<p>Sorry for the numerous threads.. but no one is applying and I would really like to get a handle of this sitatution in general.</p>
<p>As a transfer I have no idea what to expect, social wise, housing, classes, etc</p>
<p>So any past or new transfer could we start chatting on here so when I (if) attend Pepp in teh fall i wouldn't feel so OUT OF IT!</p>
<p>please please please lets keep this thread going/ alive </p>
<p>thank you so much!!</p>
<p>@ellomeno: Hi! I’m a recent transfer student so I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you have concerning the transition to Pepperdine. I already replied to your thread about housing and room mate situations here at Pepp, hope you find it helpful!</p>
<p>@ejcmalibu I just saw the reply thank you so much!! </p>
<p>were you a transfer for fall 2010? How do you like it so far, and so I tried registering for housing but the link is unavailable til mid-may.</p>
<p>@ellomeno: I was actually a Spring 2010 transfer–so I came in mid-semester, which if anything, was harder than coming in as a Fall transfer. It took a good month for me to get in the flow of things since I came in the middle of the school year, with about 80 other Spring transfer students, but I can honestly say I am so glad I chose Pepp. I’m really excited to utilize all the school has to offer with it’s outstanding IP division as well as the great alumni/internship opportunities the school has established. Ask any/all questions! My guess is that your transfer will be much easier than mine, but for the most part activities like NSO should be about the same. What’s your intended major?</p>
<p>Wow, yeah I bet. do you know if it would make sense to do the IP as a junior? I will be new to the school so i am not sure if it is even smart for me to jump into smoething like that so soon? Also how is the school and fitting in social wise especially as a tranfer, and mostly everyone has made their friends?.. </p>
<p>Housing how did you choose your roommate? </p>
<p>and how was the course-load compared to a community college </p>
<p>my intended major is political science, but the program at pepperdine isn’t that strong so I am considering Peperdine or UCSB or SD and waiting for some other schools</p>
<p>@ellomeno: From what I’ve heard many students choose Sophomore year as the time to join an IP abroad. I transferred in as a second semester Sophomore so this was out of the question for me and the more I think about it, Junior year is definitely a plausible time to join the IP division. If you’re accepted for the Fall term, I’d suggest staying on the Malibu campus for Fall to get settled and acquainted; you could also use this time to drop by the IP office to really explore what all the programs are about. A downside of the studying abroad during Junior year is that many of the courses offered abroad only fulfill Pepp’s GE requirements–meaning you would have no way of really starting any of your major related courses; something most students begin to take during their Junior year. I don’t know how many courses will transfer from your previous CC so maybe studying abroad will give you a chance to catch up on the GEs required from Pepperdine–trust, there are a lot! As far as workload goes, I’ve heard that the classes abroad are much easier because Professors understand that the whole experience is exciting, plus it’s hard to concentrate in a foreign country that you’ve just arrived at. For most programs, classes are M-Th with Friday and the weekend being saved for EFTs–I know the BA program is one exception and there is class held on Fridays. What I’m planning to do as a Junior in the Fall is stay on the Malibu campus for the full academic term. Next summer, I’ll be taking advantage of Pepperdine’s Summer IP division in which you can still complete either GE courses OR an internship abroad! The Summer IP division is generally shorter than a semester and you do move at a faster pace. Either way, I definitely recommend checking out the IP division–almost everyone I’ve met has been abroad or are planning to study in the near future. Many of my transfer friends are in Argentina or Florence as of now completing the Summer IP. Use the link below to explore the different countries you can visit as well as the division the IP office has to offer! There will probably be an IP lecture during NSO where they highlight all the FAQs concerning studying abroad; Id definitely attend, they let you know about the cost difference as opposed to studying on the Malibu campus, financial aid, etc. NSO will also be a time where you can meet with your academic/major advisor, the two of you will probably be able to plan out your next two years and you can bring up the possibility of studying abroad during the academic year.</p>
<p>[Programs</a> | International Programs | Pepperdine University](<a href=“http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/internationalprograms/programs/]Programs”>http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/internationalprograms/programs/)</p>
