This Transfer Guide has been designed to help Morrisville State College students transfer successfully to other colleges and universities. Steps to a successful transfer incorporate procedures, guidelines and tips to assist students through this complicated process.

The Transfer Guide has been broken down into six steps. Through the process some of these steps can overlap, be abbreviated or switched, but not skipped.

---

1.) Identify a Career
You need to identify a career field before you decide on your major and choice of college for transfer. This does not mean the exact job, but a career field that truly interests you. Today, an individual changes jobs approximately 5-7 times in a lifetime.

Identifying a career field is often an ongoing process. You need to know your interests, academic ability, values and skills, as well as the future job environment before selecting a career.

Talk to people employed in the career fields that you are interested in. Get a better insight on the workings of the field, opportunities that lie within and potential for growth.

---

2.) Select Potential Colleges
Selecting a college that fits your academic needs, personal interests and affordability is the goal for a majority of transfer students. Keep the following in mind when evaluating colleges as potential transfer schools:

• Academic programs and majors – Does the college offer an academic program or major you wish to pursue? What is their reputation in your area of interest?
• Geographic location – Do you want to relocate to the west or south? Do you want to go far away from home or stay within driving distance? In-state or out-of-state?
• Affordability – Is cost a consideration? SUNY or private? Are financial aid and/or scholarships a possibility? Will your career goals require graduate school? Therefore, is it in your best interest to be a little conservative with the cost of your four-year degree?
• Academic Competitiveness – What are the academic expectations? Will you be able to maintain the GPA (grade point average) and successfully complete the academic requirements for admission?
• Transferability – How many of your credits will be accepted? Will you be able to graduate in a reasonable amount of time after you transfer? Is the program parallel to your present major?
• Personal Interests – Does the college have a particular sport, musical organization, or extra-curricular activity that you may have the opportunity to participate in? Is the college located near an area of interest – mountains for skiing, oceans for surfing, etc.? Does your sibling or friend attend or is one of your parents an alumnus?
• Campus Size and Setting – What kind of campus interests you…large university, small college, urban, suburban or rural setting?
• Campus Life – Does the campus life match your needs such as residence hall life styles, organizations, student services, bus and dining services?

Each of these factors is important, but some are more important to some students than others. Prioritize them according to your needs and interests. Evaluate your top priority colleges first. This will help eliminate inappropriate college choices. A list of five to seven potential schools is a good number to start with.

The Placement and Transfer office provides assistant to students researching potential transfer institutions. Numerous resources and services are available including:

• Senior Transfer Day – Usually held the third week in October of the Fall semester.
• College & University Reference Library – third floor of Whipple Administration Bldg. contains catalogs, viewbooks and applications. Computers are available to apply on-line. Videotapes/CDs from various colleges are also available for student use. These videos allow you to see campuses and hear students and faculty talk about their institutions.
• On-campus visits by college representatives.
• Individual transfer counseling (appointment recommended).

---

3.) Prepare academically
After selecting five to seven potential transfer colleges, research their transfer entrance requirements. Contact the admissions offices or speak with college representatives at Senior Transfer Day for their requirements. With faculty advisement, enroll in required courses and maintain the recommended GPA. Each university has its own set of entrance requirements, but many are similar between institutions. The following are some tips to keep in mind when preparing academically for a successful transfer:

• Carry a full load (16-18 credits per semester) while at Morrisville State College.
• Complete your associate degree. Universities often look more favorably upon transfer students having an associate degree; and tend to accept students having slightly lower GPAs with an associate degree than students without one.
• Complete 8-10 SUNY Board of Trustees General Education Requirements if you are planning to transfer to a SUNY Institution.
• For A.A.S. degree candidates, it is important to complete additional liberal arts and science courses beyond your degree requirements.
• Do not enroll in a class that you are not academically prepared for, even though you need it to transfer. Take the prerequisites first. It might take longer, but transfer admission counselors do not like seeing Fs on transcripts.
• Be prepared to take summer school classes, if necessary, to complete transfer admission requirements. Completing a class in the summer helps lighten your semester load, especially if it is a difficult class for you.

