Transfer Academic Coaching
Building 26, Room 110A
Academic Coaches can help with:
- setting learning goals
- cultivating motivation
- managing time
- balancing course expectations
- mapping out assignment deadlines
- navigating group projects
- thinking and reading critically
- developing study strategies
- preparing for exams
- connecting with faculty
- seeking assistance through additional campus support programs
- And more!
Academic Coaching for Transfer Students
The Transfer Student Academic Coaching Program, in partnership with the Transfer Center and Cal Poly Scholars, is pleased to support transfer students through one-to-one peer coaching sessions.
Apply to Become a Transfer Academic Coach.
Working as an Academic Coach is a great opportunity to support your peers while strengthening your own skills and building community! Visit our Become an Academic Coach page for more information.
Get to Know Our Transfer Coaches
Paulo Aguirre
(he/him)
TRANSFER academic Coach
Paulo is studying Computer Science for his undergraduate here at Cal Poly. He has transferred from Santa Barbara City College from the central coast city of Santa Barbara, California. Paulo’s goal for this upcoming academic year is to use his experience navigating Cal Poly resources to help incoming transfers have an easier time adjusting to the fast pace quarter system that they may not be accustomed to. It can sometimes be easy to feel a bit overwhelmed when first transitioning to Cal Poly, but that's where Paulo comes in to connect you to the right resources and departments you didn’t know were available to you. We have over 400 different clubs on campus, so if you have any questions on how to get connected just ask Paulo. He is a part of many programs and clubs on campus such as EOP, Cal Poly Scholars, Guardian Scholars, and Society of Hispanic engineers.
Paulo was born and raised here on the central coast and has been known to travel from San Francisco to San Diego quite frequently. He enjoys outside activities such as hiking various trails scattered all across San Luis Obispo from Bishop’s Peak to the Irish Hills. While San Luis Obispo is a beautiful place to explore, Paulo also enjoys playing computer video games of every genre such as role-playing and strategy games.
A piece of transfer related advice from Paulo:
● Do not wait to fall behind in your classes before you ask for help. Your professors want you
to succeed in their class. The faster you connect with them during office hours or during
class, the better your chance of getting the grade in class you know you deserve.
Katherine Merino-Simon
(she/her)
TRANSFER academic Coach
Katherine is a 2nd-year transfer, studying Sociology with a minor in Child Development. She transferred from Santa Barbara City College, where she received her Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) in Sociology and Liberal Arts and Sciences: with an emphasis in Social and Behavioral Sciences degrees. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Katherine enjoys going on walks to the beach, watching sunsets, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
As a first-generation college student and a transfer, Katherine is always willing to help students who need a hand. She intends to share her knowledge and experiences while navigating higher education with other students in the same position as herself. Aside from being a Transfer Academic Coach she also works as a Student Assistant at the Transfer Center. At the front desk, she enjoys meeting and greeting new and continuing transfers and directing them to campus resources when needed.
Katherine is excited to share time management tips and other information with transfer students that has been helpful to her here at Cal Poly.
Some transfer-related advice from Katherine:
- Make sure to take advantage of the resources offered to you at Cal Poly! Reach out to your professors if you ever need help, communicate and connect with your academic advisors. Don’t be afraid to talk to your faculty, they are here to help you. As a transfer student, you belong here. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and seek opportunities.
Jacob Hernandez
(he/him)
TRANSFER academic Coach
Jacob is studying Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. He transferred from El Camino College and grew up in Redondo Beach. On campus, Jacob is an active member of Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity, and an OCOB transfer peer lead. Graduating in Spring 2025, Jacob hopes to work in the finance field, or consulting. Some of his hobbies include going to the beach, surfing, working out, and watching sports.
As a transfer academic coach, Jacob hopes to help new transfer students adjust to the fast-paced quarter system and a new campus. It can feel overwhelming, but he hopes he can connect students with all the resources and opportunities Cal Poly has to offer, and to make sure you have a smoother, more enjoyable transition.
