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Home > Current Students > Transfer from NDSCS > What is your Academic Goal?
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Characteristics of Colleges:
The following is a list of Characteristics to consider when choosing a college to attend.
Size - A college's size is most often determined by the number of students it has. A college's overall size can affect class size, social life, availability of courses and resources, the range of activities, and your opportunity to participate in them.
Location - Is the college close to home or far away? Is the college near an airport, train station, or bus station? How do you get to it? Is the college near anyone you know? Is the weather warm or cold, rainy or dry? What activities are near the college (museums, sports events, hiking, and so forth)?
Setting - A college's immediate surroundings make up its setting. College settings are usually described as urban, suburban, small town, and rural. Setting also refers to the campus. Does the campus have a lake or a pond? Is it flat or hilly? Is it wooded? What style is its architecture? Is the campus big or small? Is the campus spread out or are the buildings close together? How far are the classroom buildings and the library from student housing or the parking lots?
Cost - College costs vary quite a lot. Whether you attend a two-year or a four-year college affects your costs, as do other factors, such as whether you choose a public college or a private college.
Financial assistance - Some colleges can offer more support than others. Whether you can afford a particular college depends on more than its costs. Your true cost is also based on how much financial assistance you receive. As you gather information, try to learn how many students receive assistance from the colleges in which you are interested and what types of assistance they receive.
Available majors - Most colleges, especially large universities, offer many academic programs. Some specialize in areas such as performing arts, religious studies, culinary arts, or technology. Colleges have different strengths. Academic opportunity- At many colleges, once you are accepted, you can major in whatever area you want. However, some areas of study, like engineering and nursing, may be limited to a certain number of students. Therefore, checking any restrictions a college may have on your favorite program is a very important part of gathering information.
Student-faculty ratio - A relatively easy piece of information to find is the number of students at a college for each faculty member. This ratio is often used to indicate the opportunities that students have to interact with their professors. At a college with a 13:1 student-faculty ratio, you are likely to have more access to professors than at a college with a 25:1 ratio.
The faculty - How many faculty members have advanced degrees? Are most classes taught by full-time professors, by their assistants, or by part-time faculty? Who has received research, writing, or teaching awards? Do any departments receive more of these awards? Are any of the departments recognized nationally when compared to departments at other colleges?
Accreditation - In order to drive a car, you must earn your license by showing the Department of Motor Vehicles that you meet a set of standards. In a similar way, a college earns its accreditation by showing it has met certain standards. One type of accreditation is the kind the college earns as a whole. The college shows that it meets standards for its educational program, the services it provides, and its facilities. Accreditation is important to a student because it ensures access to federal financial aid programs and it provides a vehicle for transfer of courses between colleges. NDSCS is accredited by the Higher LearningCommission-A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the largest of the national accrediting associations. Several programs such as nursing, automotive, dental, etc. also are accredited which means their curriculum and faculty meet national standards.
College facilities - The buildings and other facilities on the college campus are an important factor when you are comparing colleges. Are the buildings in good shape? Are classrooms comfortable? If you are going to live on campus in a dormitory, how big are the rooms? How close to the classroom buildings are they? How are the heating and air-conditioning systems throughout the campus? Is the library up-to-date? Is it crowded? Are the chairs comfortable for studying? Does it have electronic resources as well as books? Do science and technology labs have modern equipment? Can you easily set up your computer in your room? Is it easy to access the Internet from different places on campus? What are the athletic facilities like? How many dining halls are there and where are they located? Where is the student union (a center of activity for students) located and what facilities does it have? Health-care facilities- Learn what facilities are on campus in case you get sick or have health concerns such as asthma or diabetes. Is medical care available 24 hours a day? What kind of health insurance does the college offer? Where are hospitals located? Are there any hospitals on campus? Does the college charge for health-care services? If so, how much? Campus security- How much crime, and what kind, takes place on campus? Is the college well lit at night? Does the college have an escort service to walk students across campus at night? Does the college have its own security force? How easy is it to reach them? Are emergency phones readily available if you need to dial for help? How well protected are the parking lot and bike racks? How secure are the buildings where students live?
