The Spectrum

Issue date: 1/26/06 Section: Features

Media Credit: The Spectrum/ ELyse Harrell An open door for a new exciting future.

Imagine you are a second semester student who decides their two- year or four- year college isn't exactly what they hoped for in a university, in terms of social or academic aspects. So where do you go from there?

Ali Nistal, a sophomore at SHU, attended Molloy College, in Rockville Center Long Island, straight out of high school.

"It was a commuter school, very cliquey, very small, with no campus life," said Ali Nistal, sophomore, Rockville Center, N.Y.

With this in mind, Nisral knew she wanted to find another "perfect fit" where she could spend the next four years of her college life. This is where learning about SHU became appealing.

"A majority of the time, students transfer into SHU because they want to be closer to home, or they are looking for a different type of atmosphere, or even just the simple fact that their original college didn't offer the major or career they were intending on pursuing. Many of the transfer students also have friends who go here, who know and promote the small, intimate atmosphere, with an emphasis on personal relationships," said Cara Jordan, associate director of undergraduate admissions.

"My friend at the time went here and I came up to visit her [last] winter. I loved the atmosphere and everything it had to offer, and it put an idea in my head about going away and I didn't want to go anywhere else," said Nistal.

SHU is known for just that: its small environment, personal relationships, and its sufficient number of transfer students.

In any given year, there are an average of "200 students who transfer into SHU in the fall, and 100 transfers in the spring," said Jordan.

"In the fall, mostly sophomores and juniors are transferring into SHU because they are coming from community colleges where they are receiving their associates degree, and realize they want to finish up and receive their bachelor's degree in a four year university," said Jordan.

There are many factors that lead to a student to transfer, for example, students who transfer from Housatonic Community College in Norwalk, could be looking for a school still close to home where they can receive a bachelor's degree from a traditional four year college.

Sometimes transfer students are from junior colleges that look to SHU for, not only their academics, but also their athletics. In addition, many of the commuter or part-time students transfer in as full-time students because they are so happy with the quality of the university.

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