Some transfer-related advice from Jacob:
- Enjoy your time here at Cal Poly! Make those memories, make those connections, and don’t have regrets! Get involved on campus, and make the most out of your time here in Slo.
Andrew Salazar
(he/him/his)
TRANSFER academic Coach
Andrew is 2nd year transfer student studying Environmental Management and Protection with a double minor in GIS and sustainable environments. He transferred from Cerritos Community College from Los Angeles. Andrew is first generation student and in his final quarters at Cal Poly. Aside from being an academic coach, Andrew is also a classroom lead with SciTrek, a researcher in groundwater access, ATS member, and an Association of Environmental Professionals member. In Andrew’s free time he likes to watch movies, go to concerts, and recently got into boxing. He hopes to make the transition into Cal Poly life smoother for incoming and current transfers. He also hopes to give helpful pointers to students looking to get involved with research.
A piece of transfer related advice from Andrew:
● Have strong web of resources you can count on. As transfers you have special resources available to you specifically to make Cal Poly life easier. Also don’t forget to set aside time for yourself.
Andrew Gonzalez
(he/him/his)
TRANSFER academic Coach
Andrew is a 2nd year transfer student studying Business Administration with a concentration in accounting. He transferred from Orange Coast College from Orange County, Costa Mesa, CA with an A.S. in Business Administration and Management. As a Costa Mesa local, Andrew enjoys going to the beach, trying out new food, going on hikes, and taking photos on film as of recently. Andrew wants to help both new and current transfer students make the most out of their time at Cal Poly and enjoys sharing his Cal Poly experience with transfer students.
A piece of transfer related advice from Andrew:
- Go to office hours to talk with your professor. They are here to help you and want you to succeed on your education. Ask them questions about course content, clubs, job opportunities, etc. They are happy to be there for you in every step of the way.
- Join clubs that spark you interest. There are over 400 clubs at Cal Poly and they have exactly the type of club you are looking for. The opportunities are endless!
Adielle Sharvit
(she/hers)
Graduate Assistant
Adielle is in the Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs Graduate Program here at Cal Poly Slo. Adielle was a transfer student from Diablo Valley Community College to Sonoma State University. Adielle received her bachelor's in psychology from Sonoma State in May of 2024. Since Adielle was a transfer student, she is passionate about ensuring that students have a smooth transition into 4-year academic and social life. For instance, her work emphasizes the importance of transfer students learning how to navigate a quarter system at Cal Poly Slo, after getting used to a semester system for 2+ years. On Adielle’s free time, she loves to spend quality time with her friends and explore San Luis Obispo, as she is new to the area.
A piece of transfer related advice from Adielle:
● Get involved! Join clubs, attend Transfer Center Events, and be on the look-out for Transfer Academic Coaching events as well!
Meet with a Transfer Coach!
Schedule an appointment with a transfer academic coach today!
Appointments are available
in-person or via Zoom. If appointment times do not fit with your schedule, email academic-coaching@calpoly.edu, and a coach will find a time to meet with you.
‘Creating a More Welcoming Campus.’ Cal Poly Transfers Help Fellow Students Adjust - Check out this great article about our awesome coaching program!
"The Transfer Academic Coach has provided beneficial tips and insight on improving on studying habits. Those specific tips and information of resources has been irreplaceable.” - incoming transfer class of fall 2021
Based on common topics covered during coaching sessions held the past two years, transfer coaches have developed the tips and information below.
Connecting with Faculty
Email can be an effective way to connect with a professor, but there are times when the topic(s) at hand is more appropriate for an in-person or Zoom meeting.
Topics that may be appropriate for email:
- Clarification on dates and deadliness
- Clarification on an assignment details/requirements
- To schedule a meeting or a time outside of office hours if the times listed on the syllabus don’t work for you
- Responding to an email from your professor that awaits a response
Topics that may be better for an in-person or Zoom appointment:
- Discussing your grade
- Going over an exam or paper
- In-depth questions about course content or their research
- Questions pertaining to practice problems
When Connecting Via Email
- Use your Cal Poly email address. Use your other email address for non-school related matters.
