Transferring Made Easy by William Paterson University
—By John Rieg
Students of Passaic County Community College: as the 2020 fall semester comes to a close, you may find yourself questioning your plans for the coming year in these unprecedented times. Many of you may be considering transferring to a new school to continue your education.
I know better than anyone that these situations can get confusing, and sometimes you just need a little bit of help! It is unfortunate that due to the ongoing issues surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, you can no longer walk into a building on campus, meet with your counselor, and get answers to the questions you may have.
Luckily, William Paterson University has found a way to combat this issue and is currently holding a Zoom meeting every Wednesday afternoon to help PCCC students with any transfer related questions they may have. I was afforded the opportunity to attend the last meeting held by Melissa Zolla, the Passaic County transfer counselor, where I had a few questions of my own answered.
The meeting, held from 1:30-2:30, can be accessed simply by clicking a link. I was informed of the event through a flyer spread by PCCC.
Upon entering the chat, I encountered Melissa Zolla on screen with a bright “William Paterson University” themed background, that instilled a sense of school spirit and pride. I was surprised to see that I was the only one in attendance.
I was greeted with a warm hello from Ms. Zolla. I proceeded to ask how I would go about transferring from PCCC to WPU.
“Everything is done online,” Zolla explained. The application process is quick and easy. There is no need for teacher recommendation letters, but make sure to have your transcript from PCCC and any other schools you may have attended handy.
As a student who took a long absence from education after high school, I had concerns about furthering my education, as I had never taken the SAT’s. Zolla informed me that, “SAT scores are not a requirement.” Delighting news in trying times for students like me.
I am currently an English major. During the meeting I learned of an accelerated joint Bachelors/Masters program offered to various majors, including mine. As a transfer student, this allows you to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degree in three years, instead of four.
Here’s how it works:
- Students interested should apply to William Paterson University’s undergraduate program.
- If accepted begin taking classes.
- Maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA.
- Should you qualify, in your Junior year you will begin graduate coursework on top of your undergraduate studies.
Follow these steps and you can shave an entire year off of your education.
Overall, I found the meeting to be very helpful and informative, and I encourage students interested in transferring to WPU and may have questions to attend.
The WPU Transfer Meeting is held every Wednesday from 1:30pm-2:30PM and can be accessed at: https://pccc.zoom.us/j/99985278792