Each semester Otterbein welcomes transfer students from both four-year universities and two-year community colleges. Those students become valued and active members of our community. That’s why Otterbein will be highlighting some of our transfer students online during National Transfer Week, Oct. 19-23.  

Otterbein’s smooth transfer evaluation process allows students to maximize credit earned elsewhere towards a degree at Otterbein, but that is only one of many reasons transfer students are attracted to the University. 

“Students transfer to Otterbein for a number of reasons: our location, small class sizes, commitment to student success, and more,” said Mary Mosca, assistant director of admission. “Students know the value of connecting through internships or networking and the professor/student relationship, and Otterbein gives them many unique experiential learning opportunities to choose from.” 

Students transferring to Otterbein are supported throughout the application process. The Adult and Transfer Admission team hosts a virtual transfer overview session from 3-4 p.m. every Tuesday. In addition, students are able to meet one-on-one to have a personalized chat with their specific admission counselor.  

Computer Science major Eric Terranova ’22 came to Otterbein from Columbus State Community College and was impressed with how easily he became a Cardinal. 

“I decided to transfer to Otterbein from Columbus State because of the dynamic of the campus and the class sizes,” Terranova said. “Otterbein has made my transfer process easy, especially when it came to handling applications at the time of transferring and receiving scholarship money.” 

Financial Aid plays a significant role in a student’s decision on higher education. Otterbein’s commitment to affordability provides transfer specific scholarships ranging from $8,000-17,000. All students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA to qualify for need-based opportunities from the federal government and Otterbein. 

“We will always work to provide students a financial aid package that will make Otterbein a reality for them,” said Haleigh DePalma, transfer admission counselor. “We know that this is an important decision. My advice to transfer students is to not be afraid to reach out to one of our counselors and ask the hard questions.” 

Students can also find support through the Academic Support Center, complete with a writing center, math lab and tutoring services, and Student Success and Career Development, which offers students a one-stop shop for academic and career counseling, major exploration and course scheduling with the Office of the Registrar. These services were important for Terranova when determining where to enroll. 

“This goes back to why I transferred: Otterbein makes it easy to get to know your teachers, advisors and important resources like tutoring and career development. This allows you to establish a relationship that you won’t receive at another university,” Terranova said. 

To find out more about transferring to Otterbein, check out all of our virtual and in-person visit options at visit.otterbein.edu or email cardinalinfo@otterbein.edu. We are currently accepting applications for spring semester, which begins Jan. 14, 2021. 

Join Otterbein University on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) all week as we celebrate our students during National #TransferStudentWeek. Terranova will also serve as our #TuesdayTakeover student on Tuesday, Oct. 20, on Instagram, giving followers an inside look into the life of a transfer student at Otterbein.