by Mark W. Henry, Director, Advising, Transfer & Accommodation Services, once said, “Today is the day.” Henry says that students always believe they have plenty of time when it comes to figuring out their career paths. While that may be true in some cases, when it comes to transferring to a four-year university from a community college, you must plan. Planning is the key to success.
“Not planning early enough is most students’ biggest mistake,” Henry said.
In order to transfer into your current year, your credits must transfer over with you. Most colleges will accept all community college credits, although, some require a certain course or credit to transfer over to the major. Most students decide they want to transfer to a four-year school, but haven’t checked if their major and credits are correlating with the school of their choice.
A student must check the course requirements and plan accordingly. Henry encourages students to plan semesters, even years, before they want to transfer. “It is important to plan ahead because the student needs a better understanding of what they are getting into,” Henry said. They need a better understanding of what is required of them, so when the time comes to transfer over they will be prepared. “They need to fundamentally think about their future education,” Henry said.
Undecided students also have opportunities to figure out their career pathways at Northampton Community College. By exploring different courses, which will help them to decide what they would like to do, which can affect where they choose to transfer.
“Planning begins today,” Henry says. “I tell students, there is no right time. Today is the day.”
