This past year, the Harbert College of Business welcomed about 400 transfer students, who mostly came from small, two-year schools where they earned associate degrees. These students face unique challenges that Harbert College proactively addresses, easing the students’ path to a bachelor’s degree.

One of the most common challenges is transfer shock, which education researchers define as a temporary decrease in GPA after entering the four-year school.

“Students have to adjust to a new culture, different class sizes and [academic] expectations,” said Harbert Academic Advisor Alexandria Kitchens. “Students may also underestimate the difficulty.”

In addition, Kitchens said, some of the transfer students may be working two or more part-time jobs to support themselves, which creates additional stress.

“We try to be as accommodating as possible to meet them where they’re at,” Kitchens said.

Meeting the transfer students where they’re at starts with an academic support team for each new transfer student. The team includes an academic advisor, who helps students make decisions about their classes and major, and a program champion, a former industry professional who coaches Harbert students on getting internships and generally complements the employment preparation provided by Harbert’s Office of Professional and Career Development (OPCD).   

Several Harbert students recently shared their transfer experiences, including challenges, Harbert and campus resources available to overcome those challenges, the keys to success, and advice for other transfer students.

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Challenges of being a transfer student:

“The first few weeks were a big shock. I didn’t know anyone coming in. Walking into a big lecture hall my first semester was an eye opener. I thought to myself, ‘This isn’t my small town no more,'” said Anna Akers.  

After a couple of weeks, things improved as she got to know other students in each class, joined study groups and settled into a routine. “My friends really got me through it. We’d text each other and help each other know the material.”

Resources that made a difference:

The transfer student breakfast, which is held the day before classes begin each semester.  “I met my best friend Libby there. Also, when you meet a fellow transfer student on campus, you make a connection because you’re both here starting fresh and you may not know anyone.”

Harbert faculty and staff have also been incredibly supportive, she said. For example, Danielle Corrigan, the Women in Business (WIB) faculty advisor who helped lead the student group’s trip to Nashville where members networked with Auburn alumni at several companies. Bradlee Colburn, the business analytics and information systems department program champion, has also helped Akers successfully navigate the transfer process.

Advice to other students:

“Get involved and put yourself out there. I’m not a social butterfly, so I know it can be difficult, but once I got over that [hurdle] it has been great,” said Akers, who is involved with WIB and University Program Council, which sponsors initiatives that promote student engagement like The First 56.

Future plans:

Akers is exploring career paths, applying for internships, and using the Harbert OPCD resources, including career assessment tests, practice interviews and resume and cover letter preparation.

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Challenges of being a transfer student:

 “First, scholarship opportunities aren’t as vast as they are for students coming out of high school,” said Brett Nestande, who attended junior college on a baseball scholarship.

Second, community colleges require certain classes to earn the associate degree, but those courses don’t always match with the course requirements of the university where you will transfer. “Transferring courses from an out-of-state junior college can create challenges,” said Nestande, who subsequently had heavy course loads of 18 and 17 hours his first two semesters at Auburn so he could complete his degree on time.

“Third is friends and breaking into those social circles. It’s tough to come in as a transfer student and get into clubs that people have belonged to already for two years.”

Resources that made a difference:

The transfer breakfast. “I was the only finance major there, so I had one-on-one time with [program champion] Mandy Harrelson and [academic advisor] Coulter Burns,” said Nestande, who continued to meet with both staff members during the semester. “They’ve both helped me through so much and it’s all because I went to that breakfast.”

According to Nestande, Burns also helped him navigate course requirements, saving him from having to restart his math track. “He [Coulter] has been phenomenal.”

The Auburn Finance Society (AFS). Nestande reached out to the president of the student-run organization even before he arrived on campus. His initiative paid off. He now serves in two AFS leadership roles—director of mentorship and co-director of AFS’s Wealth Management Branch.

Advice to other students:

“Get involved as much as possible—there’s a plethora of opportunities on campus. Take advantages of opportunities like the [Harbert] transfer student breakfast because it will benefit you. Auburn does a great job to make sure students can get involved and find their niche. And if you don’t have it all figured out, it’s not the end of the world.”

Future plans:

Nestande plans to study for the LSAT this summer, with the goal of starting law school in the fall of 2026.

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Challenges of being a transfer student:

Transfer shock. “Southern Union was easier. At Auburn I feel like there’s a lot to prove and the curriculum is a bit harder. All of that put together, my first semester was the most challenging I’ve had,” said Madison Busch.

As a first-generation college student, Busch did not have a parent who was familiar with the college application and transfer process. “Knowing that there are extra resources is really helpful because I didn’t have my mom or dad sitting there telling me what to do.”

A third challenge was making new friends. Busch said she transferred to Auburn with a best friend from community college which was helpful, but wanted to add to her “small-knit friend group.”

Resources that made a difference:

Auburn’s Successfully Orientating Students (SOS) one-day program for transfer students. “It was very helpful, and it told us that transfer shock is real. Still, in my head I thought, ‘I’ve got this and it’s fine.’ But it is definitely real.”

Lunch and Learns. These company-sponsored informal lunch events allow students to meet with recruiters on campus and learn about internship and employment opportunities. Busch currently is doing an unpaid internship with the PEACE Center, a local counseling and therapy firm, which she found out about at a fall 2024 Lunch and Learn. “I created a safety plan and will work on a book outlining the firm’s employee expectations and guidelines.”

The Women in Business student organization has been a positive experience, said Busch, who participated in the group’s Nashville trip in the fall. “About 30 girls went on the trip and we networked with a lot of [employers]. We also got to know [our fellow members] better. I was able to open up [about myself] on that trip. This was big for me.”

Advice to other students:

“Don’t give up. That’s something that a lot of students may want to do when it gets hard. I’ve scared my dad so many times telling him that I want to drop out, but I know it’s so worth it in the end. Knowing I have my degree will be very rewarding.”

Future plans:

Busch plans to find an internship probably in human resources next summer, and she plans to graduate in December 2026.

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Challenges of being a transfer student:

Caleb Jordan recalls the shock of such a large campus compared to his small community college.  “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my Lord, I’m never going to know where anything is,’” referring to his first few days on campus before classes started. “I called a friend who was already [an Auburn student] and she showed me where all my classrooms were.”

Resources that made a difference:

Joining a student organization—Beta Alpha Psi, an accounting honors society. “This was one of the best things I ever did to find people and have a group.”

Caring faculty and staff. “[Academic advisor] Molly Hulsey was great. I called her my first day because it was rough. I told her, ‘I think I’m in the wrong classes and I think I’ve made a mistake.’ She helped calm me down and told me I was on the right track, and I’d make it. Professors [like] Molly Mathis and Paul Black care about you as a student and they want you to succeed. To this day if they see me in the hallway, they’ll stop and ask how I’m doing.”

Attending events that your department hosts. Jordan said he attended an informal meet and greet-type event that Program Champion Colby Lakas organized with employer Jackson Thornton, which led to him getting an internship with the firm in spring of 2024.

Advice to other students:

“Stay calm. Be patient. It will take a while to get used to everything because it’s so different [from community college]. You’ll eventually find your group and you’re going to love it The courses will probably be a little harder, so just study and do your best.”

Future plans:

Jordan will start work as an auditor this fall with CPA firm Jackson Thornton, where he completed an internship in the spring of 2024. Eventually, he also wants to teach accounting at a community college.

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Learn more about Harbert College Office of Professional and Career Development resources.