{"id":8971,"date":"2019-01-03T14:52:08","date_gmt":"2019-01-03T21:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?p=8971"},"modified":"2020-10-30T13:01:42","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T19:01:42","slug":"transferring-colleges-how-to-transfer-to-another-college-or-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/transferring-colleges-how-to-transfer-to-another-college-or-university\/","title":{"rendered":"Transferring Colleges: How to Transfer to Another College or University"},"content":{"rendered":"

For various reasons, many college students choose to transfer schools after their freshman or sophomore year. According to <\/span>Inside Higher Ed<\/span><\/a>, over one third of college students transfer. These transfers occur when a student transitions from community college to a four-year university, as well as when students transfer from one four-year university to another. Transfers between universities occur due to academic, social, and location reasons. Growing competition in university admissions is another reason many consider transferring. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe statistics around transferring are pretty shockingly high. It\u2019s getting higher every year because admissions is getting more difficult, so kids are not getting into their first choice school and then thinking they can fix things once they start college,\u201d said Mimi Doe, Co-founder of <\/span>Top Tier Admissions<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are many reasons for the rise in transfers, but getting into a school you want to go to as a transfer student takes more than submitting an application on a whim. Much of the transfer process is similar to applying to colleges as you did in high school, but there are some key differences. We talked to Doe about the process of transferring to another school, how to find a school that has what you\u2019re lacking at your current school, and how to get into that school as a transfer. <\/span><\/p>\n

Evaluate if transferring is the best option<\/b><\/h1>\n

Before you start researching and applying to schools, take a step back and decide if transferring is absolutely necessary. The transfer process will take up a fair amount of your time, and you will have to essentially start over socially and culturally at a new school. So, if the problem you\u2019re having at your current school is fixable, it may be worth it to stick it out. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo a very clear assessment and a reality check of what it is that\u2019s making you want to leave the school. Are you homesick? Are you missing your boyfriend or girlfriend? Do you have a lousy roommate? These are all factors that one can work with versus leaving,\u201d said Doe.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to keep in mind that the admissions for transfer students is even more restrictive than it usually is for incoming freshmen. So, if you\u2019re re-applying to a school you didn\u2019t get into the first time around, your chances for getting in tend to be lower than they were before. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf the reason you want to transfer is because you didn\u2019t get into Harvard and you\u2019re at Cornell, but you still want to try one more time to get into Harvard, save your time and save your money and shift your attitude, because Harvard only admits 15 [transfers]. You were denied and nothing\u2019s changed since you applied,\u201d said Doe.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, there are valid social or location reasons for transferring. For example, you may be at a school that is largely dominated by Greek life and you want to focus your energies elsewhere, or you don\u2019t feel safe on an urban campus. However, Doe explained that you will usually want to apply to schools as a transfer student on academic terms. So keep this in mind, and do deep research into academics when applying to other universities. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of getting in as transfer student, you have to build a very clear case on what the academic reasons are for transferring,\u201d said Doe, who said that explaining to admissions officers what you don\u2019t like at your current school is not a good strategy for admittance. <\/span><\/p>\n

Finding the right school<\/b><\/h1>\n

If you\u2019ve determined you definitely want to transfer, there are a few bases you\u2019ll want to cover. First, do your research. If you have an academic reason for transferring, pinpoint what exactly that is. For example, say your major is being phased out, or Doe gave the example of a student who has developed a passion for Renaissance literature, and their university does not offer much depth in this subject. <\/span><\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve pinpointed this specific academic lack at your current university, research colleges that offer what you\u2019re looking for. If you want to make sure your credits will transfer (which is ideal), include this in your research. This specific academic reason will help you find in another college what you\u2019re currently lacking, and this applies to other reasons you may have for transferring. For example, if you are transferring due to location, focus on finding the location that you want when looking at other campuses. <\/span><\/p>\n

You will also want to use other search and application strategies for finding a new school that you perhaps didn\u2019t use when applying to colleges as a high schooler. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to use the same discernment that you did when you were looking for colleges the first time, and you certainly want to cast a wide net. Expand your reach,\u201d said Doe. <\/span><\/p>\n

Essentially, don\u2019t take the process lightly or you may not find what you\u2019re looking for in a new college. If you are transferring because you are at your \u201csafety school\u201d and regret that, make sure to apply to schools that are more realistic for you to be admitted to. Find data on the profile of admitted students to find out how likely it is that you will be admitted.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you\u2019ve narrowed down your search to a few schools you\u2019re seriously interested in, be proactive about \u201cgetting to know\u201d the school. Do a campus visit, meet with students there who are studying what you\u2019re interested in studying, sit in on classes, and meet with the director of the department you\u2019re interested in if possible. If you have friends who are currently students at the school, ask to stay the weekend. <\/span>\u201cYou really want to be an entrepreneur of your process. You want to literally craft a way to find out what it is at that school that would work for you,\u201d said Doe.<\/span><\/p>\n

See also: <\/i><\/b>What to Look for When Visiting College Campuses\u2013And How to Get the Most Out Of It<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Getting into the college as a transfer student<\/b><\/h1>\n

Your application to colleges as a transfer student will be structurally similar to the applications you submitted as a high schooler, except your time in college to date will factor into the process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Admissions officers at your prospective college are going to look at your academics, engagement, and involvement at both your high school and current college. So, make sure you haven\u2019t \u201cchecked out\u201d of the university you\u2019re at now. Take fairly rigorous courses your freshman year, as a light course load will not reflect well on your applications. You may also want to consider retaking standardized tests if your scores aren\u2019t up to par, as this will again be a factor. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a good idea to get involved in some way. If you don\u2019t want to get involved on campus, get involved in your community in your specific areas of interest by joining clubs or volunteering. Showing that you\u2019ve engaged with your community or campus will help your cause. <\/span><\/p>\n

Your application will also probably require one or two essays, but a typical essay question for this will be something along the lines of, \u201cWhy are you transferring?\u201d This is where your research comes in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever it is, you really need to be able to convince them that you\u2019re coming to their college for a specific academic reason, not because you couldn\u2019t get along in your past school. They want kids with community involvement, they want bridge builders, they want kids who are going to embrace the academics,\u201d said Doe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, you will most likely be asked to provide recommendations.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt least one letter of recommendation from a faculty member is asked by most transfer applications, so you need to get to know your professors early on your freshman year,\u201d said Doe.<\/span><\/p>\n

As shown by the statistics, many students don\u2019t start and end at the same school, and that\u2019s okay and often allows students to excel when they find their fit. However, take the time to make sure it\u2019s the right decision. If you decide transferring is right for you, put in the work to do your research and strengthen your application, so you can feel confident in your journey to a new institution. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For various reasons, many college students choose to transfer schools after their freshman or sophomore year. According to Inside Higher Ed, over one third of college students transfer. These transfers occur when a student transitions from community college to a four-year university, as well as when students transfer from one four-year university to another. Transfers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":6436,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1841,1873,1874],"class_list":{"0":"post-8971","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-colleges","8":"tag-transfer","9":"tag-transferring-schools","10":"tag-university-transfer","11":"ad_tags-clep"},"better_featured_image":{"id":6436,"alt_text":"","caption":"","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":2048,"height":1365,"file":"s3:\/\/pcom-wp-media\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/10124111\/victoria-heath-367304-unsplash.jpg","sizes":{},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":498,"source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/10124111\/victoria-heath-367304-unsplash.jpg"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTransferring Colleges | How to Transfer to Another College<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For various reasons, many college students transfer. 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