Hello, Bulldog. Welcome to the pack. TRANSFER STUDENT GUIDE
CONGRATS!
It’s official! You’ve been admitted to Drake University. We look forward to doing great things together. Make your Drake years uniquely you. Since 1881, Drake has attracted students who are ready to blaze their own paths. Prepare to get noticed by professors, staff, and classmates. Drake is your place to shine.
Get the degree that keeps on giving. One of the most important skills that you’ll learn at Drake is the lifelong ability to continuously evolve your thinking and skills. A Drake education stays with you for a lifetime.
YOU’RE IN.
At Drake, you will never be just a number. Drake is the perfect size. ■ Smaller class sizes mean you’ll learn
CAPITAL CITY CONNECTIONS
from professors who take a personal
Drake is woven into the heart of the
interest in you—and with classmates
thriving, 700,000-people-strong
who care about your success.
Des Moines metro. Des Moines
■ Faculty mentoring can help you find
surprises with its diverse cultural, entertainment, and recreational
your place at Drake and prepare for life
opportunities, as well as abundant
post-graduation.
internship and job opportunities.
■ A close-knit campus community means you’re able to get into everything you want to explore—organizations, performance groups, research—from day one. ■ Drake is the perfect size. The campus is big enough to provide any opportunity without students getting lost in the crowd.
“Faculty and staff at Drake are extremely passionate about seeing students thrive. The community on campus made me feel like I was a Bulldog before I transferred! The countless career opportunities, the quality of my education, and the welcoming atmosphere are just a handful of reasons why I transferred to Drake, and why I’m proud to call myself a Drake Bulldog.” — K elsey Christiansen, public relations and advertising; Class of 2022 Transferred from McHenry County College
TAKE THE NEXT STEP The last leg in your journey to full Bulldoghood is to enroll. Go to drake.edu/admitted and use the login instructions in the acceptance letter that
The Drake Commitment At Drake, we give you the tools to build your best life.
came with this booklet. You can enroll, make your housing preferences, or view your next steps to get the answers you need to make your transfer decision.
Personal Mentorship
Opportunity to Serve
Power of Community
Lifetime of Value
drake.edu/commitment
MEET. PLAN. REGISTER Schedule an appointment with the Transfer Student Advisor to discuss how transfer credits apply toward major and degree requirements. Eager to chat about your transfer degree plan? Use the login information included in this packet to find and reserve your transfer advising appointment directly on the calendar for help in navigating transfer credits, degree planning and registration.
ACADEMICS ARE TOP DOG. SORRY, GRIFF II. MAKE NO MISTAKE, Drake’s #1 goal is to give you the best academic and experiential education in the world. You’ll feel it from the first day on campus. We have a lot of fun at Drake, but we take academics seriously.
What’s your major? Choose from more than 150 programs of study in seven colleges and schools. If that doesn’t get your blood pumping, blaze your own trail through interdisciplinary concentrations, design a personal academic plan, combine majors, or engage in independent studies. It’s all possible here. ■ College of Arts & Sciences ■ College of Business & Public Administration ■ School of Education ■ School of Journalism & Mass Communication ■ College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences ■ Law School ■ John Dee Bright College
Browse them all at drake.edu/academics/undergraduate/majors
DO RESEARCH RIGHT AWAY. If you dig groundbreaking research—in the library, in the laboratory, or in the field—you’ll get plenty of opportunities to do it at Drake. You may find yourself elbow to elbow with a professor, doing research that makes a difference. YOU WON’T JUST LEARN IN CLASSROOMS. Hands-on experiences are a thing at Drake, and Des Moines is a target-rich environment for internships that often lead to job offers across the globe.
Let’s make it official. Enroll today! Go to drake.edu/admitted and use the login instructions found in your acceptance letter.
At Drake, I’m surrounded by people who inspire me to dream big. Kaili Miller, magazine media/graphic design major; Kansas City, Mo.; Class of 2022
Your new home away from home.
You won’t go hungry at Drake.
convenience items on campus as well
All students living on campus are
as athletic concessions and printing
required to sign up for a meal plan.
(beyond the $20 allotment you’ll get
For off-campus students, it’s optional.
from Drake).
