Transfer Day draws large crowd

UTA, UTD’s free tuition interests students

By Catherine Culbert
Staff Writer

Forty-five colleges took part in University Transfer Day 2007 last week on campus, providing students with general and specific information about the transfer process.

Before NLC students move forward with their university plans in the fall, they will be confronted with rising tuition costs, deadlines for admissions, and scholarship possibilities.

The colleges and universities on hand Jan. 24 in the Gallery answered those questions and more.

“This annual program provides an opportunity for our students to pose questions to several universities about the transfer process and majors offered,” said NLC Academic Advisor, Mary Ann McGuirk.

It also helps students make informed decisions about which university is best for them to transfer to after completing their core curriculum course work at North Lake, she said.

There are 64,000 DCCCD students currently enrolled for credit courses, according to district statistics. Those who plan to transfer to a four-year university are required to have a core curriculum. The core curriculum consists of no less than 42 credit hours.

Academic advisement is available to assist students in selecting courses from the core curriculum.

The core curriculum guarantees satisfactory transfer to all Texas public colleges and universities.

The University of Texas at Arlington, UTD and UT of Austin have all announced a new financial aid package that will guarantee free tuition for undergraduate Texas residents, said UTA Recruiter Lynard Broussard.

“They will have to have a household income under 25,000 a year to qualify and they have to register for at least 6 credit hours a semester,” Broussard said.

UTA calls the new program the “Maverick Promise, ”UTD calls the new initiatives the UT Dallas Guarantee Tuition Plan and the UT Dallas Tuition Promise. All the initiatives have similar guidelines that are outlined on their websites or can be obtained by contacting the financial aid departments at each university.

UTA is offering free tuition because the financial aid program is not keeping pace with the rise in tuition costs and wants to dispel the idea of college being only for he wealthy, Broussard said.

“There are not any con's to the program. The pro's are it makes higher education affordable to those who otherwise would not be able to afford it.” Broussard said.

In addition to these initiatives UTD has also recently signed an articulation agreement with DCCCD called the “Comet Connection” which allows a student who would like to transfer to UTD to freeze tuition rates, participate in UTD activities and have access to various resources while completing their core curriculum at NLC, said McGuirk.

For more information students can visit: http://www.dccd.edu/Employees/ Departments/Ea/Ts/AA/Articulatio n+Asgreements+Between+DCCD+ and+Universities/UTT+Dallas.htm