With many incoming transfer students throughout the fall, spring and summer semesters, the Kansas State admissions office works extensively to provide support and resources that the university has to offer.
Makenna Duncan, junior in journalism and mass communications, had transferred back in January of 2019 from Madesto Junior College in California and is originally from Ripon, California. As a first generation college student, Duncan wanted to be able to go away to college and learned of K-State through a friend back at her junior college.
During a visit to K-State with her mom, Duncan thought that everyone was kind and welcoming which helped her in making her decision to transfer.
“People showed they really wanted to help me reach my goals,” Duncan said.
Trying to adjust to a move and a new school, Duncan admitted her first year was hard. The biggest struggle was being overwhelmed and trying making friends as well as her personal struggle with anxiety. One of the resources that helped with the transfer was Counseling Services, where Duncan now can also attend group sessions specialized in anxiety.
Duncan said her only disappointment with the resources available was the limitation of only eight individual counseling sessions, due to a recent change in university policy.
“My advice for incoming transfer students is timing is everything,” Duncan said. “If you give it time, things will get better.”
Duncan is now beginning to start her core classes in her degree and says she is the happiest she has ever been.
The student enrollment of K-State was 21,719 in the fall of 2019, and a portion of this population was between 1,400 to 1,700 transfer students in the annual year, Deana Core, assistant director and transfer coordinator, said.
One of the biggest questions that comes up for transfer students working through the admissions office is how classes will transfer for their program from the old schools to K-State, Core said.
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Credits are easier to transfer from in-state colleges than out-of-state. With the help of the admissions office, students can work with advisers at K-State and at the other college to coordinate the transition.
Other resources that are in the works for the admissions office is a version of a virtual tour being produced with the K-State marketing office. Core said this will help students experience the campus from a distance and will be a great tool to have.
Transfer students are given two versions of checklists as well to help with providing important dates and information. The first checklist is for students thinking of applying to K-State, with items such as general application deadlines.
Once students are admitted, the second checklist provides things such as when to apply for housing and scholarships. The checklist also goes over where to seek out resources that K-State offers.
“It is important for the whole K-State community to understand we have students from all academic backgrounds and that we are beginning to see more and more students transfer and it’s a common nationwide thing,” Core said. “Be aware of different academic backgrounds and help students take advantage of resources.”
Abby Weber, sophomore in Education, transferred from Hutchinson Community College and is originally from Hesston, Kansas.
The hardest part of the transition for Weber was getting used to the larger class sizes at K-State.
“I was close to the office staff at Hutchinson and it was weird not having a close connection at K-State where no one even knows my name,” Weber said.
Both Weber and Duncan are a part of the Transfer Ambassador Program that works to help other transfer students with the adjustment of moving and having someone to relate to and understand.
