As a transfer student, be prepared to talk about your transfer process as it may require additional explanation. Consider elaborating on your decision process, reasons for transferring, and the soft skills and knowledge you have acquired by attending both institutions.
For additional assistance and resources for interviewing visit our interviewing guide [HERE].
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What was your transfer process? Tell us about your transfer experience?
Employers want to hear how you evaluated your experience at a different institution, and what action steps you took to research your options, prepare application materials, and schedule visits. They want to know how you plan on achieving a goal, the steps you take in preparation, and how you managed several options to make a conscious decision. I transferred from the University of Massachusetts Boston. The city life was overwhelming the first semester as a first-year student, and since most of the population was commuters, I struggled to feel connected to the campus. During winter break after my first semester, I expressed my concerns to my family and began to research colleges in the area in a suburban setting, possibly near the water as I grew up in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. After planning several visits and appointments with admission counselors, I applied to 5 schools that were of a smaller population, had opportunities for campus involvement, provided living-learning communities, and were close to the water. I decided to attend Roger Williams following that semester because of the size, location, campus groups, and social opportunities to ensure I had the full college experience. -
How did you adapt after transferring to a new college environment?
Employers want to know what specific strategies and what you prioritized when adjusting to a new environment, and what helped you succeed, similar to how you would establish yourself and a routine in a new job. As a student, I constantly rely on a consistent routine and my organizational skills. When transferring to Roger Williams, I quickly established a consistent routine that favored giving time for adjusting to new academic schedules, studying, and time dedicated to exploring campus life, clubs, and club sports. I prioritized my campus involvement so I can meet new people, faculty, and professors and explore new interests, which successfully lead me to join Interclass Class Council as a Board Member where I met incredible peers with similar interests. -
What is the biggest takeaway from your transfer experience?
Employers want to know what soft skills you gained from the transfer experience, for example, patience, flexibility, decision-making, or time management skills that you have acquired during this transition The transfer experience taught me the importance of self-reflection. At the time of transferring, I was stressed with academics that I was no longer interested in, worried about making friends and the city environment was overwhelming. Upon taking time to reflect on the values I want in my college education, my professional goals, and the environments I thrive in, I no longer felt that my needs were met at this institution. If I did not take time to self-reflect in this process, I would have made a rushed decision where I did not evaluate what I wanted out of my college education experience. -
What challenges did you experience transferring to Roger Williams?
Discuss what challenges you endured, the steps you took to accomplish them, and what strategies did you use to overcome said challenge. Employers want to know how you were able to overcome a challenge! When transferring to Roger Williams, I struggled to assimilate into campus life and academics and found there were very few students that had the same experience. I decided to join Student Senate in hopes to improve the transfer student experience with more resources, policies, and activities to make the transfer process seamlessly integrated into campus life. As a member of the Student Senate, We provided continued support transfer students by presenting solutions to better the transfer student experience in our meetings and policy drafting.
