Let’s Talk Disabilities- With Isabella Smarro
By Isabella Smarro, Managing Editor
Did you know that for most SUNY colleges, transfer applications are due at the latest by December 31st? It may seem a couple of months away but the process of finding the best choice will take a while, so starting sooner than later is smart. This calum will discuss the support HVCC offers and what some of my college options require to apply for admissions.
Hudson Valley has an office found at the Siek Campus Center, Suite 290, called Career and Transfer. This team of amazing staff help with finding a job, resume writing and transfer counseling.
The Center for Careers and Transfer hosts and coordinates a variety of virtual events, including remote drop-in hours. These sessions allow students to ask questions, share concerns and learn about resources for careers or college transfer, stated on their main website.
I recently had a meeting with a lovely woman about how to start the transfer steps. As a student who didn’t need much to get to HVCC, this checklist was very new to me.
Before you even start looking into colleges, check out what your GPA is. Mine is at around a 3.6, which is very good but if I lack even a little, the chance to get accepted into some scholarships will not happen. Most SUNY colleges aren’t too picky about a required GPA but it’s always good to try to get the highest possible.
“In our relentless pursuit of the almighty A and the perfect GPA, something got lost – learning. Grades became the be-all and end-all, the goal itself, not an indicator of achieving the goal of learning. Grades have become the commodity, the badge of success and smarts, the ticket to college.” – Author: Cathy Vatterott
A GPA doesn’t matter though if you have no clue what colleges you want to apply for. The problem I faced right away was the fee to apply. Each one was about 50 dollars, so my seven colleges equaled $350. I found out that if you apply for a free weaver and get accepted, you can apply to up to seven SUNY colleges for free on their main website. You can get more info using this link: https://www.suny.edu/
The next major step is making a list of comparing your options. For example; my mother helped me make a list containing what each college’s tuition, housing and board costs were. It also contained the distance from home and how many students join per year. Using these facts, you can compare them to your other choices. By doing this, I could make a desantion to take out two options since they didn’t fit my liking.
You should also call the colleges to set up either Zoom or in-person transfer meetings. I had mine with a UAlbany staff member and I learned what credits would transfer, how much textbooks would be and more. It helped me decide how much I wanted to go to that college.
One of the most important things to do is physically take a tour of the campus. Most of my choices are between an hour to 3 away from where I live, so full-day trips are wise to do. If you go on any school’s website, they have dates and times to sign up for.
To be honest, this is where I am at the moment. During Columbus Day I visited SUNY Oneonta, filled with a tour of campus and the dorm rooms, I got to invisasion myself as a student. I felt a strong connection there so it’s one of my top 3 choices.
If you are a student at Hudson Valley and plan on transferring to a four-year college, I suggest starting your process now before it’s too late.