<p>I'm a new transfer student starting this fall. I've taken two surveys from the school so far and both have asked questions about how I feel about being a transfer. They ask weird things like: Do you feel less than adequate because you are a transfer? OR Do you think others will not want you to join their project group because you are a transfer? I thought these questions were ridiculous. I'm assuming that either many students who came in as freshmen think this way, or the University merely wants to see what sort of perceptions transfers have of themselves. Let me know, are their actually issues like this on campus? If so, is it really warranted. Maybe transfers are somewhat weaker students, maybe not. I can't really say yet. I believe I am an extremely strong transfer student and don't feel threatened by Berkeley at all. But seriously, what's all the fuss about?</p>
<p>Truthfully I haven't seen any of this stigma described during my freshmen year. Maybe it will change when I begin taking upper division courses..</p>
<p>Well no one will know you're a transfer unless you announce it. Even then people are too worried about thier own ish to really care when you entered the university.</p>
<p>I guess the stigma comes from the logic that you weren't good enough to get in anywhere during high school, so you don't deserve to be with them now. There are also concerns about transfers not taking the SATs, thereby having an easier route. Also, a lot of high school students have taken classes at a JC and are aware of the relative rigor (or lack thereof) of the courses.</p>
<p>(Note: I do not share this logic...just explaining it)</p>
<p>"I believe I am an extremely strong transfer student and don't feel threatened by Berkeley at all. But seriously, what's all the fuss about?"</p>
<p>jeez maybe that stigma is right if other transfers have attitudes like that!</p>
<p>Hm good catch.</p>
<p>There definitely is a stigma to some degree. It's not that somebody won't work with you because you're a transfer. However, people may be more wary in that you haven't experienced Berkeley yet and, even though you are a junior, may not have the chops like a student that has been at Berkeley for two years. Having said that, I know and have worked with transfers during my time here without problems (well, one transfer student I know is a total hack that sucks at EE--which sucked, since she was my lab partner--but this wasn't because she was a transfer student).</p>
<p>A lot of the people I like at Berkeley are transfers, because well, they actually have personalities haha. But yeah, some of the transfers I've spoken to have said transfers are "weaker" than freshman admits because they scored poorly on the SATs and didn't do well in high school. It's also easier to get in as a transfer. Nobody will know that you're a transfer if you don't mention it though, and people generally don't care. However, transfers themselves say that they are weaker students than freshman admits, maybe because of the SAT scores or high school results. There is somewhat of a stigma, but seriously, people don't care. (It's kind of funny, my transfer friend said that JC classes are easier than high school's, and another one said that the students at JCs are all retarded...and that he feels more at home at Berkeley The latter one did quite well last semester btw.)</p>
<p>I think the vast majority of us can easily agree about one thing- that most people on campus just do not seem to care. From what I've read and heard, it seems that the people who tend to care most tend to be in engineering, although I know engineers who, like most people on campus, do not seem to care.</p>
<p>Im<em>a</em>transfer: My transfer friends judge transfers. It's kind of funny actually, because he always makes comments, moreso than freshman admits do. But in all honesty, transfers have better personalities than freshman admits, in my opinion, because they aren't as bookwormy. Call me a hypocrite, but I like transfers as friends.</p>
<p>edit: you deleted your post...</p>
<p>I was a transfer student. I did really well last year and I never encountered any prejudice because I was a transfer. If I did, I didnt notice at all. Transferring was a great decision.</p>
<p>what ur gpa</p>
<p>easymack63, how did you go about meeting other people?</p>
<p>I transferred last fall, and never felt discriminated against because of that fact. If other students want to assume that I am of sub-par intelligence, that's their own issue, and not something I would ever concern myself with. My reasons for not going to college right after high school had little to do with the quality of my grades, and everything to do with my young age (graduated early). </p>
<p>Anyway, when I came to Cal, I roomed in the dorms, and met a few nice people that route. I was the same age as my sophomore roommate so we became good friends. I scoped out some academic and community service groups and organizations when I got to campus and got involved from there. Eventually, I rushed and joined a sorority, and that's where I've really found my niche. I ended up being more social than most of my freshmen floormates - I was always out and about, and people often came to me for word on good weekend parties and events. As long as you're studious and confident, you won't feel lost in your classes. You have tons of social outlets as a transfer, so don't believe anyone who tells you that you're at an extreme disadvantage. I was told that transfers barely find any close friends, are blacklisted from sorority/fraternity recruitment, and are basically stuck with banning together with other alienated transfers. It's totally not true - I've found it to be quite the opposite.
