Transfer Story: Allison Eglow | Office of Academic Advising

1) How would you describe your first academic year at NJIT?

My first academic year was actually quite challenging. I was taking classes that were very difficult and known to be difficult at the school. I met a lot of great people just in my first semester.

2) What challenges, if any, did you face as a transfer student and how did NJIT help you to overcome those challenges?

The adjustment period of transferring to NJIT was the biggest challenge to overcome. I had to adjust to the teaching methods of professors and learn tips and tricks to help succeed. I also had to adjust to the independence NJIT gives to students. At my prior school, I always had a helping hand to guide me. However, I found the independence helped me grow as a student.

3) Please describe your experience with NJIT classes and/or tutoring in an online, hybrid, or converged learning format?

Overall, I have enjoyed all of my in-person classes, including hybrid, at NJIT. I was able to learn better and connect with other students and professors in person. I have found online classes and converged learning to be difficult but manageable. I could not connect with my professors and classmates; however, I made the best out of online and converged learning. The positive to online learning is that I can be in pajamas while attending class.

4) What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate NJIT, I hope to have a full-time job in user experience design or front-end development.

5) What advice would you give to a prospective transfer student?

Plan Your Entire Schedule Yearly. I really wish I had done this. It saves so much stress. Go the undergraduate page on the NJIT website and look into the major(s) and minor(s) that you are pursuing and map out in a document or on a sheet of paper the different semesters you have left, amount of years you have to complete the requirements and which classes you'll opt to take in which semester. This also helps determine the prerequisites and co-requisites that you need to take before or with a class.
Take a Mix of Classes: Don't take all of your core classes in one semester and all of your electives in another. Core classes that specifically apply to your major are always more challenging, so a mix of cores and electives is a must if you want to maintain your sanity.

6) What is a major difference between NJIT and the previous school you transferred from?

NJIT helped me grow up. That is the key difference between NJIT and my previous school. At NJIT, I had to learn how to succeed as a student independently in order to succeed. This has helped me grow now and will continue to help me after I graduate. I find the challenge at NJIT to be much more difficult; I find that to be a positive aspect of NJIT because it helped me become the person I am today. My old school was very hands on and the academic challenge was considerably “easy.” I am very happy I transferred to NJIT.

7) What are the three things you like best about NJIT?

Thank you Allison for sharing your story!