Students who transfer to a four-year college or university from a community college are more likely to graduate than other transfer students. However, planning out the move is necessary for success.

KCUR 89.3, the NPR station in the Kansas City, KS area, recently ran a piece on tips for making your transfer from a community college as smooth as possible.

The biggest message – planning ahead is the way to go.

If you know you plan to transfer, students should start meeting with an advisor as early as their first semester at community college and continue to check in regularly throughout their semesters at the school.

“There is this myth that as a freshman, it’s too early to start talking transfer,” said Deana Core, assistant director of admissions at Kansas State University. “It’s the perfect thing to do.”

Making that connection with your advisor is very important. It will help you find the right college to transfer to and keep your transferable credits on track.

“The biggest mistake is trying to self-advise,” Lori Winningham, vice president of academics at Butler Community College, told KCUR.

Jon Armstrong, interim director of admissions at Fort Hays State University, agreed.

Students are often overwhelmed by the process of transferring, he said. But talking to an advisor about how to get there is the first step. After that, connect with your target school and start talking about credit transfer.

Listen to the full segment.

Ashley Dobson is NACAC’s communications manager for content and social media. You can reach her at adobson@nacacnet.org.