Smaller School first, then UGA

UNG First – Then Transfer to UGA

Some times it makes more sense to first go to a smaller school, for many different reasons, some students prefer to start their college career at a local community college and then transfer to UGA. Smaller environments, smaller class sizes, lower costs, and a more relaxed atmosphere can be beneficial to a student’s successful transition from high school to college.

While the University of North Georgia Oconee does not have a direct feeder program into UGA, it is no secret that many students choose to get their core classes done at UNG Oconee, while living in Athens, and then transferring to UGA for their “major” classes eventually graduating from UGA. Since the requirements to transfer into UGA are easier than the initial acceptance requirements as a freshman, it is sometimes more attainable for students to split their 4 years between a community college and then UGA. By doing the first 2 years at UNG, students become accustomed to college life and Athens, while not actually being at UGA.

UNG as a whole has less “weed out” classes than UGA, so sometimes students benefit by taking the Oconee classes because they are typically less rigorous than the UGA freshmen and sophomore weed outs. If you are a resident of the state of Georgia who qualified for Hope/Zell, this financial aid scholarship can still be applied to classes at UNG, making them cheaper. Per semester fees at UNG are also cheaper than those of UGA, so going to Oconee for your first two years is a great way to be in Athens while also spending less money.

Misconceptions

The one misconception is that going to UNG will guarantee transfer admission into UGA, and that is not the case. No one is guaranteed admission into UGA, whether they are trying to start as a transfer student or trying to begin as a freshman.

Even if you are already a UGA student, taking some classes at UNG over the summer can count towards your credit requirements. Some students prefer to take some of the prerequisite math, science, history, and English classes at UNG if they can’t get into classes during the school year. Just make sure that you meet with your advisors to confirm that all credits count toward UGA graduation requirements or your major requirements. UNG is less than 15 mins from UGA’s campus and therefore, many UNG students live in the same housing as UGA students.

For more helpful tips, check out our Transfer to UGA blog.  Not every student takes the direct route to become a Dawg.  Spending time at UNG can be a great way to start college to prepare for UGA.

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