Though, meals are also available for purchase on a one-off basis.
For more information on meal plans, our newly renovated dining hall, and
When choosing your plan in the
special dietary accommodations,
Housing & Meal Selection portal,
visit drake.sodexomyway.com.
you’ll find options including a combination of prepaid, all-youcare-to-eat meals and Bulldog Bucks, which can be used to purchase food at various locations on campus. Want to skip the meal plan and just have Bulldog Bucks? That’s fine too! Your Drake ID Card is a reloadable card for Bulldog Bucks and can be used to purchase food, coffee, and
Explore Drake University in-person or through a virtual visit.
Go to drake.edu/visit to see your options.
HOUSING Students who have been out of high school
If you want to select your roommate in on-
for longer than two years can choose between
campus housing, you must mutually request
on-campus and off-campus housing.
each other via the online portal. If you aren’t
Off-campus housing options include private
requesting a roommate, the Office of Student
apartments, rental homes, and the Drake West Village complex, which has apartments available for juniors, seniors, and graduate
Life will match you based upon your answers to the lifestyle questions in your application. Placements are typically announced one
students. See drake.edu/realestate for Drake-
month prior to the start of class.
owned apartments, drakewestvillage.com for
Learn about your housing options, both on
furnished apartments, or pick up a listing of
and off-campus at drake.edu/life/housing.
additional rentals from local landlords in the Student Life Center in Olmsted.
These are the times that will stick with you forever. The incredible job shadow that led to an unbelievable career. Midnight breakfast served by your professor during finals week. The club that introduced you to your new housemate and spawned your obsession with crab rangoon pizza. Or the night you lost your voice cheering women’s basketball on to a championship.
Academics are number one at Drake, but you’ll also have many chances to connect with the community and your classmates. Clubs Drake has more than 160 student organizations and clubs, and you can find one related to a major or a personal interest—or just for fun. Get connected, have a laugh, learn new things, and make friends.
Athletics Blue will soon be your favorite color. The Drake Bulldogs play in Division I of the NCAA in the Missouri Valley Conference and Division I FCS in the Pioneer Football League. Watch them play one day; go to class with them the next. Welcome to Drake.
Leadership opportunities There are numerous opportunities to hone your leadership skills at Drake. Outside of courses dedicated to teaching the next generation of executives, we offer clubs and programs where you can learn from community leaders and surround yourself with fellow ambitious Bulldogs.
Drake Relays and the famous Painted Street Prepare to paint and be painted. Street painting is held as part of Drake’s epic Drake Relays celebration every April.
Greater Des Moines Have we mentioned Des Moines? Yes we have, and that’s because it’s right here—in all its eclectic, diverse glory. Food from around the world, concerts of all sizes, nightlife, recreation options, trails, spectator sports, and more.
J-Term experience For three weeks in January, students can engage in an optional, short-term course that allows the study of subjects that are often difficult to fit into a regular semester schedule. Options include travel seminars, traditional classes, and advanced courses in various majors. Learn more at drake.edu/dc/j-termexperience.
Everything is different at Drake.
Iowa’s capital city is our city. With downtown just five minutes from campus, internship opportunities are everywhere.
93.7
%
of students graduate having had one or more internships or field/clinical experiences.
95.5
%
of students who graduated during the COVID-19 pandemic were employed or began grad school within six months of graduation.
Drake gives you the confidence to tackle any obstacle and the insight to navigate any issue, even those that don’t exist yet. This is an education that endures. It’s what happens when courses give you a compass. When you learn how to think, instead of what to know, your education lasts a lifetime.
Financial Aid Experts Available
!
If you have questions about aid or scholarships, our financial aid counselors are here to help and can give a better idea of what your out-of-pocket cost looks like to attend Drake. To learn more, contact them at 515-271-2905 or visit drake.edu/financialaid.
$0
The amount your tuition will go up
FILE YOUR FAFSA The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is critical to the financial aid process. If you have a completed tax return for you, your parents, or your guardians, it’s easy to fill out the application online at fafsa.gov. Our school code is 001860. Drake needs your FAFSA in order to provide financial aid.
thanks to Drake’s Tuition Guarantee.
