Transfer Planning

According to student surveys, over half of the students attending Tidewater Community College plan to transfer to another college or university to earn a bachelors degree. TCC provides students the opportunity to complete the first half of a baccalaureate degree before transferring to colleges or universities within Virginia or throughout the country. The key to successful transfer is planning. To plan for transfer, you need to determine which college or university you plan to attend and what your major will be. Once you have made these decisions, you and your counselor/advisor can select the appropriate transfer courses while you attend TCC.

LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT YOUR INTENDED CAREER OR MAJOR
THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE BETTER DECISIONS YOU WILL MAKE

• Steps to follow in selecting your major:
  • Contact the Counseling Center or Transfer and Career Resource Center at your home campus for assistance with career planning. Career choice helps determine the best major to reach your goals.
  • Career planning help is available on-line through TCC's web site: There you can obtain help in exploring possible careers and major http://www.tcc.edu/students/career/index.htm on-line. Often you can receive career planning help through your employer or from employers where you would like to work.
  • If you aren't sure of a specific major, try to narrow it down to a general area, such as business or science.

LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY YOU PLAN TO ATTEND
THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE BETTER DECISIONS YOU WILL MAKE

• Steps to follow in selecting a college or university:
  • Determine whether or not you want to leave the area. There are a number of colleges and universities within an hour's drive of TCC. These include Christopher Newport University, The College of William & Mary, Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Saint Leo University, Regent University, and Virginia Wesleyan College.
  • Carefully research the colleges you are considering. Available majors, tuition costs, admissions requirements and size are some of the factors that should be considered. Directories, college catalogs, and transfer guides are available at your campus. Campus visits and tours are essential in making a wise decision.
  • Use the extensive information available online. Access other college web sites, Virginia Community College System Transfer Guides and other helpful information. Many colleges allow you to apply for admission and financial aid on-line. Academic departments at the colleges often have excellent information about career opportunities, faculty, and special programs. Some offer virtual tours and opportunities to ask questions on-line.
  • Watch for transfer events (college representative visits, guest speakers on transfer-related topics, transfer fairs, etc.) scheduled at TCC campuses during the Fall and Spring semesters. Check with TCC's Career and Transfer Resource Center, Counseling Center, website, Student Services or WTCC (video bulletin board) for current information.

LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE CURRICULUM YOU HAVE CHOSEN
THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE BETTER DECISIONS YOU WILL MAKE

• Steps to follow in planning your course work(curriculum) at TCC:
  • Most transfer students follow an AS (Associate in Science) or AA (Associate in Arts) degree program. The AS most closely parallels the first two years of the BS (Bachelor of Science) degree while the AA most closely parallels the first two years of the BA (Bachelor of Arts) degree. The AS degrees in Engineering and Business Administration have very specific requirements for the freshman/sophomore years and these are clearly defined in the TCC Catalog. Often the most appropriate choices are made with the help of a counselor/advisor, using curriculum sheets from individual colleges and the colleges or universities transfer guides.
  • Counselors and advisors also can help students decide whether or not it is advantageous to complete the AS or AA degree prior to transferring.
  • Transfer students may choose an A.A.S. (Associate in Applied Science) degree, which has occupational or technical job training as its primary purpose, if they plan to pursue a bachelors degree in certain technical fields. Counselors and advisors can assist students in adapting the A.A.S. Degree for optimum transfer.
  
  
• Steps to follow in applying for admission to a four-year college or university:
• Secure applications for admission either through TCC resources, college web-sites or contact colleges directly to request application materials.
• Don't wait until the deadline to apply! The sooner the application is made, the sooner the application will be processed and the sooner you will be able to make specific plans toward enrolling. A basic rule is to apply at least one semester prior to the semester you plan to enroll at the college; e.g., apply at the beginning of spring semester to enroll for fall semester. You may need to begin working on applications during the fall for those colleges that require written essays and faculty recommendations. Generally speaking, it is easier to transfer for the fall semester.
• Official transcripts should be sent to the colleges Admissions Office at the end of each semester prior to enrolling at the college or university. A Transcript Request Form should be submitted to your home campus records office. There is no charge for official transcripts but students should also request a personal copy of their current transcript as well. The personal copy can be used when meeting with faculty advisors that will help plan your program.

• Steps to follow in applying for financial assistance:
  • Apply early. January is the best time to apply if you plan to attend in the fall semester. Some colleges have deadlines as early as February 15th . Failure to meet this deadline may reduce your financial aid award package.
  • Apply for financial aid through The Department of Educations website: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Each college may have their own financial aid application. These can be obtained online through college web-sites, which also offer scholarship information. Contact colleges directly requesting application materials. TCCs website offers online information for financial assistance.
  • Another excellent website is http://www.finaid.org which offers financial aid and scholarship information. Watch for notices about transfer scholarships and other scholarships which may relate to your intended major. Check with TCC's Career and Transfer Resource Center, Counseling Center, website, Student Services or WTCC (video bulletin board) for current information.

LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY AND YOUR MAJOR PRIOR TO TRANSFERRING.
THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE BETTER DECISIONS YOU WILL MAKE.

• Steps to follow in preparing to transfer:
  • The acceptance letter you receive from the college or university should outline the steps you need to follow. Some colleges offer special orientation/registration days for transfer students. Others ask students to telephone or e-mail specific college departments for academic advising.
  • Request that an official, final TCC transcript be sent from the TCC Central Records Office to the college or university Admissions Office. If you complete an A.A., A.S., or A.A.S. Degree, that should be noted on the final transcript.
  • Ascertain that all required documentation has been received by the Financial Aid Office at the college or university. Financial Aid Transcripts must be submitted whether you received assistance at TCC or not.