<3,</p>
<p>Izzie Bear</p>
<p>ha, I think the argument is moot. There will be stupid ass people that got in as freshman and stupid ass people who got in as transfers. I can never understand how people can take a few students and make sweeping generalizations about an entire population. </p>
<p>"However, transfers themselves say that they are weaker students than freshman admits, maybe because of the SAT scores or high school results."</p>
<p>I also don't get why people keep harping back to the SAT. Are they not supposed to be a predictor of college success? Why would we need SAT scores when we have an even better measure of success...actual college grades? </p>
<p>I don't know...I always pick up anti-transfer vibes from this board. Maybe its because I'm more attuned to it because I'm a transfer myself. It just bothers me that we're always trying to pass some cohort as second class Cal Citizens (whether it be transfers, non-science majors, spring admits, etc) Seriously, we're all Golden Bears here so why the **** would you try to discredit your classmates education and whatever road he took to get there?</p>
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ha, I think the argument is moot. There will be stupid ass people that got in as freshman and stupid ass people who got in as transfers. I can never understand how people can take a few students and make sweeping generalizations about an entire population.
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<p>We never said there weren't dumb freshman admits. But hey, transfers make sweeping generalizations about other transfers. Heck, my friends do it.</p>
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<p>"However, transfers themselves say that they are weaker students than freshman admits, maybe because of the SAT scores or high school results."</p>
<p>I also don't get why people keep harping back to the SAT. Are they not supposed to be a predictor of college success? Why would we need SAT scores when we have an even better measure of success...actual college grades?
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<p>Nobody is saying transfers are dumber; they just did not try as hard as freshman admits when they were in high school. I think that's fair enough to say...without hostility.</p>
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<p>I don't know...I always pick up anti-transfer vibes from this board. Maybe its because I'm more attuned to it because I'm a transfer myself. It just bothers me that we're always trying to pass some cohort as second class Cal Citizens (whether it be transfers, non-science majors, spring admits, etc) Seriously, we're all Golden Bears here so why the **** would you try to discredit your classmates education and whatever road he took to get there?
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<p>This is the only thread I've seen recently regarding transfer students. I don't get why you feel antagonized incessantly. Nobody really gives a ***** about others in the end.</p>
<p>"We never said there weren't dumb freshman admits. But hey, transfers make sweeping generalizations about other transfers. Heck, my friends do it."</p>
<p>The way everyone carries on about only weak transfer students I feel as though it is implied. </p>
<p>"Nobody is saying transfers are dumber; they just did not try as hard as freshman admits when they were in high school. I think that's fair enough to say...without hostility."</p>
<p>For the most part yes. But some choose the transfer route for financial reasons or other extenuating circumstances. </p>
<p>"This is the only thread I've seen recently regarding transfer students. I don't get why you feel antagonized incessantly. Nobody really gives a ***** about others in the end."</p>
<p>Edit: To each his CC own. Peace and love from Cardinal :)</p>
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The way everyone carries on about only weak transfer students I feel as though it is implied.
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<p>Well, a transfer student started this thread, and discussed how the university sent emails to him/her...basically if transfers did not bring up the issue and ask about it specifically, it probably would not be brought up.</p>
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Nah, I see this **** all the time.
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<p>In RL or on forums?</p>
<p>Anyway , I think it's better to transfer than to go straight to a 4-year, because your GPA tends to be better for things like Law School. Law schools don't care either way. I wish I had transferred, seriously.</p>
<p>Ahh yeah, maybe the occasional anti-transfer backlash is only a manifestation of deep-seated jealousy...haha i'm jk. :)</p>