It’s the start of the spring semester and many Griffins are expecting to hear from all the universities they applied to during the fall. 

If you’re one of those students, you may be wondering, “When will I be hearing back?” Well, fear not, you will get a response sooner than you think. 

In March and April, the majority of schools will start announcing decisions. Students need to look out for notices of admissions and take steps to ensure a successful transfer.

All students who applied to UC and CSUs should pay close attention to their emails these next couple of months to see if they will receive any important information from their desired schools. This includes thoroughly looking through junk mail and spam folders.

As announcements for admissions begin to roll in, universities may also ask for students to send in their transcripts. Deadlines for transcripts and other official documents may vary depending on which universities students applied to and their requirements.

Grossmont requires students to apply to graduate. Grossmont Transfer Center Coordinator and Counselor Sarah Moore offered this advice: “Students who are applying for an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) specifically should be applying right now if they haven’t already. It’s best to do that ASAP.”

The last day for students to apply for a degree or certificate is March 8. Students can complete a request form on the Grossmont website or visit the Transfer Center (10-173) on campus to receive assistance from a counselor. 

Students should also consider applying for FAFSA or CADAA (California Dream Act) if they have not already. The deadline for most state financial aid programs is April 2. 

When it comes time to hear back from universities, students may have a lot of anxiety about whether they may get admitted or not. There will be students who get accepted into the schools they applied to; however, there are case scenarios where a selected few will not get accepted and that is okay.

“There’s appeal processes at universities. Students can ask for their admission decision to be re-considered and provide any new information at that time as a part of their appeal,” Moore said. “So that’s something students should really consider based on the reason for the denied admission.” 

Moore emphasized there will be universities still open for fall transfer accepting applications. Counselors in the Transfer Center can help students look for those opportunities if the student is open to applying to other universities.

Often, students will have to look into what courses they are missing. They may have to stay back, complete a few more units and apply to the schools of their choice in a future term.

Students should know that if they receive a denied admission, it is not the end of the road for the student and their transfer journey. They have options.

Students should also note receiving notices of admission from universities will take time. Some students may receive news faster than others and because of that, it might feel as if it will take a lifetime to hear back. Although students should not worry, it is important to have patience and to remember that it is all part of the process.

Grossmont College graduate Katerina Rodriguez transferred to San Diego State University (SDSU) in the fall of 2022 and is expecting to graduate this summer in 2024.

Rodriguez shared words of advice to future transfer students: “The one thing I’m ever going to tell to any transfer student, that transfers, is that you guys need to have patience.”

Rodriguez recalled her experience applying to SDSU and how she felt waiting to hear back from admissions after submitting her application.

“My friend heard back actually before March,” she said. “It was really weird, and I didn’t hear back till the very last day of acceptance and it kind of just emotionally overtook me.”

Rodriguez mentioned she has seen people sharing their concerns on online forums such as Reddit about waiting for SDSU admissions and hearing back from the university. She advised students not to look for answers this way because it will only make them more stressed.

Rodriguez said she believes any student can go to any school they wish to attend. “Just trust yourself, be patient,” she said. “It’s all gonna work out. You’re going to get accepted somewhere.”

Mauro Avalos, a first-generation college student who transferred from Grossmont to SDSU, shared words of encouragement for transfer students as well. 

“I would not stress about it too much,” Avalos said. “Not saying that you shouldn’t think about it or put it on the back burner, but because you know you put in all the hard work and effort, you should have some faith in yourself.”

The counselors at Grossmont are there to help the students with the complexities of the transfer process. Moore encouraged students to come to counselors at the Transfer Center for help when they know they need it. 

“I want students to be encouraged, that what they are going for is possible because it is,” she said. “It’s never the end of the transfer story.”