The Benefits of Transferring: 3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Wait

Have you been thinking about making a change and enrolling at a different school? Maybe your current college doesn’t quite feel like the place where you belong. Or, perhaps you’ve been studying at a community college with the goal of transferring all along.

Whatever the reason, the right time to transfer is now, and the benefits of transferring soon are plentiful. Not only can it help you cross the finish line with your degree, but it may also better position you for hiring as employers recover from the pandemic and plan their paths forward.

If you took a break from academics during the pandemic and are looking to return, you’re not alone. “We are emerging from a period of uncertainty, and students are focused on getting back into their educational journeys, which are really important to them,” said Peter Lujan, assistant director of transfer recruitment at APU’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Others may be returning to school after a longer time away from their studies and seeking new opportunities for career advancement with a bachelor’s degree in-hand.

Recognizing that the needs of transfer students are complex, Azusa Pacific University offers multiple transfer pathways, including options for students seeking a traditional undergraduate experience on the university’s main campus. For students needing more flexibility to juggle their existing life commitments, studying online or at a regional campus are other popular pathways at APU. Each path includes individualized support the entire way.

Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t wait to start the transfer process.

1. You Can Prepare for an Evolving Job Market

Economic recovery is under way and the number of available jobs is growing. Transferring puts you in the best position to finish your degree and be ready to enter or advance in your field. APU ensures that you can graduate on-time by guaranteeing availability for the classes you need to graduate.

Transferring sooner also means you spend more time learning from the faculty at APU who are experts in their fields and eager to share with you the knowledge and connections they’ve acquired. You may even have the opportunity conduct research under the mentorship of a professor.

“Faculty are engaged with prospective students right from the start,” said Bonnie Nakashimada, senior director of recruitment for APU’s Graduate and Professional Admissions and Regional Campuses. “They are happy to meet with you and listen and help figure out where you’re headed on your journey. That sort of advising from a professor in your field of interest can be so valuable and you can access it before you even apply."

2. You Can Secure Financial Aid Early

The sooner you declare your intention to transfer to a new school, the sooner you can begin connecting with the right contacts at your new university who will help you get the best financial aid for which you qualify. Lujan noted that APU connects transfer students with financial aid specialists as soon as possible to help them understand their aid options.

“Our goal is to give transfer students confidence in knowing they have all the information they need to make a decision about joining the APU community,” Lujan said. “When you apply early, you receive the admission decision and then have plenty of time to get connected to the community and resources, including help reviewing your financial aid offers, guidance to understand exactly how your prior coursework will transfer over, getting academic or career counseling, and more.”

3. You Can Find a Sense of Belonging

Taking steps to transfer now presents a unique opportunity to bond with fellow students who all have a shared experience of finding their way into the college classroom following a period of upheaval. Chances are good that you’ll be enrolled with many others who are in similar academic (and personal) situations, or who offer unique perspectives from which you can learn and grow.

“As colleges return to in-person learning, you are going to be starting back up with a lot of people who are in the same situation as you, and that can actually foster a sense of community and camaraderie,” Nakashimada noted. “At APU’s main campus or at a regional campus, you’re going to find a diverse group of people who are all excited to take another step forward on their educational journey, and being around like-minded students will help you get to your end goal of getting your degree.”

“If you are studying online, you are likewise in classes with other people who have similar circumstances and busy lives, and can help keep one another motivated,” she said.

A Range of Pathways Support Transfer Students at APU

APU offers a variety of options that make it easy to transfer your credits and make progress toward graduation. Here are some of the ways you can benefit:

• Earn credit from high-level high school classes and tests. If you took advanced courses while in high school, you can get credit for the exams, including Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests.
• Transfer with any number of credits. You can transfer to APU’s Azusa campus as early as your freshman year. For regional campus programs, you need at least 15 units to transfer.
• Transfer your military credits. You could earn credit for courses and service you’ve completed through your work in the military.
• Finish your degree quickly. With APU’s professional programs, you can complete your bachelor’s degree at an accelerated pace.
• Access financial assistance. Financial aid isn’t just for incoming first-year students. Transfer students have access to financial aid as well.

Welcoming You Safely to Campus

APU plans to return to in-person learning in fall 2021 with a comprehensive health and safety plan in place. With APU’s eight Southern California campuses—Azusa, High Desert, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Murrieta, Orange County, Monrovia, and San Diego—you have the flexibility to study close to home.

If online education works best for your schedule and learning style, APU also offers bachelor’s degree programs you can complete remotely.

Would you like to learn more about transferring to APU? Choose your transfer path to learn about all of the benefits of transferring to APU, and view transfer plans designed to ease your transition from your current school and know exactly which courses carry over.

Posted: May 13, 2021