As the month of October comes to an end, students hoping to transfer by 2015 are hurrying to apply for the next fall semester. The Moorpark College transfer center is offering advice for students who may feel overwhelmed with the application process.

Although it is not required for students to make an appointment with a counselor in order to transfer, counselors highly recommend it. Many students do not realize that not all universities have the same programs or majors; therefore it is essential for students to research before choosing which schools to apply to transfer to.

“The transfer process is lengthy and has lots of steps so we are here to make sure (students) stay on track every step of the way,” said Department Chair of the Counseling Office Traci Allen.

Prospective California State University students can start applying now until Nov. 30, whereas prospective University of California students can apply from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30. Private school applications have varied deadlines that students should check for online.

“The most common problem is that students think they have enough credits to transfer; however, some of the classes are not transferrable,” said Career Transfer Center Coordinator Judi Gould.

The process of applying to a CSU is fairly easy as long as the student has their transcripts with them when applying. The UC application process, however, is slightly more complicated. Students will have to supply a list of volunteer work and/or work list as well as their transfer ambition planner.

“Students should really make an educated decision on their major/career choice first, and then focus on researching specific schools they want to transfer to that have that particular major,” said Allen.

In addition to the actual application, schools often have very strict deadlines for submitting additional supplemental documentation/updates so it’s key that students follow all instructions they receive after submitting the applications. The follow up process is just as important as submitting the original application.

The Career Transfer Center encourages students to walk-in with any questions Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The CTC is located on the bottom floor of Fountain Hall. For students who are looking for additional assistance with the application process, the Writing Center in the library offers free tutoring and help for students working on application essays.

Students can be assured that there are resources available to help them with the application process. Through independent research and help from the transfer center and counselors, students can effortlessly get through the application process for the next big step in their academic lives.

“I always advise students to try to visit the campus of the schools they want to transfer to! It’s important to make sure the school is the right fit for (them), and that (they) are right for that school,” said Allen.