Ryan NorrisTransferring, while some may think it is easy, is not such a fun-filled event.
After accepting Cabrini’s invitation to attend the school, transfer students were asked to sign up for a one-day orientation. Those who attended took math and language placement tests, heard from a few student services, signed up for classes, and went home.
Some may think that because transfer students already had some college experience they should have an idea of how things work. However, there are many things unique to each school.
Compared to the three-day orientation that the incoming freshmen attended, some transfer students, who attended the one-day orientation, feel out of the loop. Erin Schell, a transfer sophomore, said, “I’m not sure where I stand- I sort of feel like a freshman, because I don’t have all of the information… but it seems to me, like the freshmen are the ones who know what’s going on. For the things I’m not completely sure about, I have either had to ask my RA or have heard it from some of the freshmen.”
The social aspect of orientation was also not as great of an opportunity as some transfer students had expected. “There was so much stuff crammed into one day, that there wasn’t much time to interact with any of the other people there. It wasn’t like my freshman year, where I had the chance to make friends that I’d see in September- I suppose that I feel somewhat cheated,” Rebecca Clark, a transfer sophomore, said. The freshmen, who attended the three-day orientation, had the chance to meet many new people, spend more time finding common interests and goals, and to gain new friends that they would see at the start of school.
As the summer ended, it came time to return to the college life. There were many events for the freshmen (as well as their families), for they are “First-Year Students.” Transfers are ‘first-year’ students at Cabrini College.
It seemed as though transfer students were not really embraced by or welcomed into the “new” community by being included in the types of activities, such as the Matriculation/Welcoming Ceremony, which were provided for the freshmen.
While transferring is not a completely negative experience for most, there is a sense of something missing. Clark said, “I am happy that I chose to transfer to Cabrini, but wish I had the same experience that I did during my freshman year. You miss stuff when you aren’t a freshman.”
Nothing against being a freshman, transfers just wish they had the same opportunity at their new school.
Posted to the web by Ryan Norris
