PLANNING AHEAD -
CREATING A "TRANSFER TO-DO LIST"

GOALS OF UNIT:

    1. Emphasize the importance of PLANNING AHEAD.
      • Open class session by providing stories of past students who suffered through the transfer process because of their failure to plan (Note: You should be able to obtain numerous horror stories from your admissions or student affairs staff at your school or at the universities to which your students usually transfer.)
      • Also provide stories of success - past students who planned ahead and had little to no problems transferring.
      • You may also want to bring in students who have recently transferred to give new freshman and sophomore some actually transfer experiences as encountered by the students.

        TIME: Approximately 15-20 minutes.
    2. Have students develop a "To-do" list that will assist them as they go through the transfer process.
      • Have students brain-storm a list of things that they need to check into during their first year to year-and-a-half of college to better prepare them for the transfer process.
      • Have students create a personalized "To-Do" list. The list should include but not be limited to:

      -- Obtain application forms and deadline information
      -- Find out GPA requirements for transfer students
      -- Find out what is required of transfer students that may not be required of native students
      -- Request catalogs from prospective transfer schools.
      -- Find out if there are existing articulation/transfer agreements
      -- Obtain transfer guide from STARS System for major
      -- Find out what financial resources exist to help pay for college (scholarships, financial aid, school loans, student employment opportunities, etc.)
      -- Research prospective majors (decide on major as soon as possible)
      -- Contact possible transfer schools (set up meeting with advisor)
      -- Set up tour(s) at possible transfer schools
      -- Begin to investigate room and board opportunities (dorms, apartments, trailers, rental homes, etc.)

      TIME: Approximately 15-20 minutes.

    1. Assign and explain the "Transfer Survival Kit" project (culminating activity)
      • Have students use their "to-do" list as a guide as they collect pertinent information about their transfer process.
      • Students should purchase some type of file folder and use it to collect various university catalogs (bulletins), applications, forms, STARS Transfer Guide(s) and other documents related to their future transfer in their chosen major.
      • If students are unsure of their major and/or their future four-year university, have them collect information on two possible majors and two possible universities.
      • Much of this information is available via university web sites.
      • Set a deadline for students to turn in this folder (maybe at end of Unit 3 - if class meets 1 hour a week for 3 weeks).
      • Be sure to return the information the students have collected by the end of the term so that they can use it in the next few semesters.
      TIME: Approximately 15-20 minutes.
      2.