Transferring to FIU is Daunting, But Worth It

Jacqueline Mendez/Contributing Writer

After grieving over Steve’s departure on “Blue’s Clues,” millennials and Gen Zers have been spoon fed the “going-away-for-college” trope. This, along with a thousand other references to prestigious colleges (think “Suite Life on Deck’s” Yale prejudice), has helped spread the (since-debunked) college-equals-good-job promise.

Although this may have fostered a worthwhile ambition to forge our futures through higher education, the beaten path isn’t for everyone. 

As evidenced by FIU’s graduation rate, which hovers around 60% for both original and transfer students, many students have realized this to be true for themselves. Still, FIU accepts about 9,000 transfer students every year, many of whom come from smaller community colleges like Miami-Dade College. Those who aren’t so sure, though, should consider transferring to a different university, waiting to transfer, or not going to a four-year university at all.

Ultimately, the experience you have at FIU is entirely within your control.

For those students emblazoned by the allure of academia, transferring to FIU is a great choice, especially for those interested in attending the Honors College. Although each student’s threshold for academic rigor differs, you take on the challenge when you transfer to another university. As a graduate of MDC, the classes I’ve taken here closely resemble the quality and rigor of those I took there. In other words, I’ve found exceptional professors through many trips to ratemyprofessor.com. Had I not conducted this research, I’d have been disappointed by lackluster courses and professors.

Students looking to expand their horizons of study, moreover, should seriously consider Honors College enrollment. The College offers interdisciplinary studies as well as research and study abroad opportunities, which can only benefit students looking to create a dynamic university experience.  

Not every transfer student is looking for an academic challenge, though. Reaped from the fields of children’s cartoon propaganda is the elusive “college experience,” where crops like frats and football games bloom among weedy classes. If this is your reason for transferring to FIU, it is a good one. FIU has a plethora of resources for students looking to get involved on campus, from Aikido to Women Inspired to Serve and Educate. 

Your college experience, though, depends on your initiative. When you transfer to such a large institution, you can easily become one of the many herding from class to class. If you and your wallet are alright with being just another brick in the wall, go for it—FIU will gladly bill you. Again, your participation on campus is imperative to making the most of your experience—and the most of your checkbook. The stakes are heightened for those of us who have half the time to make a splash on campus.

Since smaller colleges usually offer a limited number of bachelor’s degrees, many students transfer to pursue a particular field. This is a worthwhile investment, especially with the networking events and internships FIU offers students. 

Coming from a smaller community college to FIU is daunting. Transfer students will relate to the heavy feeling in their chest when a professor calls out names from a pages-long roster. You realize you’re one of a hundred and have met several of your doppelgangers. It can feel intimidating and lonely, but there is a cure for that sinking feeling: your initiative. It’s entirely up to you whether your professor will ever know you on a first name basis or not. Moreover, intimacy is abound on campus; lots of people means lots of opportunities to connect, either personally or professionally.

If you can muster the will to drive through Miami traffic, hunt for the coveted parking space and do well in class while juggling a side hustle every single day, you know just how willing you are to make the college dream a reality.

Transfer students, beware; if any of this sounds unappealing, reconsider. FIU is not the ideal space for any and all students, and there’s nothing wrong with realizing that.

Featured photo by FIU Flickr.

 

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.