Transportation - If you plan to live on campus, you might have questions about how easy it is to get from campus to nearby shopping, entertainment, or airports. Does the college provide buses or other transportation? Are parking spaces available to students who live on campus? If you plan to live off campus and commute to class, you will also want to know about public transportation and parking spaces. You may want to know how close buses or trains come to campus, how often they run, what hours they run, and how much they cost. If you plan to drive to campus, you should know how much a parking permit costs, how crowded parking lots are, and their distance from classrooms, the library, and other facilities you would regularly use.
Diversity - College gives you a unique opportunity to interact closely with people whose experiences and outlook are different from your own. Many colleges try to attract students who represent the diversity of our population.
Religion - Many colleges have interfaith chapels that serve many denominations. They may also have advisors for specific religious groups. You will want to know whether services for your own faith are held on campus or in the community.
Students with special needs - If you are disabled or have other special circumstances, get the information you need early on about how the college can help you. Most colleges have offices or counselors who can work with you to solve or prevent problems. Many colleges provide help for students whose first language is not English. Other factors are important as well. For example, students who have learning disabilities may prefer small classes. Challenge and reputation- Some colleges are harder than other colleges. Courses are tougher, the workload is heavier, and competition is stiffer. One way to judge the difficulty of a course is to look at the skill level needed for taking the course.
Student activities - What clubs does the college have? Do many guest speakers and performers come to the college? What opportunities does the college have for you to get involved? Will you be able to act in a play or sing in a chorus? Will you be able to be active with student government? Can you become active with a college newspaper or other publication? If you like sports, will you be able to play with a college-sponsored team? Are there intramural sports available?
Your overall feeling for the college - Some colleges may not feel right to you no matter how many strengths they have. Others have weaknesses but still feel right to you. At some point ask yourself: "What does my heart tell me about the college? Does it feel like a place where I would like to be?" You may receive lots of advice from others and, in some cases, pressure to go one place or another. Certainly the views of others are important. But at some point you must listen to your own inner voice and whether it says to you, "This college will be great for me!"
Excerpt taken from The Kids' College Almanac, Third Edition, by Barbara C. Greenfeld and Robert A. Weinstein (JIST Works, © 2005). The authors' intent with this book is to counter the misinformation that junior high and high school students get about college, so that fewer of them will dismiss college attendance without having any real information.
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Your Checklist for Transfer:
Research the program(s) or institution(s) you are interested in attending. Check on transfer agreements between institutions. Look in the academic calendar(s), check out their web sites and talk with people who may have attended the institution(s) or who know about the program. Also Attend College Fairs its a good way to find out what college/university you would like to transfer to. And Parents-stop at a college with children when you are traveling.
Attend information sessions offered by the institution(s). Call the transfer specialist, recruiting office or department of interest to find out when the next information session is scheduled.
Note any application deadlines so you don't forget them. The deadline may refer to having a complete file (application, transcript, etc), not just the application.
Consult an advisor at your new college/university to see if the courses you are planning to take will transfer to the institution of your choice.
Find out what GPA is required for admission, and if anything else is required (e.g. interim transcripts, volunteer experience, references, etc.). If you are applying to a program, will you have to apply for the program you want after you are admitted to the institution or before you are admitted? Is there "admission by exception?" Do you need to take an assessment? Can assessment from one school be used at another?
Talk with an advisor, counselor or transfer specialist if you still have unanswered questions or concerns. Get name and email address of the institution's transfer specialist.
Submit your application for admission to the institution(s) you want to attend by the deadline. Include your application fee and any other required documents.
Arrange to have official transcripts sent in time for deadlines for transcript evaluation. Bring a personal copy when you talk to an advisor.
Arrange to transfer or apply for financial aid and/or scholarships. Are there special forms to transfer financial aid from one institution to another?
Check on enrollment options, e.g. full-time, part-time, non-degree seeking, concurrent.
Check on general education transfer requirements or lower division requirements.
Find out about housing, student programs, scholarships, organizations and services available.
