I am currently pursuing a double major in neuroscience and psychology from the College of Arts & Sciences here at CU Boulder! I transferred at the beginning of my sophomore year from Louisiana State University. I have a lot to share about my transfer experience, as I have learned a lot through my now three years at CU. Let me take you through my top 5 best learned tips and tricks!
1. Apply early, and do your research
First of all, make sure you apply as soon as possible and early enough so you have time to ensure you have all materials for your application process. Requesting transcripts from your current college can take time, and you do not want to apply too late and have this be a reason you are not considered for scholarships CU Boulder offers! Additionally, if you have questions about the transfer process, be sure to look on the admissions website first before giving up and emailing admissions.ÌýDon’t get me wrong, admissions is wonderful and there areÌýa great staff members to help you, but I will say that CU Boulder’s website is chock-full of all the information you could ever need to apply to any of its colleges, schools or programs, so I would rely on it for any research prior to applying and during your application process.
2. Take advantage of your academic advisors-- immediately!
Once admitted, the first thing I did was seek out my academic advisor, and to this day I am SO glad I did. My advisor has not only been an excellent resource to me time and time again, but is now a friend of mine that I plan on sending my graduation announcement to! She is the reason I am a double major, as she pushed me to my fullest potential here and made sure I felt comfortable with my academic plan. I made sure to see her at least 2 times a semester, which may seem like a lot but this made me feel much more at ease with my academic progress and that I was on track to graduate with good standing. Be sure to schedule appointments with your advisor early and before registration for classes comes around, as during that time they are booked out for weeks at a time. The earlier, the better.
3. Use off-campus resources like Ralphie’s List to find housing and potential roommates
One other thing I did immediately after being admitted was log on to Ralphie’s List, which is basically like a Craigslist but for CU Boulder students only, to find potential roommates and off-campus housing. This is how I found a great apartment only a mile down the road from Folsom Field and my roommate! I highly recommend Ralphie’s List for transfers as it made me feel much more comfortable moving here when I had secured housing and a roommate that I was able to text and get to know prior to arriving.
4. Use campus resources like Career Services to boost your potential careers and learn about different career pathways
One of my greatest pieces of advice is to reach out to Career Services here at CU Boulder as well. Career Services helps students in many ways, with resume writing, obtaining potential interviews, job research, academic pathways and more. My counselor from Career Services helped me build my resume and obtain a prestigious internship working indirectly for the Boulder County DA’s office--an internship which only accepts 3 students per semester! They also helped me obtain an interview with someone who was able to speak to me about applying for the FBI, and what kind of pathway I might take if I wanted to do so. They are a fantastic office and resource that I feel is unknown to many on campus.
5. Follow CU Boulder’s @FutureBuffs Instagram and Transfer Facebook to connect with students and see what student life is actually like
Another great way to see what student life is actually like is following CU Boulder's AdmissionsÌýInstagram () and . When doing this, I was able to see real life students speak about their experience and what it was like to transfer to CU-- what they like about Colorado, what there is to do here, anything really. Through the Facebook Group, you can also connect with other transfer students, which is a great way to build a friend base even before moving to the state!
I believe a lot of transfer students feel the same when they say why they wanted to transfer-- in one way or another, the college they were attending just wasn’t what they were looking for. A lot of the things I was missing at LSU I found to be the best things here at CU Boulder. If you are thinking about transferring, I encourage you to really explore how you can get the most out of your time here at CU Boulder by reaching out to all of its possible entities. TheÌýprograms, services and staff are in place to help you succeed here, and after transferring here I have never looked back! I cannot speak enough about the excellent staff and services CU Boulder has offered me. My application process and transfer was smooth and painless, as I felt I had support from transfer admissions counselors at every step of the way. After admittance, I had even more support than ever before, and even graduating 3 years later this has never wavered.ÌýI am proud to be a Transfer Buff and am so glad I chose CU Boulder to be my home for these last few years!