Transfer Student Transition

 

Michigan draws transfer students from all 50 states and around the world. Transfers come to us from both 2-year and 4-year schools, public and private, small and large. Most transfer students, are between 19-24 years of age, but about 10% of transfer students are over 24. With this wide range of backgrounds, each transfer student will have a unique transition into the university. However, there are some common experiences that we see frequently with transfer students during their transition. 

 

Transfer Shock

Many transfer students enter the University of Michigan with confidence. They have been academically successful at another college or university and have met the tough admissions standards of one of the top institutions in the country. Unlike a student right out of high school, transfer students know what to expect from the higher education experience. Or, so they think. What most transfer students don’t realize is that much of what they learned about the college experience was specific to their previous school(s), and that Michigan may be different. We refer to this as transfer shock.

At their previous school or schools, your student may have known how to register for courses, who the best professors were, where to park, how to get off the class waiting list, what coffee shop had the best coffee, what every building abbreviation stood for, all of the football cheers, and more. At Michigan, they will have to start over. For some, this will be no problem. For others, the lack of familiarity, and the frustration of having to start over, will be difficult.

 

The Academic Transition

Transfer students come to Michigan from a wide array of other institutions. One major transition for some students is the adjustment to Michigan's academic workload. A great deal of work is expected outside of class, and few students work more than 15 hours per week. For some students, the workload may be much greater than at their previous school. 

Another academic transition for transfer students is the adjustment to the U-M faculty expectations. What may make U-M faculty different from other schools is the amount of critical thinking and applied learning that they expect from their students. Transfer students who are accustomed to multiple-choice style tests, or day-before-exam review sessions, will learn that there is a different style of learning here. Faculty will expect students to apply the knowledge they have learned, and that much of the content will come not only from lectures, but from the assigned homework as well.

The way in which students get to know their instructors may also be different. U-M is a large research institution. For some, the size of a U-M classroom will be intimidating. While there are a wide range of class sizes, from small-group discussions of only 15, to large lectures of over 300, the classroom experience may be different from a student’s previous school(s), and getting to know the instructor may take a lot more effort than it used to. Faculty and graduate student instructors have office hours where students are encouraged to come and ask questions or discuss areas that may be difficult or exciting. However, the student has to take the first step and attend those office hours on a regular basis. Doing so will enrich the student’s experience on many levels.

To help with the academic transition, U-M offers many resources. However, transfer students may enter with a preconceived idea about utilizing academic resources and may be concerned that those resources are only for weak students. The difference between Michigan and some other schools is that Michigan’s academic resources are not for remedial learning. Transfer students may also find that their previous school did not challenge them in the way that Michigan does. As a result, they may be unfamiliar with knowing when to ask for help and may lack comfort in utilizing the resources. We encourage students to get help early and often. Michigan’s academic resources turn good students into great students. 

 

The Social Transition

Transfer students will be faced with a different kind of social transition than incoming first-year students. Most transfer students will live in off-campus housing, where there is no built-in social network. Transfer students may find that making friends is challenging. Former transfers recommend that the best ways to meet people are by talking to others in classes, joining student organizations,  and attending events for transfer students. 

However, getting involved in campus activities and joining student organizations can be a challenge as well. These things can require a large time commitment, and many transfer students find that they would rather dedicate that time to their academic success during their initial transition. 

The Environmental Transition

The physical size and layout of the U-M campus will be another transition for new transfer students. Campus includes Central Campus, North Campus, South Campus, and the Medical Campus. Students may have classes primarily on Central and North Campuses, but may live on South or Medical Campus. Many students may be accustomed to being able to walk the entire distance of a campus between classes; others may be accustomed to driving to campus and parking right in front of the building where the class is being held. Neither is likely at U-M. Planning out classes so that there is enough transportation time between classes will be important for new students. And, planning to do a lot of walking (or bike riding) in cold or rainy weather, will also be very important – and yet another transition.

To help students manage the size of the U-M campus, Michigan has an outstanding public transportation system. But, the bad news is that it is yet one more thing that new transfer students need to learn during their transition to Michigan. The buses make transportation at U-M easy – once they get to know it.

Parking, on the other hand, is never easy. Transfer students who plan to bring their cars to campus may find that the lack of parking to be another challenge they have to face. 

Finally, another part of the transition is learning the U-M acronyms. New transfer students may find that simply learning all of the acronyms is an important part of communicating with U-M students, faculty, and staff. Just about every building and resource at Michigan has an acronym, and learning them all is a challenge for all new students. The difficulty is that since transfer students are not freshmen, when they tell people that they are a “junior,” everyone will automatically assume that they already have learned the acronyms. In addition, Michigan’s building names often have nothing to do with the actual purpose or use of the building. For example, there will be many humanities classes in the Natural Science Building, and many social science classes in the Modern Languages Building. A list of frequently used acronyms is included in your student's orientation course.

 

Tips for Supporting Your Transfer Student

Just by taking this online course, you’ve already shown your support for your student, and we thank you for that. Here are a few other tips to consider as you progress through the Fall term:

• Encourage your student to take a lighter load during the 1^st semester at U-M if possible. – This will give them a little more time to make the academic adjustment.
• Refer your student to support services if they are struggling. The advantage of being a large institution is that we offer a lot of support to students, both in and out of the classroom (see below).
• Remind your student to use office hours for faculty and Graduate Student Instructors.
• Help your student identify time management strategies and set priorities. 
• Encourage your student to get involved with a student group/club/sports or other small-group program. 
• Let them know that what they’re feeling is normal. Sometimes transfer students think that because they’ve done this before, they shouldn’t be having these feelings. The truth is that, unless they have transferred once before, they haven’t “done this” before, and like all transitions, there will be some adjustments. Listen and be encouraging and supportive during this time of transition.

 

Transfer students usually experience their transition to U-M in different ways.  They may be nervous, excited, lonely, and more. Sometimes these feelings will all be at the same time. 

If you notice that your student is struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress during the transition, encourage your student to do the following:

• Connect with others and engage in campus activities in whatever ways are available - both virtually and in small groups
• Seek out resources such as Counseling & Psychological Services and other wellness resources on campus. They can also download the Stressbusters App for mindfulness and well-being tools.
• Take care of themselves with sleep, exercise, and nutrition.
• Be patient with themselves, as transition takes time.  

Remember, if your student is struggling with mental health issues related to their transition or other challenges,  let them know that they are not alone. Feelings like this are normal during a big life transition, and even more so in the uncertainty of today's world. The university has a lot of resources available to help your student. Additional information is available for parents and family members at the Counseling & Psychological Services website.