- Use the subject line. Make It concise and related to the topic you want to discuss. Check your syllabus because some professors may require certain information in the subject line such as the course name and section (e.g., “BMED 440: Question about lecture #4”).
- Start professionally: Avoid being too casual (e.g., “Hey Professor”). A good way to start would be something along the lines of, “Dear Professor Doe.” This would be the safe way to address a faculty member if don’t know if they have a PhD or not.
- Be concise: Be clear, organized, and brief in your email.
- Capitalize, punctuate, and check your spelling: Incorrect spelling or lack of punctuation may create misunderstanding or miscommunication. Also, professionalism is important in an academic setting to convey that you are a serious student.
- Acknowledge any and all replies: Be sure to acknowledge with a thank you in your response.
- Don’t expect an immediate response: Twenty-four hours is the standard wait time during the business week.
When Connecting Via Office Hours
- Clarify and ask questions about course content: You can get help with class material by asking your professor to explain it differently or walk through it again with you. You can also ask questions about the text or lecture content.
- Review exams or papers: You can ask about what went wrong, what went well, and how to improve on the next paper or exam.
- Study strategies and assignment/project preparedness: Some subjects have specific strategies that that work better for that particular course. You can also discuss strategies and your professor’s expectations on assignments and projects.
- Discussing grades: Office hours can be an appropriate place to discuss or ask questions about your grade in a class.
Engaging in Research
Research is a great way to get involved with your major and can bolster your resume. Look into current research opportunities in your department and talk to your professors about it. Learn about your faculty member’s research and email them to set up a time to ask questions and how to get involved.
Building a Network
- LinkedIn is a great way to connect with Cal Poly faculty members, students, and alumni. You never know when a connection can help you land a job or internship!
- Networking Events: Keep an eye out for networking events where you may get a chance to talk to and network with your peers, faculty members, and alumni. Getting to know your professors better in an event outside of class may help with letters of recommendation in the future.
Managing Time
The quarter system can be a tough transition for a lot of transfers. As a transfer you are usually entering your major specific courses (which are hard enough as it is) and now having to complete these classes at an increased rate can be overwhelming at times. There is not a sure-fire way to fully prepare yourself for the rigor you might feel on the quarter system but there are ways in which you can alleviate the stress that may come with the transition.
Use a Planner
Whether this is a physical planner or digital one (Outlook, Google, etc.), utilizing a planner will help provide a tangible and physical representation of your upcoming tasks. Cal Poly automatically provides an Outlook account when you become student. Beyond just emails, outlook provides a calendar system allowing you to keep track of all important dates in one location.
An online calendar system also allows you to:
- Create multiple schedules all in one location (Work, Classes, Homework, etc.)
- Check availability of other’s schedules (Students, Professors, etc.)
- Set reminders to finish a task or upcoming events
- Effectively create an organized system to provide a foundation for time management skills
Check out this video highlighting the different aspects of what all Outlooks calendar provides!
Develop SMART Goals
Setting a goal can be easy. But having the drive or the dedication to complete it is an entirely different beast. That is why it is essential to start implementing SMART Goals into your planning routine! What is a smart goal? The premise of a SMART Goal is to fully flesh out a goal you have with realistic expectations as well as a time line on how to achieve it. The SMART in SMART goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Utilizing SMART goals helps you to effectively plan out your quarter as well as other aspects of your life! An example can be found below.
Basic: I want to read more.
SMART: I will select one book each month and read it for an hour during lunch and an hour before bed; this will result in reading a total of 12 books a year.
If interested in the science behind setting, assessing and pursuing goals, check out this podcast from Dr. Andrew Huberman who is a tenured professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford.
Apply the Pomodoro Time-Management Technique
Laying out a weekly plan may be one thing, but committing to the plan and having study sessions be effective and efficient can be a whole other hurdle to get over. That is why applying the Pomodoro technique can be a great asset for determining to find what works best for you. The Pomodoro technique has been proven to be a more effective time management technique than trying to complete tasks all at once.