Ask for a campus directory and map, location of classrooms and offices. Do they offer tours?
Attend the new student orientation. If you cannot attend, do they have an orientation online?
List your expectations of your next school. Do you expect them to help with finding a job placement? How will they orient you to the new campus?
The material on this page is used with the permission of the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT). It is closely based on their publication "British Columbia Transfer TIPS." Others wishing to adapt or use this material should first seek permission from BCCAT.
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Tips:
How to ensure you get the most credit for your academic achievements and educational experiences.
Purpose
What is the purpose of transferring? Are you transferring to a school based on where the school is located, how much it costs, the types of programs the school offers, or it's reputation? Visit web sites and compare.
Plan a Visit
One of the best decisions you can make is to visit the campus you plan to attend. This will give you a "feel" for your new campus, allow you to meet with department faculty, and meet new friends. Contact the Admissions Office to schedule a visit. Visit your new campus in person and online at least once before classes start so you know about parking, transportation, location of classrooms, how to get a library card, etc. Take part in orientation and join clubs to make new friends. Get involved.
Keep Records
Always write down the name of the person you have spoken with, the date and any advice you receive, so you don't forget what you were advised to do and don't misinterpret what was said. Get it in writing, if possible. Keep a folder with all records of your contacts and the topics that were discussed. Such as advisor's name, email address and/or phone number.
Read all information you receive from a post-secondary institution very carefully. These documents often contain information regarding your admission status, your transfer credits, and your program.
Keep all course syllabi/outlines in a safe, accessible place. You may need them to transfer or if you return to college after a long absence.
Application
Know the important dates at your next campus. There may be a general deadline for applying for admission, but there may also be application deadlines for specific programs. Submit your application as early as possible.
Transcripts
Your transcript must be sent to your next campus but your current college can't send it without your written permission. Contact the Registrar's Office for the proper paperwork.
A transcript is official if: it has the institution's seal and is sent directly from the sending institution to the receiving institution; or
it has the institutions seal and is put in a sealed envelope, and you take or mail it (unopened) to the receiving institution. Don't open it yourself! You can request an unofficial transcript for your personal
Common Course Numbering System If you can, choose courses that meet admission requirements for more than one program. Many courses offered at your college or university are part of a numbering system which makes them common to other campuses in the North Dakota University System. For example, taking College Composition I on any system campus will earn you credit for the same course at any other system campus. There are many course options at each college and university. For a listing of the common course numbering system visit this Web site.
Financial Aid
Your financial aid will not transfer automatically. Contact the Financial Aid Office at both institutions for information on how to change your aid and/or loans from one institution to another.
GPA Information Try to figure out what GPA you would have at the receiving institution for the grades you earned at your current institution(s). This will help you see if you have the minimum grades needed for admission to your first choice program. If not, find out what other program options you might have with this GPA.
Note: Depending on where you are in the process, GPA requirements may be different for
- admission to the college,
- special admission requirements for program or major. (Some colleges include pre-college courses and repeat courses in GPA and other may not include them. Consult with the transfer specialist for specifics.)
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| Sample GPA Calculation |
| Courses Completed: |
Letter Grade: |
Grade Points: |
# of Credits |
Total Grade Points |
| ENGL 1100 |
A |
4.0 |
3 |
4.0 x 3 = 12 |
| BIOL 1200 |
B |
3.0 |
4 |
3.0 x 4 = 12 |
| PSYC 1611 |
B |
3.0 |
3 |
3.0 x 3 = 9 |
| MATH 1030 |
C |
2.0 |
3 |
2.0 x 3 = 6 |
| PHYS 1101 |
F |
0.0 |
4 |
0.0 x 4 = 0 |
| TOTALS |
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17 |
39 |
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All about College is an excellent source of information on credit transfer in the US. It is your best transfer-planning tool (www.allaboutcollege.com)
The material on this page is used with the permission of the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT). It is closely based on their publication "British Columbia Transfer TIPS." Others wishing to adapt or use this material should first seek permission from BCCAT.
College Profits
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