CASSIE TOMLIN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Pre-education sophomore and orientation services leader Bethany Jameson shows a campus map to transfer students Jace Livingston, a Near Eastern studies sophomore, undeclared freshman Carl Kernek, and philosophy and political science sophomore Colin Dyer at the CatConnections EXPO Tuesday morning in the Student Union Memorial Center.

Students returning this semester will be seeing a few new faces around campus as new transfer students start their academic careers at the UA.

Every semester, new students arrive, but it is a different experience transferring in the middle of the year. Most students are already settled and have their routine, job and clubs already in place.

Transfer students, however, face challenges such as making sure their credits transfer from their previous school, finding housing mid-year and starting over again in a new place.

Renee Johns, an undeclared sophomore, transferred from the University of Washington this spring and is glad to be back home in Tucson. However, she has had trouble with some of her credits transferring, specifically math and English, which she is in the process of appealing.

These problems are not uncommon. Kelly Pochily, a pre-med biology sophomore, has also found her math and English are not being accepted either. Before she transferred from New York's Broome Community College, she was a junior but is now a sophomore.

Ann Huber, director of the Transfer Center, said in-state students have the most ease in getting credits to transfer.

The three in-state universities in Arizona work with the community colleges to make sure students starting at a community college can achieve the goal of getting a bachelor's degree from a university, she said.

This seems to be the case, said Carl Kernek, an undeclared freshman, who transferred from Pima Community College.

"A few computer classes didn't transfer, but I'm trying to CLEP out of a few history classes," Kernek said, referring to the ability to test out of college classes.

One reason students transfer is that they simply did not like their old school.

"I hated my old school," Johns said, "Well, hated is a strong word - I disliked my old school."

Johns "hated" it so much, she dropped out in the middle of the quarter.

Sean McCormack, an engineering and physics freshman, said he transferred from Arizona State University after he had a few bad experiences.

"My dorm room flooded a few times and it ruined my calculator," said McCormack.

McCormack said despite his bad experiences at ASU, he said he thinks he will be happier at the UA, and has had a positive experience so far.

"There is a better architecture school here and the engineering program is better," McCormack said.

One decision transfer students have to make is whether to live on campus. Some transfer students are upperclassmen when they transfer so living in a residence hall with freshmen might be uncomfortable.

"I'm moving into Cienega this weekend, but it's kind of bare and gloomy in there. I will be older (than other students in the hall) so it will be different in the dorms," said Johns.

Babcock Inn Residence Hall has a wing designated for transfer students and provides resources for students to get adjusted more smoothly.

"The main goal of the wing is to foster a strong sense of community. Transfer students are usually older so it's harder to program for them," said Lana Abu-Shaheen, the resident assistant for the wing.

"Some of the programs we've done are going out to dinner, seeing movies together, tailgating parties, and pieing the RAs," said Abu-Shaheen, a management information systems senior.

A transfer student herself, Abu-Shaheen says her first semester was awful.

"I missed orientation and I was running around trying to get into classes," she said. "I was also placed in a freshman dorm, so it was harder to become friends with them since I was a junior."

Despite some difficulty, Abu-Shaheen said she has found being an RA very rewarding, and she loves being at the UA now.

Adam Bittner, a political science senior who transferred to the UA last spring, said he is "very happy" at the UA.

"There are a lot of opportunities here with academics and extra curriculars. Make use of the things here and get involved," Bittner said.

Bittner said it has been easy to meet new friends and get involved, but would have transferred sooner if he knew how much he would enjoy the UA.

Bittner said he has found his place on campus by becoming involved in his major and is a preceptor and a lab assistant at Department of Space Sciences Lunar and Planetary Lab.

Huber said she recommends transfer students get involved on campus and in the community to receive the full college experience.

"Getting better connected to different communities expands the total educational experience," she said.

She also encouraged students to get involved in clubs that are linked with their field of study.

"I hope transfer students feel welcome here, and I hope they stop by the Nugent building," Huber said.

The Transfer Center is located in the Robert L. Nugent building.