A Week at EU: First Impressions From a Transfer Student

I’ve been a transfer student at Elmhurst University for a week, and the question I hear the most is: “Why Elmhurst?” My short answer: It was one of only two schools I applied to—and the only one that offered my degree. It’s a stark contrast to senior year, when I applied to more than 15 schools but still ended up at my small, local community college.

The longer answer is that I only applied to two schools because I was still burnt out from my first round of applications, which felt like a waste given where I ended up. This isn’t to say I didn’t end up falling in love with my community college—I enjoyed the tight-nit community, the small class sizes, and the attentive professors—but they typically accept 100% of applicants with very little trouble.

More than anything, though, I’m a transfer student because I could only afford two years here, not four, and I find myself worrying about money constantly. Even a morning coffee feels like a threat to the discipline it took to save for tuition.  My feelings about attending EU—what it means to afford a private institution with higher tuition while pursuing a degree with a somewhat poor return on investment—are complex.

Despite all that, I’ve genuinely enjoyed much of what I’ve participated in so far. EU is commuter-friendly, dorm-friendly, transfer-friendly, and veteran-friendly.  It offers an honors program, various clubs and activities, sororities, fraternities, plenty of resources, and a vibrant student life compared to a small community college. It also rests in a beautiful little town.

These experiences feel typical of a small liberal arts school, which became clear to me on my first day: riding in on a long, crowded train and passing by a strong face awash with color splattered on a blue brick wall bearing the slogan: “be Bold. be Elmhurst.”

The campus is small, which comforts me since I usually find myself rushing to catch a train that leaves six minutes after my last class. Honestly, though, I wouldn’t mind being stranded in Elmhurst for a couple more hours. Maybe the excitement is only for the first day, but I love the games of bags being played on the mall, the morning refreshments, and how easy it is to stray from campus and walk downtown.

EU welcomes 500 of us transfer students each year, and I appreciate the resources it has offered me. My peers I have met so far agree that the transfer counselors were attentive, always making sure we met deadlines. The Russell G. Weigand Career Center for Professional Excellence helps ease my anxieties about graduating into the job market—slightly. My course advisor pushed me to join the honors program despite my late start. The program hosted an orientation and will host a retreat of other incoming students—people with whom I’ve already begun to form friendships.

I have only been at EU for a week. It seems too early to offer harsh judgments of its people or opportunities, but so far, I am optimistic about what EU has to offer.