While most students that enter Meramec are aware they would like to transfer, many do not put in the time to research the type of school or degree that they would like to pursue.
Patrick Olds
– Opinions Editor Emeritus –
Most STLCC students may enter college with a far different mindset than most graduating high school. The idea is to transfer to a four-year institution for many. More specifically at STLCC-Meramec more than 70 percent of students intend on transferring to a four-year school.
The manager of academic advising at Meramec, Julie Massey, said, “Students need to be aware that there are basically two paths they can take at STLCC to transfer: complete a transfer associate’s degree or take selected courses that transfer to a specific institution for a specific program and/or as general education.”
Many students assume that general requirements are the same for every four-year institution. When, in reality, that assumption can be quite costly.
“Students seem to believe the ‘general education requirements’ are standardized at all colleges and universities and for all majors, this is not true,” Massey said.
While most students that enter Meramec are aware they would like to transfer, many do not put in the time to research the type of school or degree that they would like to pursue.
Students can waste money, albeit at a largely discounted rate compared to four-year schools, by not doing prior research to work towards a goal. Goals can always be changed.
“Often students are clear they intend to transfer, but unclear on where they intend to transfer. It is important to make a decision or narrow a list of potential transfer schools as early as possible,” Massey said.
Academic counselors are available, sometimes along with a long wait, to assist in helping to make these decisions but in order to maximize the visit and the time spent with a counselor, prior research is welcomed.
A handbook was created by counselors for students at http://www.stlcc.edu/Document_Library/Adm_reg/Transfer_Planning_workbook.pdf. The handbook is an illustration or guide that makes a road map for prospective transfer students that have no plan. One key to the entire process is the duty of the student to reach out to potential schools.
“Once a student has selected a transfer institution, they should contact them as early as possible to learn about the admission requirements and process as well as their transfer credit policies that pertain to their program of study,” Massey said.
As helpful as the counselors at Meramec may be, they may or may not know the policies of every other four-year institution.
“The academic advisors are great at advising for our programs and giving them general information about transferring, but the advisors at the transfer institution are the experts on their programs,” Massey said.
Although there is an ideal process, many things have the potential to give prospective transfer students some difficulty.
“I believe what causes the most trouble for a student is when it is difficult for them to get information from a transfer institution,” Massey said. “The transfer schools, where a majority of our students transfer, are great in communicating with our students, it is difficult when a student is transferring out of state and becomes overwhelmed by the process.”
This format is set up to help the students fulfill their requirements to move on to a school that supports what they would like to do in the future. The General Transfer Studies Associate Degree is very widely accepted from four-year institutions within Missouri. Many students can follow that outline if they have no other ideas at the outset of the transfer process.
Massey said with proper planning, the transfer process and transferring of coursework from STLCC to another institution should be seamless. That does not discount the fact that many problems could arise from an information gathering aspect.
“Review the Transfer Planning Brochure which gives you a big picture timeline of what a student needs to do each semester prior to transferring and to work closely with their adviser at Meramec and their transfer institution,” Massey said. “Research and plan.”
