Transfer Advising
The Academic Advising Office assists students with the transfer process by helping students navigate the application, explore course and program appropriateness, and research potential 4 year colleges/universities.
The office also provides transfer workshops and arranges visitations by four-year transfer representatives from a variety of institutions throughout the year. During the College Transfer Fair in the fall semester, the Academic Advising Office invites approximately 80 public and private college and university representatives to campus to meet and discuss their programs with students.
The Transfer Process:
First Steps....
Identify the Major You Hope to Pursue
How do I identify my career interests?
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- Ask yourself: Where do I want to end up, and how do I get there? Think about your interests and your skills, and how those can lead to career paths. Visit Career Services to explore careers paths using online assessment tools.
- Discuss academic majors with an Advisor in Academic Advising.
Research Colleges and Universities
- Use online search engines to help narrow down your choices
- Look to see if your current school is hosting a Transfer Fair or Transfer Days
- Visit the campus (take a tour); visit virtually or use social media.
- Schedule an appointment with Admissions and/or the academic department that interests you.
- Ask about
- Transferability of credits
- College cost
- Financial Aid (learn about availability of grants, scholarships and loans: applications and deadlines)
- Worksheet with other related transfer questions (PDF)
Gather and Prepare Application and Supporting Documents
- High School transcripts and, if also requested: SAT or ACT and AP scores.
- College transcripts from current college (if attending) and all other colleges previoulsy attended.
- Educational gap statement/essay (if you have taken time off from school, you may be asked to write an essay outlining what you have accomplished).
- Mid-Semester Report Form: Some colleges may require a report of mid-semester grades from current semester coursework. This form would be filled out by each of your individual course instructors to identify what your letter grade is at the mid-point of the semester. The form would then be sent to prospective schools you intend to apply to. (PDF)
- For international students:
- Documentation of English proficiency
- Immigration and Visa documents
- Letter(s) of Recommendation.
Apply!
- Submit your application
- Submit your FAFSA.
- Apply for scholarships, grants, other aid.
Once you've been admitted....
- Review your Transcript Credit Evaluation
- Meet with an Advisor or Transfer Counselor to register for courses
- Enrollment
- Pay deposit by deadline
- Register
- Decide on housing (if needed)
- Attend orientation session
- Submit health and immunization records
- Submit final college transcripts
Additional points to consider.....
What courses should I be taking now and how will I know what credits will transfer?
- Concentrate on the pre-requisites you will need to be admitted into your chosen major. Note that many colleges have very specific criteria for transfer of major courses.
- Take a look at course equivalencies often found on the four-year institution's website
How do I begin the application process?
- Check the college's website for application procedures
- Some academic programs (e.g. nursing, teacher education, social work) require separate applications in addition to the general application.
- Many colleges/universities prefer that you apply online. Applications are often found on the school's Admissions page in a link such as 'Apply Now.'
- WATCH THE APPLICATION DEADLINES!!!
How do I check the status of my application?
- Call the college or go online to check the status of your application
- Keep in contact with the Admissions staff at the colleges you are applying to. Ensure that your contact information is current (telephone number, email address, and mailing address).
Frequently Asked Questions About the Transfer Process
Why Start at SUNY Orange?
Our AA and AS degrees are designed to parallel freshman and sophomore classes at senior institutions. Class sizes are typically smaller than those at four-year institutions. Tuition is less expensive than SUNY four-year institutions and a fraction of the cost of most private colleges and universities.
Where will I be able to transfer?
Our graduates have gone on to study at four year public and private institutions throughout New York State and across the country. The SUNY Transfer Guarantee, along with our many comprehensive articulation agreements with other universities, makes transfer from SUNY Orange a smooth process.
What is the SUNY Transfer Guarantee?
As a SUNY Orange graduate, you will be GUARANTEED the opportunity to continue full-time study at a four-year SUNY college. The transfer guarantee program does not ensure admission to a specific college or curriculum. In order to be eligible, the following criteria must be met:
- Transfer directly from SUNY Orange with an Associate in Arts (AA) or Associate in Science (AS) degree.
- Be a New York State resident.
- Comply with all specific deadlines.
Additional policies and procedures (PDF) (Plain Text).
What do I need to do in order to transfer successfully?
Meet with an Advisor in the Academic Advising Office for advice as early as your first semester at SUNY Orange. Find out as soon as possible if your major at SUNY Orange is designed to transfer. Contact transfer admissions representatives from the four year colleges of your choice for specific program requirements and campus visit opportunities. Use the available resources at SUNY Orange to guide you in your search:
- Academic Advising Office - Stop by to discuss academic programs, transfer options, articulation agreements, and additional transfer information/resources.
- Faculty Advisor - Keep in contact with your faculty advisor to discuss matters related to your field of study and the potential for transfer opportunities.
- College Transfer Fair - Held during the fall semester of each academic year. Many college admission reps will be on campus to assist students in transferring. Monitor our Transfer Fair page as we get closer to the fall for more information on this.
- Advisor-in-Residence: Advisor-In-Residence gives students who plan to transfer from SUNY Orange an opportunity to make an appointment to meet individually with representatives of various colleges/universities to discuss program and to plan for a smooth transfer. (See Calendar)
Which programs are transferrable?
- A.A.
- Liberal Arts & Science: Humanities and Social Science
- International Studies
- A.S.
- Accounting
- Business Administration
- Computer Science
- Criminal Justice
- Engineering Science
- Exercise Studies
- Individual Studies
- Liberal Arts & Science: Math and Science
- A.A./A.S.
- Jointly Registered Teacher Education Program (with SUNY New Paltz)
- A.A.S.
- Associate in Applied Science degrees are designed to develop professional/technical skills for career entry, yet it is possible for a student to transfer with this degree. Additional general education courses, if needed, may be taken at the four-year college.
Where have SUNY Orange students gone?
Boston University, Cornell University, East Stroudsburg University, Fashion Institute of Technology, Fordham University, Hunter College, Iona College, John Jay College of Criminal, Justice, Long Island University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mercy College, Mount St. Mary College, New York Institute of Technology, New York University, Nyack College, Penn State University, Ramapo College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Albany, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Purchase, SUNY Stony Brook, Syracuse University, and many others.
You can get there from here!
*Some of the information in the above sections is taken from the "Maps2Transfer" project, grant funded project to provide students with information to help them navigate the transfer process.