Iowa State transfer counselor offers advice to DMACC students who are transferring

For the majority DMACC students, Iowa State University is the school of choice to transfer to. The state of Iowa has two other public schools besides Iowa State, but Iowa State seems to be the most popular pick.

In an email interview, Paige Duncan, a Transfer Admissions Counselor at Iowa State, gave her input of what students should know before they transfer and common issues that students run into within the transfer process.

“Transfer students must meet our transfer admissions requirements in order to successfully transfer to Iowa State. The requirements state that transfer students must have a 2.00 academic and transferrable grade point average (GPA) and have at least 24 academic semester credits completed,” Duncan said.

According to Duncan, Iowa State will only consider academic credit towards the admissions requirements, developmental, military, or career technical credits will not be considered during the admission process. However, Duncan was clear to point out that it does not mean the credits won’t transfer.

Duncan also mentioned common issues that students may run into with the transfer process.

“I speak with many transfer students who have not planned ahead for their transfer. This can cause a lot of frustration when it comes to transitioning into a new college because every institution is going to have different requirements, expectations, and deadlines. If transfer students have not planned ahead, there is a good chance that they are unaware of these expectations and may miss out on some important opportunities and information,” she said.

Duncan also talked about Iowa State’s Admissions Partnership Program (APP). The APP is a program designed to make the transfer process into Iowa State seamless and simple for all community college students.

Duncan added, while in the APP, community college students would have access to Iowa State housing, career fairs, facilities, and student ticket discounts to Iowa State athletic events. APP students will also be paired with an Iowa State academic advisor to help them through the process of transferring to Iowa State.

“DMACC students admitted into APP will actually get an adviser at Iowa State who will help with degree planning. They will work closely with DMACC to keep you informed and to assist with DMACC course selection. This will ensure all your credits transfer directly into your degree program at Iowa State. Planning ahead will guarantee a timely graduation from both institutions and will help alleviate any stress during the transition,” she said.

Duncan’s advice on to transfer students is to start the transfer process early.

“It is never too late and it is never too early! Iowa State has a rolling admissions deadline, which means you can apply at any time for the upcoming semester. However, I never encourage individuals to wait, the earlier the better. Early acceptance will allow you to complete enrollment requirements in a timely manner, instead of rushing to figure everything out at the last second,” she said.

Duncan also gave some information on Iowa State’s application process.

“Iowa State’s applications will open about a year in advance, which gives you plenty of time to figure out housing, financial aid, and how your transfer credits will place within your major,” Duncan said.

C.J. Eilers, a former DMACC student and Iowa State transfer student, gave his take on how and why he decided to go to Iowa State.

“I went to Ames quite often to visit friends from high school and I enjoyed it. I was very happy about choosing to transfer to Iowa State. The full experience was great,” Eilers said.

Eilers felt an overwhelming academic difference between DMACC and Iowa State.

“It’s definitely harder at Iowa State. It can be a little overwhelming because of all the people in the classrooms. There is a big difference academically,” he said.

Eilers said the bigger the class, the less of a workload, but more individual studying and vice versa for smaller classes. Eilers felt a major difference in the student life culture between Iowa State and DMACC.

“DMACC almost feels like an extension of high school. There was a culture shock when I came to Iowa State. There is definitely a lot more going on and more things to do at Iowa State and the campus is also very social,” he said.

Christian Reddin, a second semester Freshman from West Des Moines, also gave his take on why he is transferring to Iowa State in the Fall.

“I chose to go to Iowa State because of the incredible education opportunities that they offer in the business field. I also chose Iowa State because it’s a well-known and affordable school,” he said.

According to Duncan, 1,765 DMACC students transferred to Iowa State last year. Iowa State had a total of 3,733 Iowa community college students transfer last year too. DMACC alone accounted for exactly 47% of Iowa community college students that transferred to Iowa State.

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