With every new chapter comes a new beginning, and for TCU transfer students, they've experienced this twice in their college career.

Over the years, TCU has seen its fair share of transfers. Just this fall, the university welcomed 390 new students from other universities, said Joael Kelly, TCU admissions counselor.

Demographically, transfer students cannot be generalized, Keri Cyr, assistant director of transitions for sophomores and juniors said.

“Transfers are the most diverse group of incoming students,” Cyr said, “No transfer student has the same situation.”

Sydney Blowers, a single mom and senior sports broadcasting transfer student from the University of Oklahoma, said she believes the small class sizes and transfer to TCU was a blessing.

“It’s really comforting for me to know that my professors know I have a son…and are willing to work with me. I know I wouldn’t have gotten that at OU,” said Blowers.

But not every transfer student has such smooth of a transition as Blowers.

“The transition here was what was challenging,” said senior political science transfer student James McDonald, “I found myself in the position of a freshman being my first year at TCU, the age of a junior, but then the credits…of a sophomore.”

McDonald, who transferred from Tarrant County College, said TCU was always on the horizon for him. Like Blowers, the small class size was a also a bonus.

“I was attracted to the small class size, prestige…and school spirit TCU had. It was always a dream of mine to go here,” said McDonald.

Student Services currently has a Transfer Student Advisory Board that is led by transfer students. Cyr said they are currently working on starting a support group for transfers who need help.

One of the most important things for transfers to do is to stay open and leave previous experiences behind, she said. Because although the experiences can help, they can also hurt the transfer students.

“TCU is a very special and different place. The fact that it’s different, [transfers] need to be open to absorbing the new things. We are such a vibrant residential campus, [and] you really have to be intentional about being here and being in the mindset to make connections,” she said.