Deadlines for university transfer applications are coming up soon, but many students are unaware of this fact.

Many students miss the application deadlines in late November, or cannot transfer next year as they had hoped to because they did not find out the necessary transfer information, Transfer Center coordinator and counselor Sue Oda-Omori said.

Looking over fall applications

“Students are just not aware of the basic requirements and deadlines,” Oda-Omori said.

Oda-Omoi said it is important for students to talk to a counselor and come into the Transfer Center to determine what classes they need to take to fill their major and general education requirements, as well as taking the classes the college they hope to attend requires.

“Students just need to come in and get it (transfer information),” Oda-Omori said.ÿ “It can be a fairly easy process if they find out all of the information that they need.”

Many students never speak to a counselor before tryingto transfer so they find out at the last minute that they have not taken all of the required classes, said student transfer adviser Dianne Martinez.

“Talk to a counselor.ÿ Obviously they know what classes you need to take,” Martinez said.

Because many students do not consult a counselor, they are under the false impression that meeting minimum admission requirements will guarantee admission to the college of their choice.

“A lot of students think, ‘Oh, I can get in with a two-point-zero GPA,'” Martinez said.ÿ “Well, yes, technically they can, but realistically, no.”

The transfer process can also be hindered when students do not choose a major or a school that they wish to attend soon enough, which is the case with April Macias, journalism major.

“The mistake that I made was not selecting a school that I wanted to go to right away because it takes time to figure out what they want from you before you transfer,” Macias said.ÿ “I could have gotten out of El Camino a lot sooner.”

Making applications appealing

Hafsa Rai, English major, who hopes to transfer to the University of California, Berkeley or California State University, Long Beach, is taking Martinez’s and Oda-Omori’s advice.

“I always go to a counselor every semester to be sure that I’m on the right path,” Rai said.

Rai hopes that her internship at the Pakistani Consulate and her enrollment in the Honors Transfer Program (HTP) will help her reach her goal.ÿ

“I really think that it (HTP) will help me,” Rai said.ÿ “That’s a big thing for UCs.”

Honors program big assistance

Students who complete the Honors Transfer Program, which requires students to maintain a 3.0 GPA and take honors courses, are guaranteed priority consideration to many University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) schools.ÿ Oda-Omori encourages students to enroll in the program.

“It’s been a really big benefit to students who are enrolled in the program,” Oda-Omori said.

Rai also makes appointments to talk to UC and CSU representatives when they come to the Counseling Center, a service that the Transfer Center provides.

The Center also provides workshops that help students plan their class schedules, apply to college, and figure out their major, making the transferring process less confusing and helping students transfer faster.

“It is a process to make those kinds of decisions,” Oda-Omori said.ÿ “A lot of students are undecided and it takes time and a lot of research, in terms of planning, what school they want to attend, what major (they will choose).”

Teachers provide assistance

Students who have decided on their major can also get information from professors who are highly knowledgeable in the field that they teach and in opportunities available in that field.ÿ

Macias’ journalism professor helped her decide to try to attend USC and CSU Fullerton and told her what classes related to her major she needed to take.

“She’s a very credible source for the information that I need, so I’m relying a lot on her,” Macias said.

Macias is hoping to intern at a local newspaper, which would help her chances of admission.ÿ Having a job, an internship, holding leadership positions, or being involved in clubs or community service activities are things that many UCs and private schools place importance upon, Oda-Omori said.

Budget cuts possible problem

Oda-Omori believes that these extra-curricular activities will become increasingly important to universities since California’s budget crisis is causing many colleges to become more selective.

“Access to a lot of the schools is going to become very tight and limited now because of the state’s budget situation,” Oda-Omori said.

Looking for classes elsewhere

Because winter session has been canceled and many universities are not accepting transfer students for the spring semester, many students might have to wait another year to transfer. Elimination of the winter session could also hurt some students.

“A lot of our students were depending on the winter session to complete their units,” Martinez said.ÿ

“The budget cuts worry me, but hopefully, I’m good enough to get in,” Rai said.

In light of this situation, students should work on improving their GPA and visit the Transfer Center to find out what else they need to be admitted to a university, Martinez said.