Transferring from a community college to a four-year university can be stressful. From transfer essays to application fees, the whole process feels impossible. 

Since starting at Schoolcraft in the summer of 2021, I knew my end goal was to transfer to a four-year university. I am currently a pre-med major and plan to transfer to a school with a good neuroscience program. I started off as a dual-enrollment student and had not met with an academic advisor throughout my entire first year. 

Soon after graduating I realized how big of a mistake that was. 

Meeting with my advisor, Anthony Kaltner, not only allowed me to step back and reconsider my classes at Schoolcraft, but also gave me the opportunity to meet transfer advisors from different universities who could better guide me on their schools policies. 

My first few meetings with Kaltner were geared more towards my current course loads and what I would need to graduate to obtain my Phlebotomy Certification and my Associates Degree in Science. 

After we had seemingly planned out the rest of my time at Schoolcraft, we began to discuss the future. In March of 2023, I was introduced to different academic advisors from different universities. I reviewed the classes I had already taken, and had planned for my future semesters. I then found out that several of the courses I had planned would NOT transfer over as I thought they would. 

The courses did in fact transfer, but they transferred as courses I had already taken/ satisfied a credit for. Meeting with a transfer advisor from a university I was interested in also helped me find a course list for the majors and minors I was interested in. 

After fixing my course schedule I was given the contact information of admissions staff from the universities to which I was applying. The staff has helped me with transfer essays, applications and any questions I had along the way. From blank pages to full essays, I was able to get assistance in both the brainstorming and the writing stages. 

As with any new thing, I had a ton of anxiety trying to navigate this process. I feared that I would mess up or forget parts of my application. I now realize that is completely absurd, not only because many institutions have checklists for transfer applications, but also because I am completely capable. 

That’s not to say I hadn’t struggled throughout this process. 

Although I had help with my essays, I still sat at my computer for hours staring down an empty screen. I still felt the paralyzing anxiety that I wasn’t good enough or that my application wasn’t strong enough. There was no transfer advisor for fear, I thought I was all alone in that regard. It wasn’t until I started talking about how I felt about my application rather than what I had to do for my application. The transfer process takes a team, which includes friends and family for emotional support. 

I have many regrets regarding how I went about my transfer process. I wish I had started sooner, I wish I had met with an advisor more often and I wish I had learned more about this in high school. All those regrets, and yet I wouldn’t change anything. 

The way in which I started my transfer journey may have been stressful, but it has connected me to so many wonderful people and opportunities. I was able to land a fellowship, network, make new friends, learn about new organizations and make new memories because of it all. Although treacherous, the process of transferring has been worth every second. 

I am currently in the midst of submitting my applications and awaiting the results. I feel hopeful that all the hard work I have put in will help me out in the future. 

Hopefully, with the knowledge and experience I have gained from this process, I will be at a new university by the winter semester.