Finding the Perfect Fit as a JCU Transfer Student

June 1, 2017

The end of high school is an exciting time for most students. They are wrapping up a large chapter of their lives and preparing to embark on an entirely new adventure. The decision of whether they will go to university and where is both exhilarating and terrifying. I remember being extremely excited to leave high school and seek out my independence and freedom. I had no doubt I wanted to further my education by going to college; I just had absolutely no idea where I wanted to go. It was overwhelming: four years is a significant amount of time to spend in one place, at least in my eyes. John cabot university students, students at the Trevi Fountain, Trevi fountin, study abroad students in Rome, choosing a University, deciding to study abroad

At seventeen years old I felt more than ready to take on all that came with being a college student. The only issue was I didn’t have any “dream” school in mind, no real pull to go to any particular college. I graduated high school a semester early and immediately enrolled in a community college three hours north of my hometown. I remember graduating high school on a Friday and beginning my spring semester as a college student that following Monday. I decided to go to community college to begin with because it seemed like a safe option: there was less commitment, it let me get away from home (but not too far), and it was less expensive than a four-year university. I enjoyed community college and it was a fairly easy transition, but I also knew I had no plans of staying longer than a year.

John cabot university students, students at the Trevi Fountain, Trevi fountin, study abroad students in Rome, choosing a University, deciding to study abroadI bounced from one community college to another over the course of a year and a half. I was still completely lost on where I wanted to live, and I only knew what I didn’t want. I didn’t want a large university, I had no interest in Greek life, and I wanted to be in a city. I spent time searching for universities in Los Angeles and New York, but nothing felt quite right. I decided to take a break from frantically trying to map out my life, and went to study abroad for a month in Florence. I was extremely fortunate to have that opportunity, and to have parents that supported me in my decision to go abroad.

I spent a month studying in Italy, and absolutely fell in love. I attended a small English-speaking school in Florence, and felt strangely and suddenly at home in a foreign country. I enjoyed the intimacy of the classes and the one-on-one attention I received from professors. By the end of my program, I realized that the only place I wanted to spend the remainder of my college years was overseas - and more specifically, Italy.

I started researching universities in Italy that offer American degrees, and John Cabot University came up immediately. I looked into all the aspects that were important to me - class size, campuses, majors and minors - and decided it was a perfect fit. I was accepted and felt completely confident in my decision to complete my undergraduate degree abroad. Three years later, I have just graduated from JCU! I could not be happier and more satisfied with my decision. John Cabot gave me an incredibly unique experience, lifelong friends, and memories I will appreciate forever.

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Carly Newgard
Communications major, Humanistic Studies minor
Class of 2017
Hometown: San Diego, California

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