<p>Housing was really a gamble for me. I completed the housing application online once I was accepted, filled out the lifestyle questionnaire portion to be matched with a random roommatesince I didnt know anyone transferring in the same term I was admitted. As I mentioned in the previous thread concerning housing, Pepperdine introduced the RoomBug Roomate Matching application to make the process easierfrom what Ive read on the website it seems like a pretty useful tool. For the most part, Pepperdine does try and pair you with another transfer student as well as a transfer suiteall my suitemates were Spring transfers (making the process SO much easier in that we all bonded in going through the same experience), though we were scattered in terms of incoming grade (I lived with people ranging from Freshmen to Junior transfers). If youre transferring in for the Fall term, youll probably be paired with other Fall transfer students or new undergraduate studentseither way youll all be going through the same process of adjusting to the school. If you already know someone going to Pepp and would like to room with them, all you do is mutually request each other through the housing application by putting each others respective Pepperdine email addresses. The process is pretty much the same throughout all years at Pepperdine if you choose to live on campus; however, I believe Freshmen and Sophomores have priority housing.</p>
<p>Honestly, the finding friends part and mixing with social groups was/is one of the hardest parts about transferring to any school. It was even harder for me since students were merely continuing their second semester when I transferred in, so in a sense, friendships were already established and most of the people in my classes already knew each other. The first week was definitely tough, however, all my suitemates were there to share in this collective experience. I really have to emphasize how open and kind everyone at Pepperdine is, no on is going to shun you from introducing yourself or trying to make friends. In fact, no one really knew I was a transfer and itll probably be easier for you since youre coming in the Fall when many new students generally make the switch to another school. I think it was harder for Spring transfers to integrate since most of the students in each class already knew each other from a previous class or were more comfortable even in a class they didnt know anyone since they were just continuing the academic school yearthey werent thrown in a new setting mid-semester like my transfer mates and I. The size of the undergraduate class also contributes to the fact that most people know each other or at least familiar with each other. Each class basically began with an introduction of each student, so it was a lot easier to reach out and connect with other students. Another point I have to emphasize is Pepperdine does an outstanding job of making sure transfer students have the resources they need to feel comfortable about their transitionthey definitely know how stressful transferring can be and compared to other schools (especially public schools, like the UC system). Because Pepperdine is such a small school with about 3,000 undergraduates, the school has the resources to pay extra attention to transfer students. All transfer students endured NSO together; we also attended discussions during NSO where previous transfer students shared their experiences and tips they learned along the way. There are various group activities off campus that are only open to transfer students and youll be set up with a transfer group consisting of several other transfer students and a peer advisor (most are previous transfer students). This group offers an outlet for you to voice your concerns, vent, or ask general questions you have about the school; many times the peer advisor plans off-campus trips to Malibu Yo, hiking in the mountains, lunch at Lilys, or hanging on the pier. These group meetings are by no means mandatory, but I really appreciated the extra step Pepperdine took to make transfer students feel more comfortable.</p>
<p>The course load was definitely rigorous, for both GE classes as well as my major classes. I wouldnt expect any less since Pepperdine is an accredited university that is known for its academic programs. My decision to transfer to Pepperdine came from the understanding that since the school is so small, itd be easier to reach out to professors while students received more attention during class due to the smaller class sizes (in comparison to most public schools or UCs). I really enjoyed my first semester at Pepperdine, I can already tell that I will be keeping in touch with the majority of professors who taught my major classes for recommendations or questions about my field of study. The largest classroom size that I encountered ranged from 60-100 students at the mostthese are usually for GE classes such as religion or humanities. My major classes had 25-30 students max, and one of my 8am classes had about 15 students at most. Compared to a typical CC course load, I think any university would be harder, but in terms of my past semester at Pepperdine the differences I found were: theres more reading, less busy work which at times means less opportunities to pad your grade before large assignments like the midterm or final, more expectations from your professors, and the need to be able to organize/prioritize your time.</p>
<p>Sorry for writing a novel for each question, but my transfer experience is definitely still fresh in my mind and I definitely wish I had someone telling me their transfer experience beforehand. Transferring to any school is a heavy experience for any student so let me know if you have any other questions</p>
