Adam McCourry, APPState Interim Financial Aid Director in the new University Transfer Office at Wilkes Community College.
Hundreds of students transfer each year from Wilkes Community College (WCC) to Appalachian State University (APPState) to complete their bachelor’s degrees. The two institutions enjoy a longstanding and strong partnership of serving students who want to begin their degree at WCC and finish at APPState. Building on the success of the Jump Start Appalachian program, APPState and WCC continue to find ways to make transferring even smoother for students.
Beginning this academic year, WCC has opened a new University Transfer Office on its Wilkes Campus. APPState representatives will be available in the University Transfer Office every Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from September through November when WCC classes are in session.
College transfer can be complicated and intimidating to students. It is critically important for students to connect their degree and classes to their eventual major as soon as possible in their college journey.
The University Transfer Office, located at the Wilkes Campus in Hayes Hall, room 314, creates opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to receive meaningful information concerning college transfer directly from APPState representatives. They will answer questions about transfer admissions, academic programs, distance learning opportunities, housing, and financial aid. Appointments are not necessary and anyone seeking more information about how to successfully transfer from WCC to APPState is encouraged to visit.
This initiative is part of a broader strategic plan set forth by WCC to significantly increase student success in program completion and college transfer. The long-term plan is to use this pilot of the University Transfer Office by APPState as a model for other 4-year colleges and universities in the region to also establish a presence on the WCC campus.
Students contemplating transfer to APPState should note, 71% of WCC students who successfully transfer complete their bachelor’s degree, which is nearly triple the national average. To be sure, this pilot is building on an already strong commitment by both WCC and APPState to serve students.