If you are planning on transferring to a four year college it is important to begin gathering information early. Associate Dean of Students Carroll O'Neal suggests beginning at least one year beforehand since there's a lot to know about the process of transferring schools.

Different schools have different criteria for what they expect from transfer students. O'Neal suggested going to the Student Development Center to investigate. There, the counselors can present good information and advice, and they may also know the best person to speak with on the campus that you're interested in.

Carroll O'Neal

School websites are also very helpful. The websites are generally pretty straightforward and the transfer student page is usually easy to find. (See some links below.)

The criteria for MU and UMKC are pretty similar. If a student has completed 24 or more credit hours, he or she will need to meet freshmen criteria and have college transcripts sent.

If a student has completed less than 24 hours, they will need to meet the Freshmen Application criteria, which means the student should submit their ACT and/or SAT scores along with their GED or high school transcripts.

Park University's website doesn't provide much information on credit hours, but does say an essay is required of transfer students.

O'Neal says before transferring, students should visit and spend time on other campuses. Ask your counselor who to talk to or what building to go to, and spend some time learning about the campus.

Penn Valley has a program with UMKC, Park University, and the Kansas City Art Institute called KCASE (Kansas City Area Exchange). If you're a full time student, you can take a class at any of these three campuses for free. This is a great way to get a feel for a different campus and decide if you like it or not. Plus, you'll save money!

According to O'Neal, the biggest mistake that a transfer student can make is thinking that every class taken at Penn Valley will transfer to the new school. That is not always the case. It's important to plan ahead and make sure you are taking classes that will transfer.

Four year universities come to Penn Valley frequently set up a table for students to visit. If you are planning on transferring, stop by and talk to the school representatives. Universities also have what they call Transfer Days, where prospective transfer students can go and visit the campus.

Transferring schools is not an easy process. It takes a lot of time and planning, but if you gather the right information, you'll be glad you thought ahead.

http://www.mizzou.edu
http://www.umkc.edu
http://www.park.edu

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