Long before Academic Adviser Chris Borthick started working at OCCC, he was a graduate going through the process of transferring to the University of Oklahoma.

Like Borthick, each year, a number of OCCC students transfer to a four-year university. He said the most important piece of advice he can offer — start the tranfer process early.

“Whether it is after your freshman year or the summer before transferring … you don’t want to go into it blind,” he said.

Borthick said the easiest way for students to prepare for transfer is to “get into contact with your desired university’s advisers, take a campus tour and become prepared to take entrance exams.”

The University of Central Oklahoma, DeVry University, the University of Oklahoma, and Mid America Christian University are among the colleges that send representatives regularly to visit students in the Transfer Center.

Students have the opportunity to visit with those representatives during the summer months as well.

Gayla Reeder, a representative of DeVry University, recently visited the Transfer Center.

“We offer a program to students that provides transfer students scholarships without any charge,” she said.

Reeder said DeVry University focuses on careers for students and how many are employed upon graduating.

“Eighty-eight percent of our students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree were employed in their chosen field within six months of graduating,” she said.

Through the college’s Transfer Center, located on the first floor of the Main Building, students can get advice on how to prepare for the transfer process, and even obtain information of when representatives from other colleges will visit the OCCC campus, according to www.occc.edu/transfercenter.

Reeder said higher tuition costs can cause students worry when transferring. She said there are transfer scholarships that can help.

“With a lot of focus on tuition costs, Career Outlook (www.careeroutlook.us) should be another point that students look into. It gives insight on what percentage of students become employed in their chosen field of study,” she said.

According to their website www.devry.edu, DeVry University charges $609 per credit hour up to six hours. Anything over six credit hours qualifies for a discount. The university also offers a military tuition rate, and scholarship money to those who qualify.

Borthick said students also need to take a long look at their chosen university and be ready for any changes.

He said every school is different in some aspect, so it is a great time for students to figure out what they want in a university and where they can see themselves fitting in comfortably.

“Pre­-transferring students should be prepared for the differences they will have to overcome when moving to a different university,” he said.

“These changes can include longer waiting lines, parking fees, and greater distances between classes.”

According to www.occc.edu/transfercenter, students should never feel like they have to take on the transferring challenge alone because OCCC advisers are always there to assist them.

The site covers a wide variety of information such as a list of transfer scholarships and their qualifications provided from other colleges and checklists of how to become prepared for a transfer.

To learn more about how to prepare for transferring, visit www.occc.edu/transfercenter or stop by the Transfer Center in Academic Advising on the first floor of the Main Building.