First-Year Transfer Student Plan for Success

1.  Know how your transferred credit applies toward degree requirements

• Meet with your academic advisor to clarify any outstanding concerns
• Prioritize the advice of professional and peer advisors over that of untrained peers

2.  Seek and use resources to develop the academic skills and resilience needed to succeed at a research university

• Participate in an academic success workshop in person or online
• Attend tutoring
• Attend office hours of your TA or professor
• Visit an academic support center (ex. the STEM Resource Center)
• Take an undergraduate success class (ex. USTU, Service Learning, NSED)

3.  Finalize your degree plans

• File the paperwork necessary to declare a major and/or a minor
• Identify an emphasis within your degree (as appropriate)
• Meet with your academic advisor to stay on track
• Know your remaining degree requirements and develop a plan for degree completion
• Know when to apply for graduation

4.  Explore faculty research areas and initiate conversations with those faculty whose research is of interest to you

• Review faculty websites, read faculty publications, or otherwise investigate the research activities of faculty
• Attend at least one research symposium
• Determine if an academic research experience is relevant to your career and/or educational goals
• Determine if you will enroll in a 095, 195, 198, or 199 course, or volunteer in a lab

5. Develop relationships with faculty to continue to develop a professional network

• Have identified at least one faculty member that knows you well enough to write a letter of recommendation that speaks to your abilities in relation to your goals.

6. Participate in a co-curricular opportunity to develop professional and interpersonal skills

• Attend an introductory workshop to explore majors and career pathways
• Apply and participate in research/internship/employment opportunity that furthers your career goals (or enroll in a 095, 195, 198, or 199 course)
• Apply for a summer internship or career-related employment opportunity
• Participate in community services
• Join a student-run academic organization

7. Develop a timeline-based action plan for post-baccalaureate options, i.e. complete professional licensure or graduate school admissions testing, or complete applications in support of your post-baccalaureate options

• Research and identify appropriate schools/programs
• Register and sit for GRE/LSAT/MCAT/DAT/EIT etc.
• Prepare professional and/or graduate school applications