Salt Lake Community College is a two-year institution; meaning most of you will be transferring to a four-year school with or without an associate’s degree. Even though there are people to help with the transfer there are still some particulars you should be aware of. For instance, if you are graduating from SLCC with your associates, you must submit your graduation application by the deadline that falls before your final semester begins. The application fee is $25 and you can pay by check or credit card. This is just to get out of this school and into the next.
Laying out your school schedule is like a chess game; you have to think several moves ahead or you might lose some valuable pieces on the board or money and time in school. Know what classes will transfer and the requirements needed for a chosen bachelor’s degree as soon as possible. Additionally, this is important to decide before you think about changing your major. If you’re trying to get financial aid, scholarships or a loan, everything you do while you are in school affects the process.
Speaking about scholarships, financial aid and loans, remember to read the requirements and to fill out all the information. When you transfer be aware of the fine print and check the availability of the funding. One example is transferring up to the University of Utah this spring will make you ineligible to get scholarships for new transfers. This is because they have all ready distributed all their funds for this year and will not have new scholarship money until fall semester. Financial aid is similar to when you should apply; for your best chance of being rewarded plan ahead.
Something else to think about is your GPA. Minimum GPA for many of the scholarships is at least a 3.0. If you want to be eligible for additional scholarships try and maintain a 3.5 or better. This again comes to planning your classes and workload appropriately. Lets say you have a really hard class that you have been told is going to require extra time for studying, more than usual. Take some light classes around the hard class to allow some extra time to do homework. Sounds like common sense but trust me the more confident you finish a class the more prepared you will be for the next step.
If you are asking yourself how you’re supposed to know if a teacher’s class is going to be hard, there are some websites that give detailed information about the teacher and the difficulty of the class. For instance, myEDU has a website where previous students have written reviews with pros and cons. A more detailed review of the teachers can be found at rate my professors. The website classifies how easy the class is, how helpful the teacher was, the clarity of the class and interest the student had in the class, in addition to the overall quality and hotness. Another suggestion is to ask your classmates or the department head of the subject matter you are inquiring about.
Remember as you get closer to graduation the more limited the classes are offered; some are taught only one semester a year. Along with your early application for graduation you should also apply for admissions one semester prior to graduation or the semester before transferring. A hard lesson in school and in life is just because you did it, does not mean it is done. Follow up on all your applications; call or meet with an advisor until you get a piece of paper in your hand that says you have been awarded, admitted or anything else your awaiting acceptance for. Final note — a favorite teacher said this, “School is a place to make mistakes and learn — so enjoy the journey.”