the school matters - schools have infrastructures for students that cater to their student bodies. So a school that routinely sends graduates off to good schools knows how to advise students about getting in and makes resources available.

When you're thinking of transferring, just be sure you know why you're going and what the costs will be. Then you can make a clear, carefully reasoned decision.

—Anahid Kassabian, Chief Advisor