As college students return to campus for a new semester, some are considering what it would take to transfer to a new school. In fact, as we’ve noted before, almost one-third of students will transfer at some point during their college career. Maybe you want to be closer to home? Maybe your current school doesn’t offer the major you want to pursue? Maybe you want to take another shot at your dream school? Or maybe the campus culture isn’t what you hoped. Whatever the reason, now is the time to get organized, make a plan, and prepare your transfer applications so you have options come spring.
TRANSFER ADMISSIONS
Over the years, our blog posts have included top transfer tips and admissions data—check out the resources below as you begin your transfer journey and note upcoming transfer deadlines:
Anita Doar shares her tips for tackling the transfer process mindfully so you can make the most of your opportunity.
Unsurprisingly, the more selective the school, the tougher it is to transfer in. Ivy League schools in particular seek to admit transfers from nontraditional backgrounds: Princeton, for example, only started admitting transfer students in 2017 and “particularly encourage[s] applications from students from low-income backgrounds, community college students, and U.S. military veterans.” Yale echoes this statement nearly verbatim. In 2021, Brown admitted 118 out of 2,746 transfer applicants (4.3% acceptance rate), and Stanford admitted 55 out of 3,265 (1.7% acceptance rate). A small liberal arts college like Colby “reserves a handful of spaces” for incoming transfer students each cycle.
“Transfer Tips: Make the Most of Freshman Year”
Dr. Elizabeth Doe Stone shares 5 tips to ensure you’re making the most of freshman year to be a competitive transfer applicant.
Double check each college’s transfer webpage for an exact list of application requirements, but you can anticipate needing to submit the following items:
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Official high school transcript
- SAT or ACT scores
- Two instructor evaluations from faculty who have taught you at your current college
- The College Report
- Once you fill out your section of this report, you need to give the form to a dean, advisor, or other college official and ask them to complete the academic portion of the form.
- The Midterm Report
- After you complete all the relevant questions, you will need to give this form to instructors whose courses you are enrolled in at the time you file your application and ask them to provide a general indication of your performance, including your current grade and (if they wish) additional comments.
The Top Tier Admissions team walks you through how to understand your transfer “why” and practical next steps.
If you’re ready to make a change, then here are some key considerations:
- Research: Do some legwork to look for schools that offer the programs, community, or change you seek. Dig into their admissions websites to see if they take transfer students and what’s required of transfer applicants. Make a note of deadlines and application pathways. Many schools will use the Common Application’s transfer application; others will have their own application portals.
- Timing: Students seeking to transfer can apply for entry as sophomores or juniors. Entering as a sophomore gives you plenty of time to settle into a new environment; coming in as a junior typically means you are ready to hit the ground running in your major field of study. Particularly at schools that take small numbers of transfer students, you won’t find quite the same academic advising and orientation resources that are typically available to incoming first-year students.
- Academic criteria: Typically, the transfer application process looks at both your college and high school academic records. If you’re struggling in college and your grades reflect it, it will be tough to be a viable applicant in transfer pools that are selective. Standardized testing typically isn’t as big a factor in the transfer application process, although schools may ask to see those SAT or ACT scores you took in high school. If you didn’t take the exams in high school, you won’t be asked to do them now.
- Recommenders: You will be asked to submit at least one letter of recommendation from a faculty member, so you need to reach out to one of your professors to talk about your plans. This could be a little awkward – especially since faculty don’t like to lose great students – but be thoughtful about your reasons for seeking to transfer and share them with the professor. In addition, your academic dean (or someone in the Dean of Students’ office) will be asked to affirm that you are a student in good standing.
Transfer Essay Guidance
Get our expert guidance on your transfer essays.
- Essays: Depending on the college or university, you will be asked to submit an essay or two as part of your transfer application. A typical question that you will be asked will be to explain your reasons for seeking to transfer and how a new school will help you to realize your goals and aspirations. Often times, you’ll also be asked to talk about the ways you have contributed to your current college community and what you will bring to your new school.
- Activities: The more selective the school’s transfer admissions process, the more likely they will also look to see how you’ve gotten involved in campus life or beyond campus in your areas of interest. A clear sense of engagement in some aspect of campus life will strengthen your application.
UPCOMING TRANSFER DEADLINES
- Application Boot Camp®: Celebrating 20 Years of Success - April 25, 2024
- Get to Know College Admissions Expert, Bryan Tomlinson - April 24, 2024
- Breaking News: Cornell Reinstates Standardized Testing - April 23, 2024
