Transfer Admissions Corner: Taking the Stress Out of the Transition

It’s not enough to simply counsel transfer students—you’ve got to think like a transfer student, according to Christina Koromi, Adelphi University’s director of transfer admissions.

Koromi—whom Esther Goodcuff, associate vice president for student affairs, calls “the face of transfer admissions at Adelphi”—works both on and off campus throughout the transfer process to make students feel at home. One of the best ways to do that, she believes, is to anticipate the challenges that transferring students may face.

“Students don’t always know what to ask,” Koromi pointed out. “They may want to know how many credits are going to be transferred. A better question is: How many are going to be applied to your degree?”

She added that Adelphi sends credit evaluations out with acceptance letters so students can get a head start on planning their degrees. “Most transfer students are very outcome-based,” she explained. “They need to know how long it will take.”

Koromi is particularly proud of the teamwork between Adelphi and local community colleges and two-year schools. One crowning glory is the Early Assurance Program, an initiative Adelphi created with Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) to allow high school students interested in nursing to take courses at SCCC and later transfer to Adelphi’s Sayville learning hub. The two years spent at SCCC can help students save on tuition. Moreover, as Koromi noted, the program “creates a seamless transition for students who know they ultimately want to be at Adelphi.”

Students transfer for a number of reasons. In order to give each student a personalized experience, Koromi understands, flexibility is key. She frequently visits other schools, from Nassau Community College to Kingsborough Community College, offering advice and information for students who may not be able to tour Adelphi. “Of course, we want potential transfers to see the beautiful campus, to meet with our advisers and have a one-on-one experience,” Koromi said. “But that’s not always doable, so we try to be as flexible and accommodating as possible.”

When it comes to transfer matters, Koromi is quite active on and off campus. She is on Adelphi’s Transfer Initiatives Committee, for instance, and is one of four private college representatives of the New York State Transfer and Articulation Association for 2016–2017.

Koromi’s transfer team also works with other entities within the University, from the Center for Student Involvement to the Office of Student Financial Services. From the moment students step on campus, a team of professionals will be on hand to make them feel welcome, from organizing events to providing support services.

“We have a day where students can bring in their gear from their old colleges—sweatshirts and T-shirts—and exchange it for Adelphi gear,” she said. “The old clothes get donated. It’s a great cause and it makes the students feel like they belong.”

With the opening of the Nexus Building, she also hopes to be involved in coordinating tours of the state-of-the-art facilities by prospective nursing students, community college students and the like.

For Koromi, whether it’s a trip to a community college in Brooklyn or a consultation over finances on Adelphi’s Garden City campus, it’s all part of helping students feel confident in their decision.

“The students make this place what it is,” she said. “And every staff member at this University is invested in these students. That’s the personalization that we offer.”