Daytona State College offers many programs of study at an affordable price. However, students often need to transfer to a four-year university to fulfill their educational goals.
The idea of going to a larger school can be daunting. Fortunately, there are resources that can help throughout the transfer application process and ensure you experience the smoothest transition possible.
“Sit down with an academic advisor,” says D’Andre Jones, a DSC academic advisor and UCF graduate. “Have an understanding of what school you want to attend and know what you want to pursue as well.” Doing basic research and having this information makes the process much simpler.
Once you have an idea of what university you would like to attend and for what major, your advisor can help you make sure you are taking the correct pre-requisites and are on track for graduation. Together, you can make a “Flight Plan” to ensure you will graduate with the correct credits for your future program. Advising is open for walk-in questions on Wednesdays but is available by appointment through this link.
DSC is partnered with other Florida state universities including University of Central Florida, University of Florida, Stetson University, Bethune-Cookman University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida A&M University, New College of Florida and Lynn University. Each of these partnerships varies but more information on each can be found here.
The most intimate partnership is with UCF. “We have a success pathway website… where we can look and see exactly what pre-requisites the students need,” explains Jones. Furthermore, UCF has Direct Connect with UCF, which gives students access to a UCF Success Coach.
Jones shares, once you sign up for direct connect, “You are able to talk to a UCF Success Coach and… they can guide [you] along as well for the transition to their particular school.” There are even UCF Success Coaches on the Daytona Beach Main campus at DSC student’s disposal.
UCF Success Coach Georgia Kent best explains what Direct Connect offers transfer students. “DirectConnect to UCF offers DSC students who have completed an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or an articulated Associate of Science (A.S.) guaranteed admission to UCF, seamless transition support, early academic guidance through tools like Success Pathways, access to UCF resources to become major- and transfer-ready, and collaborative academic planning, ensuring a smooth and successful path to obtaining a bachelor’s degree. ”
Regardless of what university you chose to apply to, it is important to speak with that institution privately to get all the information you may need regarding transfer of credits, programs of study, the application process, tuition, scholarships and student housing. All these things are unique to each school, and it is important to do this research to make sure you do not miss any deadlines for your preferred transfer semester.
DSC offers Transfer Fair Opportunities on select Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the L. Gale Lemerand Student Center Atrium where university representatives are available to answer questions. Scheduling in-person tours of universities or attending virtual sessions is a good option to get a better understanding of the school.
Photo By Natalia Meretz.
Aniela Moya-Kolarovski is a successful UCF transfer student who graduated with her A.A. at DSC. Her major is Biology Pre-Health, and she hopes to graduate with her bachelor’s by Spring of 2025.
Moya loved her experience at DSC because of the intimate setting of her classes, the affordable tuition and the proximity to her home, a luxury she does not experience at UCF.
Her first semester at UCF was this past fall and while it was a challenging transition, she feels the pressure has truly made her realize that her chosen career path is her passion. Moya explained that although UCF offers her more opportunities, moving to a large university in her junior year was isolating and difficult.
However, some of the resources that Moya found helpful were the UCF transfer center, that pairs transfer students with a peer transfer advisor. She also finds the academic advisors for her program at UCF an invaluable resource, as well as Professor and T.A. (Teaching Assistant) office hours. Another resource at UCF is free counseling services for mental health support.
A way Moya feels DSC prepared her for this transition was through resources like the Academic Support Center and the Writing Center. Getting comfortable asking for help allowed her to feel more prepared to use similar resources once at UCF. “If you haven’t already used those resources at your community college like that, I feel like you’re less likely to use those resources at a big university like that because it can be really intimidating,” explains Moya.
Another aspect of DSC life that Moya carried over was her involvement with student life. She appreciates that DSC gave her the opportunity to have a creative outlet with her dance classes and musical productions. Especially with a STEM degree, she found that DSC helped her learn the importance of a creative outlet. Now at UCF, she can truly appreciate all the student life opportunities with the diverse student population.
“Going to Orlando, it’s a whole melting pot of different people with different backgrounds and it’s amazing because you will find someone that you can relate to,” says Moya. She loves the diversity of the student population, and the wide variety of clubs and student organizations UCF has to offer.
DSC prepares students for their transition to larger universities not only through the academic resources available but also the community involvement that is so prevalent. Taking advantage of all DSC has to offer truly makes a difference in one’s personal and professional growth.
“My advice to anyone going from a community college to a four-year college is give yourself grace,” emphasizes Moya. “Be patient with yourself, and don’t compare yourself to others.” While the transition can be difficult, using the resources available to you can make this new chapter a little less stressful.”