<p>@ellomeno: also as a side note, I know a lot of poly sci majors who took advantage of the internship IP offered in DC–you should check it out!</p>
<p>you have been so helpful!! I truly appreciate all of this amazing and great advice!! I am sorry you had to experience transferring in spring, but I am glad you turned it into a positive and pepperdine was so caring too transfer needs.</p>
<p>Would you say overall most of your friends are transfers? or is it now a mix? and do most juniors live on campus? or a good amount live in their own apartments? </p>
<p>again thank you! & yes i heard about the dc internship that is definitely something I will take advantage of what is your area of study?</p>
<p>@ellomeno: the first month or so, my social circle was mostly transfer students. As the semester went on I was able to meet a wider range of students through different clubs on campus as well as my five classes. In addition, all my transfer friends went out and met a bunch of students as well so in a sense, I was introduced to their friends too. The majority of juniors and seniors choose to live off campus for two reasons: one being that living on campus is pricey and many students get bored of caf food by the end of freshman year. The second reason is that there is a lot more freedom living off campus and some opt to cook/dine out instead of continuing a meal plan through the school. The rules Pepperdine enforces for those who live on campus aren’t horrible by any means but they often interfere with what college students deem the “normal” college experience (ie: being able to consume alcohol/be drunk, ability to have the opposite sex over at any hour). I survived a semester with those rules on campus, probably could’ve made it a full year, but I definitely understand the appeal of living off campus right across the beach at a cheaper rate. If there are juniors living on campus, they’re usually on the Drescher Campus Apartments or at Lovernich.</p>
<p>I’m majoring in Public Relations!</p>
<p>hehe cool uh another problem I have with TRANSFERRING! everyone will leave me lol and most juniors/seniors are taking less classes on campus and are out there looking for jobs 
hopefully when and if i get accepted to a sorritory group the following semester there would be a chance of living with roommates in an apartment or etc.</p>
<p>I will pray hopefully all will be well I need friends lol i’ve gone my whole life being an outcast and college is my last horrah (not completely true but i have no one i can count on ) so this is my last chance </p>
<p>and i completely get it cafe food could suck but i want the ‘college experience’. and i do plan on joining clubs! I find those are so great to make friends. and hopefully pepperdine has a middle eastern club if not i will make one</p>
<p>also how many of your units where transfered and how long did you stay at a junior college</p>
<p>you said you transfered in as a sophomore? so where you not able to graduate with your attending class?</p>
<p>@ellomeno: joining a sorority is definitely a great way to meet people at Pepperdine. Surprisingly, even those who choose to live off campus spend a great deal of time on campus either in class, studying in the library or caf, or just hanging out–so you’ll still be able to meet people. In retrospect, I’m really glad I lived on campus and experienced Pepperdine as an incoming freshman might–definitely agree with you on getting the complete “college” experience. I transferred with 60 units–55 of them were accepted by Pepperdine and I spent a year and a half at my CC; which explains my transfer as a second-semester sophmore, I’ll be a junior this coming Fall 2011.</p>
<p>why where you considered a 2nd semester sophomore? with only 5 units away from being a junior? lol Well I am still waiting on USC and GW </p>
<p>but i really hope I enjoy Pepperdine I just need to be social and think positive it is a small school and people do remember things.
What would you differently if you had a chance to do it all over? sophmore year i mean at pepperdine</p>
<p>@ellomeno: I’ve encountered students who were shy 2 credits from being considered a sophomore transfer and Pepperdine admitted them as freshmen transfers; they really consider your credits when transferring and place you in a grade level accordingly. It worked out perfectly though, because I would’ve been a second-semester sophomore had I continued CC, so I was actually in the correct grade level upon entering Pepperdine.</p>
<p>Definitely come to Pepperdine with a positive attitude. People are super friendly and open to all. If anything, I would be more active than I was in branching out and making the time to explore what the university has to offer in terms of clubs, events, and weekend activities for transfers. Pepperdine hosts special weekend trips just for transfer students and several times throughout the year SGA hosts a get together for your collective class (whether it be freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior) called Town Hall. It’s a great time to meet other people in your grade level and more often than not, Pepperdine rents out amazing facilities in LA/Hollywood/Santa Monica.</p>
<p>Wow that is amazing!! thank you so much! hopefully if all is in order with my transfer credits we will be graduating the same year lol</p>
<p>will you living on campus this fall?</p>
<p>@ellomeno: I will be living off campus junior year.</p>