By Karina Gutierrez

Groups of students walked around the booths in the Arthur G. Paul Quadrangle basking in the midday sun. They used the opportunity at the Transfer Fair at Riverside City College on March 25 to ask representatives questions about financing, career options and admission requirements while picking up pamphlets and stickers.

Representatives were present from all over California and ranged from private universities, like the Redlands School of Business, to public institutions, like the University of Merced. There were also booths that represented RCC programs such as the Counseling Department and the Study Abroad Program.

Representatives like Korrina Wood, an undergraduate admissions counselor at Cal Baptist University, were offering information about available scholarships for incoming students at the private institution.

“I would encourage students to see the application through and apply,” Wood said.

The purpose of the event was to give more information to students about their options when it comes to transferring. Some students attended the event to gain more insight about their dream schools while others sought help from counselors about admission requirements.

“I think it’s really helpful with the information that they have it because they explain how many credits you need to transfer,” Irma Hernandez, a first year RCC student who plans to transfer in 2020, said. At this event, Hernandez was able to get more information on the requirements she needs to meet in order to transfer to Cal State San Bernardino as a Liberal Arts Major.

Some students prefer the face to face interaction that the transfer fair offers as opposed to reading the information online like Paola Mendoza, an RCC student and Puente Program member who plans to transfer in the following year.

“Coming to the Transfer Fair and being in the Puente Program has helped me learn a lot about the transfer process,” Mendoza said. “Face to face is better because you can ask them specific questions.”

According to Transfer Fair coordinator, Claudia Castor, the student participation was low in the spring semester because at this time people are waiting for a response from the universities that they applied to in the fall. The turnout for universities was also lower than in the fall because the institutions are busy with admissions.

“Usually in the fall semester is when everybody is thinking about transferring so that’s when there are more students,” Castor said.

For students that need more information about the transfer process, the RCC Transfer Center offers information about upcoming events and workshops on their website.