Transferring to The University of Arizona : What To Expect

Everyone's experience will differ as they transition from a community college setting to a university environment. There are however some key elements that will be common regardless of specific person. 

• Class sizes will tend to be larger. As you transfer in, you will most likely need to fulfill some electives and gen ed classes. These will have a much larger class list than anything you encountered in your time at Pima. As you get further into your degree and into higher level courses, the class sizes shrink down to the sizes you were familiar with, but don't be startled by the difference initially.
  • Because of these large class sizes, it can be harder to have more direct learning opportunities with your professors and you will receive less direct tailored instruction. For that reason, it is important to utilize office hours and on campus tutoring services like Think Tank, the university's academic support service. 

• Scholarships are just as plentiful as they are at Pima, if not more so. For that reason, make sure to utilize Scholarship Universe, the university's scholarship portal. Some scholarships require short essays, some long essays and some require nothing at all. Taking the time to fill out a few every couple weeks can be a great way to alleviate some of the financial stress of college. 

• It may be hard to feel like you belong or to make connections like those who have been students since freshman year. That does not mean that you have to be isolated. There are an endless amount of opportunities to get involved on campus, some of which you will learn about as you go through The Next Steps portal. Look into clubs, on-campus jobs, cultural centers or even on-campus living options. Everything may seem a big scary and unfriendly, but looks can be deceiving and the university is a very welcoming place despite how it may feel at first.

• The university is much bigger than Pima and it can become overwhelming even just being on campus. One important thing to do early on is to find places and spaces that you can rest and relax in. Not only will this be nice to have a place to get away from the hustle and bustle, but it can also be nice as you may have days where you don't leave campus all day. Everyone has a favorite spot on campus, so find yours!

• Food will be priced very differently than at Pima or anywhere else around town. That is to say that it will come with a heavy campus tax. For that reason, it can be a great idea to bring meals to campus or snacks to cut down on spending 4 dollars for a snack sized bag of chips.

• Prepare to register for classes ahead of time. Since the university is so big and there are only so many spots in a class, it is important to know what you plan to take for the next semester in advance. Registration will open early in the morning and the university's servers will most likely go down or at least be slowed to a crawl, so be ready to get up early and be flexible if a class fills. In the case that a class is filled, it never hurts to reach out to the professor via email and ask if there is any way you may still add it. Just be sure to be polite and do not expect to be added. 

•  Enjoy being a student at The University of Arizona. There are a lot of unique things about being a student at the University of Arizona and they may not seem like your thing, but giving them a chance won't hurt anyone. Go to that football game, try that club, jump in the fountain when you graduate. While academics may be your focus, being in college is, for most, a once in a lifetime thing, so make the most of it!