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By Joey Mongno
Many students at Raritan Valley Community College are transitioning to a different lifestyle, but possibly none more than those students who transferred here from four-year colleges.
It’s a bit unlike the “live on campus” lifestyle they were once used to, but those students have come to RVCC for a switch in environment — in hopes of earning better grades, of finding fewer distractions, or of solidifying their goals.
“I needed the change to better my grades,” said Katie Yarnell, who transferred from Cabrini College in Philadelphia. “I felt myself being surrounded with drama at Cabrini and far too distracted to do my work. The environment here at RV offers fewer distractions and a more comfortable atmosphere.”
Nicole Thorp, a sophomore transfer from Centenary, was drawn to RVCC for similar reasons. “I saw my grades slipping at Centenary and was not given much help or support from my professors,” she said. “I feel that RV is a way to bring up my grades and to help me find out what I want to do with my life — without spending a fortune.”
Students looking to transfer to RVCC will likely find the academic transition to be rather easy. After applying to the college, they will need official copies of all transcripts sent to the Office of Enrollment Services, which will determine how many credits will transfer. (The maximum is 45.) Liberal arts credits are never restricted, no matter how long it has been since the student has attended college. After being accepted, transfer students are encouraged to talk to the school’s counselors to determine which classes to enroll in and to visit www.raritanval.edu for more information.
Most transfer students agree that coming to RVCC is a positive change; if they take it seriously, RVCC can offer those with suffering grades another chance — without breaking the bank. Some feel that the classroom-only interaction can take a toll on their social life, but many have found they can obtain an active one — it just takes a bit more effort.
Still, it may take a little getting used to. After a day of classes, Thorp and Yarnell return to their homes to study — not to their dorm rooms. “It was not that much of a change for me to come back home because my parents are pretty easygoing about me doing what I want,” said Yarnell. But, she said, “sometimes I miss the feeling of living on my own, and the weekdays can get pretty lonely.”
They also have to learn that they have to take it upon themselves to interact with others. “At Centenary, it was easy to make friends; all you had to do was walk down your hall and introduce yourself,” Thorp said. But she sees the benefits of a more limited social life. “The weekdays can be lonely,” she said. “But I’d rather be lonely and getting my work done than going out with my friends and ignoring my studies.”
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