The Pomodoro Technique
- Decide on the task you need to complete
- Set a timer for 25 minutes
- Work on the task until the timer stops
- Take a five-minute break
- After four cycles of the above, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes
- Repeat until the task is complete.
The technique is essentially composed of a 25/5 minute cycles of on/off studying. Now sometimes taking a break 25 minutes into your work may interrupt your concentration, so ratios of the techniques can be used such as 50/10 but don’t increase the times too much as it would defeat the purpose of keeping your mind fresh. Of course thee is no copy and paste technique that is perfect for every individual so use this technique as a baseline.
Strategize Coursework Completion
Balancing and prioritizing coursework can be stressful and overwhelming. At any given time of the quarter, you’ll find yourself balancing several assignment deadlines while preparing for major projects and exams looming two or three weeks ahead. The suggestions below might assist with determining how best to allocate time to complete assignments, study for exams, and manage other personal responsibilities.The following suggestions might be helpful in terms of strategizing how best to manage time:
- Identify: Identify what's most important and urgent. Utilize due dates as a criterion for this as well as the assignment/project scale.
- Avoid: Avoid multitasking if possible. Research has linked multitasking to worse performance.
- Consider: Consider effort. You may want to take care of tasks that require little time first to avoid a long to-do list. Clearing these small tasks first will provide some alleviation and sense of accomplishment. This can help you in avoiding procrastination and being effective with your effort. More information regarding procrastination.
- Utilize: Utilize a to-do list and calendar application that incorporates the previously mentioned elements. There are many forms of calendars, whether they are physical planners or electronic calendars. More information regarding time management schedules can be found here and more information regarding the importance of an electronic calendar here.
To set up this strategy:
- Begin by listing all your current courses and thinking of them as “bins”. In each bin, list each assignment that is due for each respective course and any exams. This will give you a “bird’s eye view” of all the assignments and exams you have in front of you.
- Example:
HIST 101
CPE 202
PHYS 141
MATH 143
-
Discussion Board #1
-
Discussion Board #2
-
Essay #1
-
Project #1
-
Quiz #1
-
Problem Set #1
-
Problem Set #1
-
Exam #1
-
- Example:
- Next, identify and list the assignments that require the most urgency. Utilize the assignment’s due dates and scale to help you with this.
- Example:
- Discussion Board #1 (Due Jan 1)
- Problem Set #1 [Phys 141] (Due Jan 3)
- Problem Set #1 [Math 143] (Due Jan 4)
- Discussion Board #2 (Due Jan 5)
- Quiz #1 (Due Jan 6)
- Exam #1 (Due Jan 7)
- Example:
- Then, set up a to do list for the next week or two incorporating assignments/study time to allocate for each day of the week. Doing so will grant you a sense of direction within the long list of assignments and an overall sense of structure. You’ll want to avoid multitasking and work on finishing an assignment one at a time. Consider effort when setting up your to do list and try to focus on clearing assignments that take little effort first to get some sense of accomplishment. Your to-do list may look something like this:
- Example
WEEK 1
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
- Study for Exam #1
- Discussion Board #1
- Problem Set #1 [PHYS 141]
- Problem Set #1 [PHYS 141]
- Problem Set #1 [MATH 143]
- Discussion Board #2
- Study for Quiz #1
-
Quiz #1 takes place
- Study for Exam #1
WEEK 2
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
-
Exam #1 takes place
-
- Example
- Finally, utilize a calendar tool of some sort to incorporate your 1-2 week plan into. Some electronic calendar services you may consider are Microsoft’s Outlook application or Google’s Google Calendar application. Check out more resources for time management and scheduling.
Visit the Study Strategies Library
For additional support, the Study Strategies Library has curated online resources from a variety of websites. Visit the library for further assistance on topics such as note-taking, memorization, test anxiety, and getting focused.
Academic Coaching is a growing learning support program for all Cal Poly students. If you are not a transfer student and would like to engage in academic coaching, please email academic-coaching@calpoly.edu for assistance.