The Placement and Transfer Office will provide you with assistance in researching academic transfer requirements by providing:

• Names and telephone numbers of university transfer admissions counselors
• Transfer brochures from colleges

*Between steps 2 and 4 is an excellent time to visit potential transfer colleges. Each visit should be an “official visit,” which means that it is held during an appointment with an admission transfer counselor and faculty member. Summer is often a good time to complete this important task; you can obtain academic information and advisement about the classes you need to complete at Morrisville State College before transferring.

The SUNY Transfer Guarantee

An opportunity to continue full-time study at a State University of New York college is guaranteed to all New York residents who transfer directly from Morrisville State College with an AA or an AS degree. To be eligible, the student must:

1. File their application with the Application Processing Center by March 1 for fall admission or October 15 for spring admission.
2. Provide all colleges applied to with their official Morrisville State College transcript by March 15 or November 15.
3. Complete all required supplemental application materials by April 15 or November 15.

With the college visit and completion of Steps 2-3, your number of potential colleges should have decreased to a list of three to five. This is a workable number when it comes to the application process. If you have done an excellent job in the process to date, and are quite sure of your acceptance, the number may be as low as two to three.

---

4.) Complete Application Process
Now that much of your research is complete, it is time to formally apply to your colleges of choice. Before this can be achieved, you must be aware of the application deadlines and obtain the application for admission.

• Deadlines are extremely important and often difficult for students to meet when they are attending classes, involved in campus organizations and holding down part-time jobs. There are often several deadlines pertaining to one’s college application for admission such as Part 1 and Part 2, essays and letters of recommendation, scholarship and financial aid forms, transcript and deposit. One reason to limit your number of potential colleges would be so that you can stay on top of these deadlines.
• Applications for admission can be obtained by directly contacting the Office of Admission at your colleges of choice.
  
  The Placement and Transfer Office does have a supply of transfer applications for colleges popular with our student body. SUNY applications are also available.
  
  Applying on-line is becoming more popular among transfer students. Students are encouraged to visit their potential university Web page to see if they offer this service. Computers are also available for student use in the Placement and Transfer Office for college searches and for accessing on-line applications.
  
  Students applying online to SUNY colleges should use www.suny.edu/student

Application Process

• Complete the application – Before filling out your applications, make photocopies. Fill out the copies first to avoid making mistakes on the original.The application is a reflection on you and it is always wise to present yourself in the best way. Complete all parts of the application that pertain to “transfer students.” This may include an essay. Have someone read the essay before you submit it. Bring your completed application to the Placement and Transfer Office to be reviewed.
• Include the application fee – Most colleges require an application fee prior to processing the application. This fee may range from $15 - $65
  
  New York State residents receiving their associate degree from Morrisville State College prior to transferring to another SUNY institution can have the application fee waived by completing the “Transfer Fee Waiver” section on the SUNY application.
  
  Students enrolled under the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) need to mark the box that states “if you are (or were previously) enrolled in EOP…” to waive their application fee. CUNY schools will not waive their application fee.
• Letters of recommendation – If a college requires at least one letter of recommendation, one should come from a faculty member who knows you and your abilities. Select someone whom you have gotten to know well, and give them plenty of notice before it is due so they can do a quality job for you. Helpful hint: provide the faculty with stamped envelopes addressed to the Admission Office at the colleges.
  
  Some colleges have a required form to complete for letters of recommendation (such as Cornell University), but most do not. Provide the faculty member with a resume containing all of your college activities and your career goals.
• Official transcripts must be mailed from Morrisville State College and any other colleges you have attended. Contact the Registrar’s Offices at any previous colleges (including summer school) that you have attended. Most will require the request in writing, as well as a fee.
  
