Transfer Stories
Lizzie's Transfer Story
My transfer experience wasn’t exactly the “traditional” experience. I started at a private 4-year
university in San Antonio and transferring wasn’t something that was ever mentioned. I started college thinking I wanted to become a lawyer, but after several semesters I realized that wasn’t the path for me. I decided to change my major to education, but there wasn’t a degree plan that would allow me to graduate with a teaching certificate, so I left the university. I looked at several different universities before I stumbled onto SFA. I had a chance to visit campus with an old friend and made an appointment to meet with my now advisor to talk about what a degree plan at SFA would look like. I was blown away by the time and care he put into helping me develop a plan before I’d even applied, and I submitted my application minutes after leaving his office. I also fell in love with the campus and the small school feel.
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After I was admitted, I left my entire support system behind in San Antonio and moved to
Nacogdoches. The first couple weeks of classes I felt very disconnected from SFA and the campus community. Because I transferred from a private school with different core curriculum, I was missing several freshmen level classes and I felt really out of place with a bunch of 18-year olds. It wasn’t until I connected with the Transfer Student Ambassador program and the SFA 301 class that I really started to feel at home at SFA. Since then, my SFA experience has been wonderful, I’ve met interesting people and had opportunities to get involved on campus. Even though there have been stressful moments, if I could go back and tell myself one thing before I transferred it would be to transfer sooner!
Madison's Transfer Story
When I was a senior in high school, I never thought that I would wind up being a transfer student, let
alone an SFA transfer student. I did not even apply to SFA out of high school. I applied to a couple of four-year universities that I was sure I was going to attend. However, around spring break of my senior year, I decided that I just had to play volleyball and sing in choir in college. So, it was off to a junior college in Iowa, fourteen hours away, to follow my dreams. I spent my time playing volleyball, singing in two choirs, and swimming for the college. Whenever it came time to transfer, I decided to pick SFA. Picking SFA, at the time, almost seemed so random, but I just knew that it would be the school for me. I loved that it was a “smaller” four year in a small town. I later remembered that, when I was younger, SFA was the first college that I said I was going to attend one day. It is funny how life works out sometimes.
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I applied to SFA for fall 2018 admittance. However, after a few weeks into the summer, I knew I was
not done with my JUCO. So, I decided to attend one more semester at my JUCO before applying again for spring 2019 at SFA. The hardest part of the transition for me was not automatically being plugged into campus. As a two-sport athlete at my other college, it was very easy to feel connected to my college. Once I found the Transfer Student Network, I was able to get plugged into SFA. I can now happily say that I truly love SFA. I have been able to get plugged into different groups and organizations at SFA, such as my sorority. SFA now feels like my home. I am so glad I chose SFA to continue my academic career.
Josh's Transfer Story
In high school, I had no idea that SFA would be the school for me and I had no idea I would ever be
a transfer student. Back in my high school days I was applying to get into UTSA so I would be close to home. Some unplanned events happened my senior year and I ended up going to the local community college in my town. I had achieved enough hours I felt comfortable with to transfer with and had a choice between A&M Corpus Christi and SFA. I took tours at both schools but I really felt at home on the SFA campus and in the Nacogdoches community. While trying to decide between the two schools I kept seeing purple objects anywhere I went which I thought was pretty odd too. From there it was decided that I would begin the transfer process to SFA and make the big move to Nacogdoches.
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I applied to SFA in Fall of 2018 for fall 2019 admittance and was heavily excited to make new
memories, adventures and impacts when I reached the SFA campus. The hardest part of the transition for me was I had not known anybody when I made the move. That was the hardest part for me because I was four and a half hours away from home not knowing anybody at all. After my first day of class I remember coming back to my dorm and had a phone call with my mom to tell her about my day. It was then I logged on to D2L and had seen there was a group called the Transfer Student Network. After a long day I was not ready to socialize with people and just wanted to keep to myself. My mother said it would be good for me if I went just to see what it was all about and if I didn’t go I would make her cry. I went to the meet and greet event hosted by the TSN and ever since then I knew I was home. Now I am no stranger to SFA and the people attending as I continue to get closer to graduation and make my impact. I have been able to meet different kinds of people and different groups at SFA. I am very glad I chose SFA to continue my journey to finish my degree.
Lucero's Transfer Story
When I was a senior, I had no idea where I wanted to go to college. SFA crossed my mind a couple of times, but I never applied. I knew I had to make a last-minute decision, so I applied to Panola. It was close to home, I had a couple of friends there, and I also got into the band. I made several new friends during my time at Panola, some through band and some not. I had thought about going to SFA after my time at Panola, but wasn't sure if I would know anyone. One day several of my friends talked about how they were going to SFA once they graduated, so that is when I knew for sure that I wanted to transfer to SFA. SFA is also one of the closest universities to my hometown and I knew I did not want to go so far from home.
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I transferred to SFA in the fall of 2019. My transfer experience started off without knowing anyone besides my friends from my Panola. However, thanks to Emily and Kim, our advisors from the Office of Admissions, I found my way around campus so much easier. Then I got involved with the transfer student network and met so many people. Now I can say that I feel more at home than ever before. Coming to SFA was the right choice.
Emily's Transfer Story
I originally had no intentions of ever coming to SFA because I was committed to another school on a soccer scholarship. I ended up having a career ending back injury that left me unable to play. Once I got told I couldn’t play anymore I decided to still be a part of the team. After a while I just couldn’t do it anymore, I wasn’t having fun. So I began to look at schools that were closer to home and was good for my degree plan and that is when I knew it was time to make the transfer to SFA!
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I transferred here Spring of 2020 and I had a blast! I met so many new people, the staff was so friendly, and the campus had so much to offer. I would always go to the rec and play sand volleyball and just hangout and meet new people. Being a part of TSN really helped new get involved and also met more people on campus that had also experienced the same stuff I had. One struggle for me was COVID, I was only on campus for 6 weeks before we had to shut down and not come back to campus. That was a hard thing for me because I was having a blast here and didn’t want to leave. I just had to look at the positives, being home for that long made coming back to campus that much better! I’m so glad I made to choice to transfer to SFA!