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Standing at the Crossroads

Making the transition to the university can be an exciting and challenging experience for many students. Two transfer students share their experiences as well as their thoughts on what college life has to offer.

Maria, English
Weston, Journalism

If you previously attended a community college, how many hours per week do you spend studying at UT Austin as compared to preparing for community college coursework? I spend about the same amount of time. I don’t think the community college coursework was any easier than UT Austin. I had some amazing professors at ACC and they didn’t take it any easier on us. At the same time, I really wanted to get into UT Austin so I spent a lot of time studying and trying to get good grades. I kept that same drive to have good grades once I got into UT Austin.
-Maria

What tips could be helpful in making the transition from a community college, or another university, to UT Austin as smooth as possible? What surprised you? Just keep up the good work. You have to manage your time wisely- I cannot express that enough. As a transfer student, you have an advantage over freshmen because you have been taking college courses so you have already made that transition from high school to college. It makes coming to a big place like UT Austin that much easier.
-Maria

Students, if not already learned, will need great time management. Time management is one key to success. Another key to success is to get involved in something you are interested in. This is the best way to meet new people and start your networking, which will help you outside of college. What surprised me was the size of the campus and classes. Don’t feel overwhelmed when you see this, just stay on top of your work and everything will be fine.
-Weston

What advice do you wish you had been given regarding transferring to UT Austin? Know what you want to do and where you might want to go before you speak to an advisor. They know a lot but they can’t help you quite as much if you don’t know where you are going. It’s okay to be undecided but try to have some kind of idea of where you might want to go. Until you are sure, try to take core classes and maybe some electives to try to figure out what you like.
-Maria

What has your UT Austin experience been like? What are advantages? Disadvantages? I started out in the private dormitory, Dobie, and now I’m in a two-bedroom apartment with my roommate from Dobie. I got really lucky that I found a good roommate and everything has been non-stop fun. There are so many things that the university has to offer such as: organizations, activities, knowledge, experience and lots of diversity. The only downside is the size of the university, but even the size brings advantages so really UT Austin doesn’t have disadvantages!
-Weston

Why did you choose The University of Texas at Austin to continue your studies? What drew you to be a student here? The size and the reputation drew me here. I originally came from a very small high school so I wanted to go to the biggest university I could find. It’s worked out well.
-Maria

I was born in Texas, raised in California. I was accepted into the Coordinated Admissions Program and it was my goal to get into UT Austin because of the prestigious College of Communication.
-Weston

What is life like for a transfer student at UT Austin? What is your college experience? It’s great. I felt so much more prepared when I came in. I wasn’t scared about classes, I knew I could do it. It’s a big university; you have to have confidence in yourself and try to make yourself known. I have made it a habit to introduce myself to my professors on the first day of class. This has allowed me to get to know them more and many still remember me semesters later. It definitely helps when you need letters of recommendation.
-Maria

It’s hard to get acclimated, but UT Austin has too much to offer not to get involved in something. At least sign up for a transfer student organization, which I’m proud to say I’m starting with a group of people. It may feel like you’re out of the loop, but the only way to get in the loop is to just be involved. I can’t stress that enough.
-Weston

What advice would you give other transfer students who are about to enroll in their first classes here at UT Austin? Introduce yourselves to your professors. Don’t be intimidated by the size of UT Austin, you don’t notice it once you start taking classes. Stay focused and don’t lose all sense of time management. There are a ton of fun things to do on campus but keeping a balance of work and play will help you out in the long run. You definitely don’t want to dig yourself a hole you can’t get out of.
-Maria

Take a deep breath, maybe two or three. Just have fun, don’t be shy. Everyone is here to learn and you too can make a difference here at The University of Texas at Austin so don’t feel small. Talk with your advisors and create a good relationship with her or him and start networking! Opportunities will come your way.
-Weston