Paul Shin is a 20-year-old soccer player going into his junior year at Queens College in New York City. Prior to playing at Queens, he was a Division II player at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. Paul came to his decision to transfer for a few reasons, and as of now he does not regret it. If you're considering transferring, take it from Paul–there are some good reasons to consider doing so.
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Playing Time
One of the main reasons Paul did not want to stay up in Albany was because of the lack of playing time. He only played two seasons there, but in those two seasons he did not play as much as he hoped he would. Paul is a very good athlete who has been playing soccer since 5th grade, and he is always striving for the best. In the younger years, he would transfer from team to team to try and find the best fit. This helped him find a team that he was comfortable on and could play his best at. This seems to be a trend that stays with Paul as he did the same thing in college.
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Location
The other big reason Paul decided to transfer is because he missed New York City–he grew up in the city and the transition to a suburban area was a pretty big adjustment. Paul knows he will most likely not be playing professionally so he wanted to go to college where he's happiest. For Paul, the city is his happy place where he is close to home and can play a lot more on his team at Queens College.
The bottom line: don't be afraid to make the move to transfer if you're not happy in your current situation. For Paul, location and playing time were incredibly important, but they're just two of many factors to consider in the transfer process. So do your research and make the best choice for yourself.
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* Originally published on September 26, 2022, by Chris Russo