First-Year Transfer Student Plan for Success
By the conclusion of your first year at UC Merced, you will:
1. Know how your transferred credit applies toward degree requirements
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- Meet with your academic advisor to clarify any outstanding concerns
- Prioritize the advice of professional and peer advisors over that of untrained peers
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2. Seek and use resources to develop the academic skills and resilience needed to succeed at a research university
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- 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)
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3. Finalize your degree plans
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- 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
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4. Explore faculty research areas and initiate conversations with those faculty whose research is of interest to you
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- 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
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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
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