Transfer student, lots o' questions.

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello Everyone,</p>

<p>First off, a little background: I am a 25 year old recent graduate of a community college in central New Hampshire. I graduated with an A.S. in Business Management with honors (3.66 GPA), and as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.</p>

<p>I was diagnosed with ADHD in fourth grade, and have worked through most of the issues with out, or with limited medication (damn you accounting!). My high-school record is less than stellar, and I am banking on my recent college record to right my past academic blunders.</p>

<p>I am applying to schools for my undergrad in the Boston/Cambridge area, such as Lesley University, UMass Boston and Framingham State University. I have been applying as a Business or Economics major, but am still undecided. I have many interests that I am exploring. Some thoughts on majors include: Business, Communications, Education, Global Studies and Sociology. </p>

<p>My mind has been mainly set on Lesley University because the location, class sizes and general mission of the school appeal to me.</p>

<p>I guess an easy first question might be, does anyone have opinions to offer on Lesley University? I have read mixed student reviews, but a general consensus seems to think that unless you are an Education or Art major, the schools programs are bogus. Is this true?</p>

<p>Another big question that weighs heavily on my mind is; am I challenging myself enough? </p>

<p>I have gained confidence over the past few years by juggling a full time job, school and a slue of personal hobbies/interests. I am concerned about the transition from a community college to a four year university in terms of course difficulty. At the same time I have always been a bright student, but I didn't start applying myself (paying attention) until I started college again. I've always had trouble in the math/science areas, but I believe I've gotten the majority of those credits out of the way at CC (for a B.A.).</p>

<p>I guess the real root of this question, is how do I figure out what school is best for me in terms of academic challenge? I only took PSAT's (in 2003/04), never SAT's, and as a transfer student I've found typically I do not need the test scores to apply. </p>

<p>Can I use my experience at a CC to gauge what level of schools I should apply to? </p>

<p>I know I am not quite Harvard material, but I wonder if I should be applying to more challenging schools. </p>

<p>I understand this is a mess of a post, and I appreciate any feedback.</p>

<p>Thank you,</p>

<p>B</p>

2

<p>With a full A.A. and your 3.6, you have a lot of options out there. Have you shown your list to the Transfer Counselor at your community college, and have you taken a look at the PTK website for institutions that offer transfer scholarships for PTK members? Both of those are good places to start.</p>

<p>You also should visit the Transfer Forum here, and read through the thread titled “Transfer Admissions 101” at the top of that forum. Here is the link: [Transfer</a> Students - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/]Transfer”>Transfer Students - College Confidential Forums) Since you aren’t a kid anymore, you also might benefit from investigating institutions that have good support for non-traditional age students. There is a sub-forum for that here too: [Non-Traditional</a> Students - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/non-traditional-students/]Non-Traditional”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/non-traditional-students/)</p>

<p>Good luck with everything!</p>

3

<p>Hello Happymomof1,</p>

<p>Thank you for the reply. I have not been in contact with a transfer counselor at my CC, I am not sure if one even exists, they have “Transfer Advocates” and I spoke to one about Lesley, and he just gave me his experience there (as an online grad student). </p>

<p>I’ve checked out the PTK website and it seems I have a lot of research to do!</p>

<p>B</p>

4

<p>I think it’s better to stick with a public university, unless you can get a good scholarship. While having smaller class sizes might be nice, I think in the long run, it’s better to make sure you’re not drowning in debt, which is a common problem these days.</p>

5

<p>Pay another visit to the Transfer Advocates’ office, and find out what they can help you with. Some community colleges seem to be better set up for this than others. Here is a link to the transfer information at my local CC. Some of the information is specific for our area, but a lot of it will also apply to you as well. [Counseling</a> & Advising | Transferring](<a href=“http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/tertiary1.aspx?urlid=67]Counseling”>http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/tertiary1.aspx?urlid=67)</p>