Transfers make smooth transitions

Author: Molly Dwyer

The early days of fall bring fresh faces to schools everywhere. While most of those new faces are first-year students, many schools also accept a handful of transfer students each year. Many of us should have noticed new, but perhaps wiser-looking faces in the dining halls during the past few weeks, as many sophomores and juniors decided to enroll this September.

The paths that transfer students follow to arrive at the right school are undeniably long and circuitous. In applying for transfer admission, students have to relive the dreaded college application process, which is further soured by the fact that colleges typically accept far fewer transfer students than those who apply for regular admission. The number of transfer students at Middlebury varies from year to year depending on the amount of available on-campus housing. Only one out of the two hundred and thirty applicants was accepted for the 2004-2005 school year, making for a very personal Transfer Orientation. However, forty-two out of the two hundred forty five applicants were accepted for the 2006-2007 school year. Transfer students can choose to matriculate in February or in September, and must complete at least two years of work at Middlebury.

Many transfer students remark that the college process is easier as a veteran. Caitlin Wood, a transfer from Tufts said, "I knew exactly what I was looking for because I had found exactly what hated about a university." Laura Newman, a transfer from University of Maryland made a similar comment: "Looking at colleges after you have been a college student is incredibly easier and you feel much more confident in knowing what you want."

In order to find the right fit the first time, Wood advises people who are on the college search to "talk to as many students at the school you're interested in as possible. Talk to the ones who aren't tour guides and find out what they don't like about the school." Newman learned from her first college process that "you should choose the college that you fell most connected to, not the one where you can play a sport at or obtain a certain degree."

When asked why they chose Middlebury, Caitlin and Laura provided similar answers, to which most Middlebury students can relate. "I was attracted to Middlebury for its sense of community, the friendliness I encountered the moment I stepped on campus, the beautiful setting in the mountains, and a college with a reputation for great professors and limitless opportunities," Laura said. Along the same lines, Caitlin commented, "I figured a smaller student body and the highest rated faculty in the country would do."

Middlebury hosts transfer orientations in both September and February in order to ease the transition. These orientations are different from freshman orientation. "Middlebury realizes, thankfully, that transfers have been through the whole orientation thing already. They make a huge effort to ask us how we are doing and provide us with all the resources we need to get settled, but other than that, they let us do our thing our own way, which is really helpful," Wood commented.

While Middlebury does a great job of easing these students into the community, the transfer process is not always easy. Newman explained, "The most difficult part was completing applications while still having to complete the work from my classes at Maryland at the same time." Wood added that she likes Middlebury "infinitely better than Tufts." She said, "I love Midd so far and I don't see that changing any time soon."

With mounting piles of applications, transfer students are also facing a competitive process. As Wood and Newman illustrated, Middlebury College appropriately facilitates the transition to another college and fills the high expectations of transfer students that are eager to experience this unique college environment.