  The Registrar’s Office, third floor, Whipple Administration Bldg., provides academic transcripts for courses that you have completed at Morrisville State College. Written requests are required and transcript request forms are available in the Registrar’s Office. Complete a form for each college you wish to have transcripts mailed to. Be sure to complete the form accurately using the admission office address. You may wish to send it to the attention of an admissions counselor with whom you have been working.
  
  You receive one copy of your transcript free - there is a $5.00 fee for each transcript thereafter.
  
  
  BE ORGANIZED – Create a folder for each school to which you have applied. Place a copy of your entire application in your folder for later reference. Keep all of your correspondence from that college and the worksheet (including dates) in your folder.
  
  
  DEADLINES – Always check to see when the information is required by the transfer college. Late paperwork can result in a withdrawal of your application for admission.
  
  The application process does not stop when the application is in the mail. You will begin receiving additional requests from the colleges to which you have applied. These may include a Part 2 of the application, requests for mid-term grades (which you have the only copy) or final semester grades.
  
  Treat these requests with importance and return the information as quickly as possible. Put the letters in your folder and copy the requested information before mailing it.
  
  
  TIP
  This would be an excellent time to make an appointment to meet with an admission counselor. They will have your application and documents on file, and now is your opportunity to make a great impression. Interviews can have a positive influence for a borderline candidate.

Acceptances
Read letters of acceptance carefully to be sure that you have been accepted into your desired major and semester. Check for the deposit deadline and any other requests and deadlines.

Denials
A denial letter is difficult to receive and you need to put the decision in perspective. Do not take these letters personally. If you have your heart set on a particular institution, you should ask the college about any options that may exist--summer school, part-time enrollment, probationary status, or change of major.

These options may enable you to prove your ability to the institution and work toward a full-time program. Some colleges have these options, others will not. Bring your letter to the Placement and Transfer Office for assistance.

Applying for Financial Aid


Research each college for their financial aid requirements. Contact the Financial Aid Office at each school for all information needed by a transfer student applying for financial aid. Other resources to check are the college catalog and website.

• Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1 for fall and spring admission.
• Private colleges may also require the Profile Form, instead of or in addition to the FAFSA. There is a cost associated with this financial aid form. Contact the college or university to see which forms are needed, and how to receive the appropriate applications.
• Request that a Financial Aid Transcript be sent to your potential transfer colleges. This must be done at the Financial Aid Office, 3rd floor Whipple Administration Bldg., whether you have received aid or not. It provides your financial aid history to the other colleges.
• Many colleges have their own financial aid forms and scholarship forms that must also be completed if you wish to receive aid. Colleges may also require copies of your income tax returns and those of your parents.

---

5.)Make a Final College Decision
Now it is time for YOU to decide which college to transfer to. Before making that final decision, you should have the following information from the transfer college:

• A letter of acceptance, including your desired major.
• A statement with the number of hours and the specific requirements needed to complete your intended degree.
• A commitment or at least an estimate regarding your financial aid package.

Before accepting an offer of admission try to first visit the campus. Visit before the deposit deadline if possible.

If your financial aid award is not acceptable at your first choice college, contact that college’s Office of Admission and explain to a counselor that you will not be able to attend due to the financial aid package awarded. Sometimes they can help.

Notify, in writing, the other colleges to which you have applied that you will not be attending their institution. You may want to give the reason, but it is not necessary.

---

6.)Follow-Up
The decision might be over, but the transfer process is not. Take time to complete the process, so your transition will be as smooth as possible.

• Pay deposit(s) to the transfer college(s) before deadline(s).
• Request an OFFICIAL FINAL TRANSCRIPT be mailed at the completion of the semester at Morrisville State College. Submit a Transcript Request Form, which is available in the Registrar’s Office, Whipple Administration Bldg., prior to leaving campus.
• Complete and return any housing information required to the transfer college.
• Complete any health forms and schedule a physical examination with your physician, if required by the transfer college.
• Fill out any Exit Form required by Morrisville State College prior to leaving campus.

Upon graduation, you will be receiving a Graduate Survey from the Placement and Transfer Office. Please complete and return your survey so that we can better serve you and future Morrisville State College graduates.