Roamin’ with Rachel: Arcadia University

When you finally have a day off it’s great to do something fun and different just to shake up your routine. Unfortunately, as college students, days like this are very rare–especially during a vital time like the last few weeks of the semester. With finals week upon us and the finishing up of a semester, as tired and overworked as we may be, we must think at some point: ‘What about next semester?’

For some of us, the next step is to transfer to another college with our newly earned Associate’s degree. Thankfully, CCP has many transfer agreements with some wonderful colleges in our area. I visited two of these colleges in the past two months to prepare for my transfer process from CCP. On Nov. 14th, I attended an open house at Arcadia University and on Dec. 1st I attended a Transfer Tuesday information session at Temple University.

Arcadia University leads the nation in study abroad. That factor was a leading theme during the introductory remarks by Dr. Nicolette DeVille Christensen and President Mark Lapreziosa. Because it was Nov. 14th, right after the terrorist attacks in Paris, they assured everyone that their students currently residing in Paris were all thankfully confirmed safe and sound and then they held a moment of silence for all the people who were killed by the attacks.

The day continued with a full open house of events with multiple information sessions to answer any questions one might have about the school and their programs. The helpful sessions ranged from large auditorium sessions where the information was more general about the school, to smaller gatherings with information about a specific major of your choice. You can even request a one-on-one meeting with a faculty member from the school.

Temple University (as of April 2014) has 2,000 former CCP students enrolled. Temple University is a well-known college that has a strong connection with CCP and Philadelphia itself. On a rainy Dec. 1st, I attended a transfer information session. This session was more geared towards students specifically interested in transferring from the colleges they’re currently enrolled in to Temple. You will be able to have a tour of the campus, a chat with someone from the transfer office, even a goodie bag, and the time to ask a current student all the specific questions you may have that only another student can answer. It’s really great to visit a school that has such a deep connection with CCP!

I know that the last thing a tired student may want on to their days off is anything school-related. Having a day off is a precious thing. But spending it touring colleges may be the most productive thing you could do. It can be fun and exciting to see what the future holds for you and it is in fact the culmination of all of the hard work done at CCP to take your accomplishments to the next level. Ask any college representative and they will tell you that you should visit the school that you might have an interest in attending. This is not just a day trip you’ll be making, it’s a glimpse into the very possible future.