Center aids academic transfer to four-year colleges
by Mary Barrera, south news editor

    A recent addition to the South Campus Counseling Center is available to help students reach their academic goals.

   The Transfer Center is part of the counseling system in which students who have gone through career exploration look into which four-year colleges or universities will best suit their needs.

   “We offer students information to help them make decisions,” Sandra Johnson, counselor, said.

   The center has catalogs of different institutions including University of North Texas, University of Texas at Arlington, Baylor and Texas Wesleyan. There are flyers, class schedules and financial aid information for each college.

   A scholarship binder is available for students to see what kinds of financial awards are available to them.

   Two computers are available that link to university websites. There, students can find the curriculum of any major, course equivalents and scholarship information.

   Degree plan guides are aides that universities use, in conjunction with TCC, for advising according to the university of the student’s choice. If a student wants to attend UTA, the degree plan guide and the student’s course work are patterned according to UTA requirements, Johnson said.

   “We (counselors) are focused on where you’re going,” she said.

   Universities solicit transfer students from TCC, as they are known to be very mature and desirable, Johnson said.

   Articulation agreements are also in the Transfer Center. In these contracts universities agree to accept the entire core curriculum and may offer transfer scholarships to students with an associate degree.

   “Students can be satisfied that they are doing all the right things,” Johnson said.

   Jennifer McCann keeps things going in the center. She regularly updates all college information to keep all information current.

   “She is happy to make up a university packet for students who come in and want information,” Johnson said.

   The center is growing very quickly. Advisors from UTA and Wesleyan come on a regular basis to sit in the counseling center. Advisors from other colleges are requesting times to come to counseling in the near future.

   The center also houses TCC information, traditional and nontraditional degree plans, catalogs and schedules.

   The Transfer Center is located in ADM 173 in counseling. Students may come in and browse through the information. Counselors are also standing by to be of further assistance.