Get ready, get set…TRANSFER!

Written by: Elizabeth Ballinger
Eighteen colleges and universities were represented at BCC’s 2008 Summer Transfer Fair on Thursday, July 10, in the cafeteria. Admissions advisors from Washington State University , Western Washington University, The Art Institute of Seattle, and University of Washington, were just a few of those present answering student questions and providing transfer brochures, and college applications. “Most of the students want to know about the college’s transfer requirements, what kind of coursework they should take, application deadlines, financial arrangements, and major opportunities,” said Gwen Jackson, from Seattle University. “With all of us here, students can survey the options, learn as much about each school as they can, and start to figure out what might work for them.” College size ranged from 1,300 students at St. Martins, a Catholic university focusing on liberal arts and business, to the over 40,000 students at the University of Washington (UW). Bastyr College, which offers programs in undergraduate health science, and the Art Institute, which features multi-media and traditional B.A. programs, were among those specializing in very specific degree subjects. However students looking into most other colleges, such as WSU, UW, Western, Central Washington University and Evergreen, may have up to 110 or more diverse majors from which to choose “You would choose Western because we focus a great deal on the first-time college experience,” says Dittmar. She explains students are drawn to Western because of a strong undergraduate research program in both natural and social sciences. WSU, according to Christa Callanan, is one of the few schools located in a city [Pullman] entirely centered around the university, “One of the last true college towns.” Working students looking for a more flexible class schedule might be drawn to Eastern, which like UW offers evening degree programs. High concentrations of community college students fill up much of junior enrollment in several of the colleges, for which BCC is one of the largest “feeder schools.” UW, for example, reserves approximately 30% of its new undergraduate space to transfer students. Several representatives present want to keep it that way. “Our numbers for transfer students are down,” says Angela Dittmar, from Western. “We’re trying to increase our exposure, and BCC is one of our main feeder schools.” Celinda Smith, the director of BCC’s Academic Advising, noted in spring quarter that transfer fairs are one of her department’s primary “educational planning tools.” A few BCC students interviewed at the fair, going into their sophomore years, noted that summer quarter suits them for early consideration of four-year colleges. Although Thursday’s fair turned out more students than last year’s Summer fair, Fall quarter is expected to be much busier. “Most students don’t looking hard at the colleges until fall,” says Myndee Ronning, from Central. The dates vary, but if a student plans to begin in the fall quarter, the latest application deadlines usually falls between February and April. For certain majors and scholarships, an earlier application is necessary to increase chance of acceptance. For more information, go to http://bellevuecollege.edu/advising/default.asp