TUITION GUARANTEE The tuition rate you pay when you transfer to Drake will never go up during your undergraduate program, as long as you remain enrolled full-time. Never. Not a dollar. No way. That adds up to significant savings compared to colleges and universities that hike tuition every year. R
2NDR YEA
FIRSRT YEA
P
E ITUE TIONR S
INST
3RDR YEA
D
SENIO YEAR
UNI RAK VER E SITY
TRANSFER CREDITS Watch your email for a message or login to your
with a faculty member in your area of interest),
Admitted Student Portal at drake.edu/admitted
please indicate so on your appointment request.
for a message from our Transfer Student Advisor. They will contact you on how to access the online transcript evaluation of your previous work. Once you receive this, schedule an appointment to discuss how your transfer credits apply toward your major and degree requirements, and how long it may take to finish your degree. Our Transfer Student Advisor will provide advice on which courses to take your first semester at Drake. If you’re interested in adding more meetings to your advising appointment (like meeting with a financial aid counselor or talking
In order to complete the admission process, you must have an official copy of your final transcript sent directly to the Drake Office of Admission. When your final official transcripts are received your record is updated accordingly. For more information on the transfer credit evaluation system, including advanced credit earned through Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and College-Level Education Program (CLEP), visit drake.edu/registrar/transfercreditinformation.
REGISTRATION AND ORIENTATION You may begin your education at Drake in the fall or spring. Drake offers flexible options for you to register for classes and get acquainted with the people and places that will be part of your life. Use the login information that came with this booklet to find your orientation options at drake.edu/admitted. Registration for the spring semester begins in November. Summer and fall registration begins in April and continues through August.
THE PRACTICAL STUFF IMPORTANT NEXT STEPS
STEP 1: UNDERSTAND TRANSFER CREDIT The Transfer Student Advisor will provide information on viewing your transfer credits. Make an appointment to discuss how credits apply to your major. If your academic interests change prior to enrollment, please notify the Office of Admission so your transcript evaluation may be reviewed and revised. STEP 2: START THE FINANCIAL AID PROCESS To be considered for financial aid, file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Use Drake’s Federal Code 001860 to ensure your FAFSA is sent to Drake. STEP 3: ENROLL You’ll need to submit a nonrefundable $250 tuition deposit to confirm your decision to attend Drake and begin the advising and registration process. Log in to your Drake Admission Status Page (drake.edu/admitted) using the login instructions provided with this packet. Click the corresponding link on your admitted student checklist to access Drake’s payment system. Part-time students follow the same process, but a tuition deposit is not required. STEP 4: PLAN FOR HOUSING OR COMMUTER STATUS Go to drake.edu/admitted and use the login instructions in the acceptance letter included with this packet. To sign up for residence hall housing or request commuter status, click the corresponding link on your admitted student checklist. If you plan to live on campus, you will be required to pay a $250 housing deposit. If you’ve been out of high school for less than two years but meet requirements to live off campus, you can request approval for commuter status via this same link. STEP 5: CELEBRATE Once you’re done with everything, announce your plans on social media and tag @drakeuniversity in your post.
SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES If you require special services because of a disability, please contact Student Disability Services so the University can put plans in place to support your success at Drake. The information you provide will be kept in strict confidence. For more information, visit drake.edu/sds or contact Michelle Laughlin at michelle.laughlin@drake.edu or 515-271-1835. ADVANCED CREDIT: AP, IB, AND CLEP Drake awards advanced-standing credit through several programs. During registration, students are encouraged to register for classes according to the guidelines for advanced credit and the scores they expect to achieve. If actual scores are different from those anticipated, class schedules may be adjusted accordingly after arrival on campus. For a listing of Drake credit equivalencies for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and College-Level Education Program (CLEP), visit drake.edu/registrar/ transfercreditinformation.
CONTACT US
Get answers to your questions or request help in arranging a visit that’s customized just for you and your interests. OFFICE OF ADMISSION 515-271-3181 admission@drake.edu drake.edu
Office of Admission 515-271-3181 admission@drake.edu drake.edu 22_0063