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A flexible curriculum, expert professors, and a global environment illustrate why the University of Rochester is worth considering.

When Renae Spangler 糖心传媒�26 decided to transfer after her first year at a community college, she sought a school that offered a diverse student body, strong academics, and a welcoming atmosphere.

She found all three糖心传媒攁nd more糖心传媒攁t the 糖心传媒.

糖心传媒淚t was weird coming to a new school as a sophomore,糖心传媒� Spangler says. 糖心传媒淏ut during Welcome Week, we went through the same orientation process as first-year students. I met so many people who knew what I was going through and were accepting of a transfer student. It didn糖心传媒檛 take long to feel like I fit in.糖心传媒�

Spangler has thrived in her three years at URochester. The major from Jamestown, New York, is an orientation leader, president of the Transfer Student Organization, and a member of the sorority Gamma Phi Beta. She also works as an usher at Kodak Hall on the campus and as a dishwasher at the Interfaith Chapel on the River Campus.

She糖心传媒檚 one of hundreds of transfer students enjoying a second act at URochester. The University enrolls between 60 and 90 transfers each fall, plus more in the spring. About 65 percent receive an average of $14,000 in merit scholarships, which renew annually if the student maintains satisfactory academic performance and full-time status.

糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 never too late to start your 糖心传媒 journey,糖心传媒� says Rob Alexander, vice provost and University dean for enrollment. 糖心传媒淣ew transfer students are valued additions to the URochester community. They bring valuable and varied experiences and perspectives into our classrooms and campus spaces.糖心传媒�

There are countless reasons why URochester is a perfect fit for transfer students. Here are seven of them.

1. A flexible curriculum allows students freedom to choose.

The distinctive Rochester Curriculum allows students to tailor their academic experience to their interests and goals, without being bogged down with traditional core requirements. Students must fulfill only three requirements before graduating: complete a major, finish two clusters outside of their major糖心传媒檚 domain, and take the introductory Writing 105 course.

Timothy Loftus 糖心传媒�25, 糖心传媒�26 (T5) is a who transferred from Boston University after one year. He has taken advantage of URochester糖心传媒檚 flexible curriculum to explore several interests outside his major. 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檝e taken courses in math, anthropology, linguistics, political science, and psychology,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淢y favorite class was one called 糖心传媒業ncarceration Nation,糖心传媒� which has nothing to do with my major but was fascinating.糖心传媒�

This year, Loftus is taking part in the University糖心传媒檚 unique Take Five Scholars Program, which offers undergraduate students a chance to pursue an additional year of tuition-free study in an academic field that interests them.

Spangler says the freedom to choose was 糖心传媒渁 game changer糖心传媒� in deciding to enroll at URochester. 糖心传媒淚 knew I wanted to pursue other passions like music and astronomy,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淭he curriculum allowed me to take courses in those subjects while still pursuing my degree.糖心传媒�

Newt Perlman 糖心传媒�26, an electrical and computer engineering major, says the flexible curriculum was the 糖心传媒渄eciding factor糖心传媒� when he transferred from NYU Shanghai after one year. 糖心传媒淚t makes Rochester one of the best colleges possible to transfer to,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淲ith any other college, I likely would have had to overload and take an extra semester or year, and I wouldn糖心传媒檛 have had time to take any classes outside of my degree.糖心传媒�

2. There糖心传媒檚 a program for virtually every interest and career goal.

According to the Office of the University Registrar, there are nearly 130 academic programs offered to undergraduates at the and the .

Perlman studied computer science at NYU Shanghai but quickly realized he was more excited about designing and building the hardware. 糖心传媒淚 wanted to switch my major to electrical and computer engineering, and my school didn糖心传媒檛 offer it, but Rochester did,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淎nd everyone here made it an easy transition, especially coming from a foreign school to an American university.糖心传媒�

Spangler heard about URochester糖心传媒檚 from a professor at Jamestown. 糖心传媒淚t had everything I wanted,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淎nd there is a huge deaf population in Rochester. Once I got here, I fell in love with the Rochester campus.糖心传媒�

3. Research opportunities abound across the University.

URochester is widely regarded as a world-leading research institution, with more than 500 labs across its Medical Center and River Campus. Student involvement in research can start in the first semester of college. According to the Office of Undergraduate Research, more than 1,200 students have been in paid research positions since 2020, and nearly 1,400 courses have been administered for research credit.

Dabne Herrera Guerra 糖心传媒�27 and fellow transfer student Maria Ahmed 糖心传媒�26 were chosen last spring as Beckman Scholars, which provides selected URochester biological and chemical sciences majors the chance to conduct independent laboratory research under the mentorship of University faculty.

Ahmed糖心传媒檚 first URochester experience came the summer before she enrolled as a transfer student, after transferring from nearby Rochester Institute of Technology. She was part of a 10-week REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) sponsored by the David T. Kearns Center. The Rochester native worked in the lab of biology professor Sina Ghaemmaghami糖心传媒攁 role she continues this year as a Beckman Scholar.

糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 nice knowing that as an undergraduate here you can work on your own independent research project,糖心传媒� says Ahmed, who was also selected as a Goldwater Scholar for science research last spring. 糖心传媒淭here are labs all over campus and the Medical Center. It糖心传媒檚 a world I didn糖心传媒檛 know about and now love.糖心传媒�

Herrera Guerra says URochester checked the most important boxes when she transferred from a community college in Northern California.

