Transferring from a university to a community college can come with a lot of challenges for students. At Butler Community College (BCC) many transfer students find it really hard to adjust to a new system entirely coming from a different school.
One of the biggest challenges transfer students face is academic requirements. According to Amber Prieb, who is an international academic adviser at Butler, explained that schools do not all follow the same degree plans, which can cause confusion for transfer students.
“Different schools have different academic requirements, so we try to place students in a degree that uses as much of their previous academic history as possible, that way, they don’t have to redo classes or take extra time to get caught up,” Prieb said.
Prieb also explained that there is no single class that is difficult for all the transfer students. Some students struggle with math, while others do well in it. The challenges depend on the student and their goals in life.
Another major challenge is navigating campus. Many students struggle to find their classes on campus and navigate campus systems like Canvas where assignments and school work are posted.
Taiwo Larore Irfane, an international transfer student, shared that transferring was overwhelming for her,
“When I came here, it was hard to know where my classes were and how things worked,” Irfane said. “There was no one to show me around. I was totally clueless and confused at the beginning.”
This lack of awareness prevents students from getting the help they need.
Many transfer students are also not aware of the free resources like tutoring, career services and counseling provided by the school for students on campus. Some students believe these services are only for scholarship students.
“I didn’t know free tutoring (and) career services were for everyone,” Markcell Tah said. “I thought it was only for students on scholarship.”
All of these prevent students from getting the help they need early on in the semester.
Career planning is another challenge. Many transfer students often get confused about what major to choose and what classes align with their future goals. Prieb encourages students to talk to an adviser openly about their long term academic and career plans, so they can be guided in the right direction.
Butler does not have programs only for transfer students; an adviser explained how all campus resources and events are open to everyone. Prieb also talked about students asking questions and learning how the system works can help make the transfer process easier for them.