Tuesday’s Transfer and Career Tips
At the Center for Careers and Transfer, we offer a wide range of services to students and alumni who are thinking about transferring to a four-year college or university, or are considering their career options and goals. Services at the Center for Careers and Transfer include:
- Job search strategies
- Resume writing and interview preparation
- Career counseling
- Transfer counseling
- Biannual transfer fairs and part-time job fairs
Week 15: Dec. 6
Transfer Planning: Narrow Down Choices and Decide When to Transfer
Once you have investigated transfer colleges suitable for your desired major, it will be important to narrow down your choices soon for optimal transfer planning. As noted above, your course selections at Hudson Valley may vary depending on the specific requirements of each transfer institution. It is generally advisable to narrow down your selections to about three to five schools. While one or two colleges may represent your ideal choice, it is important to have a back up plan. Be realistic in your selections, especially in terms of cost and GPA requirements. Obviously, the higher your GPA here at Hudson Valley, the more choices you will have in transfer colleges.
If possible, visit the campus of any college you are seriously considering, and talk with students, faculty, and admissions counselors. Try to decide if you would be happy in this environment. Also, find out if admissions representatives from colleges in which you are interested plan to visit our campus by checking our events calendar. If so, plan to attend these scheduled visits.
It is not necessary to complete your associate degree before you transfer, but in most cases, it is beneficial to do so. The exception to this rule would be those situations where completion of the degree would result in a substantial loss of transfer credits. Otherwise, there are many advantages to completing your associate degree, prior to transferring, including the following:
- Savings in tuition
- Sense of closure and accomplishment
- SUNY application fee is waived (can apply to up to seven SUNY schools for free)
- SUNY Transfer Guarantee Program for A.A. and A.S. degrees
- Some colleges will waive their General Education Requirements for students with an A.A. or A.S. degree
- Less emphasis placed on high school grades and/or SAT scores for students who completed their associate degree
Be sure to check Student Announcements for weekly Career and Transfer Tips!
Center for Careers and Transfer
CTR 290 — 518-629-7326 — cce@hvcc.edu