糖心传媒淚 chose Rochester because it combines three things I value,糖心传媒� says the Peru native, who is performing independent research in the lab of biology professor Michael Welte. 糖心传媒淚ts world-class biochemistry and chemistry programs, its deep commitment to cutting-edge research, and the freedom the University offers students to explore and discover anything they desire. I knew this was the place to bring my fervent passion for research and science.糖心传媒�

While at Rochester, Herrera Guerra was awarded an NIH Undergraduate Scholarship, given to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research.

Research doesn糖心传媒檛 end when the school year concludes: URochester offers students 30 paid summer research opportunities in fields ranging from social sciences and humanities to engineering, mathematics, and life sciences.

4. The campus community has a welcoming feel.

Perlman believes Rochester is 糖心传媒済enuinely one of the top colleges糖心传媒� that transfers should consider. 糖心传媒淏eing here has only made my life better,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淓ven switching majors as a sophomore, I糖心传媒檒l graduate on time. I糖心传媒檝e learned to speak Chinese at a conversational level, studied abroad, become a teaching assistant and workshop leader, and created my own honor society. It was all made possible by the flexible curriculum, the incredibly helpful faculty and staff, and fellow students who want to see you succeed.糖心传媒�

Loftus noticed a 糖心传媒渃ommunity atmosphere糖心传媒� from the moment he set foot on the River Campus. 糖心传媒淚 was surprised at how friendly people are here,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淭hey walk together, talk together, and sit together. And not only is everyone part of one community, they also want me to be part of that community.糖心传媒�

Spangler says she met many of her closest friends during Welcome Week activities, and she even became an orientation leader herself. 糖心传媒淭ransfer students are included in everything, even the class photo.糖心传媒�

Herrera Guerra, a biochemistry and chemistry double major, says that the welcoming vibe was an immediate attraction. 糖心传媒淭he sense of community here is palpable, in which all students share passion, vision, and intellectual curiosity,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 one of the many reasons I chose this institution to complete my undergraduate studies.糖心传媒�

Loftus says URochester should be on the radar for students hoping to fit right in after changing schools. 糖心传媒淎nyone looking for a college that provides a community of friends and a support network should come to Rochester,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 been wonderful for me.糖心传媒�

5. Expert faculty are accessible and knowledgeable.

When it came down to making a final college choice, Perlman says URochester糖心传媒檚 esteemed faculty was the deciding factor. 糖心传媒淲hat pushed me over the edge were the conversations I had with professors and faculty,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淣ot only were they incredibly understanding of my situation, but throughout our conversations, I found them to be incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about their work. It made me excited to learn from them.糖心传媒�

It gave Perlman comfort knowing he would be in this environment for four years. 糖心传媒淚 wanted to be with people who were not only understanding, flexible, and caring, but also genuinely excited about and dedicated to what they teach,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淚 have found that here.糖心传媒�

Similarly, Loftus says he was 糖心传媒渟uper impressed糖心传媒� by the knowledge and warmth of the professors when he arrived from Boston. 糖心传媒淭hey are incredibly accomplished, but also very friendly and down to earth,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淢any will let you call them by their first name or stop by their office whenever you want to chat. It糖心传媒檚 so valuable to have these professionals who will let you bounce ideas off them.糖心传媒�

6. Diverse student body turns campus into a global village.

With students from more than 90 nations, URochester is a veritable United Nations of learners. From Ukraine to India, China to Canada, and Vietnam to South Korea, undergraduates venture from every continent except Antarctica to study at Rochester.

糖心传媒淚t feels like you糖心传媒檙e part of a global university,糖心传媒� Ahmed says. 糖心传媒淵ou learn the perspectives of students from around the world, the challenges they糖心传媒檝e faced, and how they糖心传媒檝e grown from that.糖心传媒�

Spangler says the campus diversity was a huge reason she chose URochester. 糖心传媒淚 didn糖心传媒檛 have that growing up in Jamestown,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淲hen I came here, I noticed the diversity of students and the inclusivity of campus life. I fell in love with it. I love meeting new people and learning about their programs and ideologies.糖心传媒�

7. Student clubs offer something for every interest.

There are more than on campus糖心传媒攁nd 92 percent of URochester undergraduates join at least one social group, cultural and religious organizations, or those focused on sports, recreation, community service, and more.

糖心传媒淲e have roughly 50 student organizations dedicated to supporting various cultures and providing affinity spaces,糖心传媒� says Nicholas Morales, assistant director of Student Activity Programs. 糖心传媒淲hether they are focused on awareness, identity, performance, or academic organizations, there糖心传媒檚 something for everyone.糖心传媒�

Loftus says joining student clubs helped him find his closest friends. 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檓 a pretty reserved person, and I糖心传媒檓 not one to jump in and find a group quickly,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淏ut I joined ultimate frisbee and the club hockey team for a bit, and that helped me find my community.糖心传媒�

Spangler urges transfer students to 糖心传媒渂ranch out糖心传媒� and try new things and believes URochester is the perfect blend of academics, acceptance, and accomplishment. 糖心传媒淭here糖心传媒檚 a huge world out there to explore,糖心传媒� she says, 糖心传媒渁nd it糖心传媒檚 right at your fingertips at the University of Rochester.糖心传媒