College Transfer Admissions by Howard and Matthew Greene Is it possible to transfer to a selective college as a sophomore or junior? Absolutely. Thousands of students each year make the transition from one college to another. They may have started their college career at a two-year junior or community college, perhaps even earning their Associate's degree along the way, and are now ready to pursue their four-year, Bachelor's degree. Or, they may have found their first college choice was not a great fit for them. It may have been too large, too urban, too small, too difficult, too easy, or not strong in their area of academic concentration. Some students must leave college for personal, financial, or academic reasons, and may look to pursue their degree as an adult learner on a part- or full-time basis. Whatever the reason, the good news is that transfer admission is not only possible, but sometimes even preferable. Students who start at the community college level may save thousands of dollars in tuition prior to earning their degree in the liberal arts or a more specific academic or pre-professional area like business or communications at a four-year university. Others may make an easier high school to college transition by starting at a less competitive, smaller college. By doing well there and building a strong foundation, they may prepare themselves for the social and academic demands of a larger university. Here are some common questions about transfer admissions, and our responses to them. Do all colleges accept transfer students? No. Some of the most elite universities and some of the smallest liberal arts colleges accept no transfer students, or very few of them. Princeton University, for example, is not a college you can transfer to. Amherst College, Swarthmore College, and Williams College exemplify those small schools that accept very few transfer candidates each year. That is because they have relatively small student populations, high retention and graduation rates, and a strong commitment to residential campus housing. And, it is rare for more mature students to want to transfer to a small town or rural campus college. Which colleges accept more transfers? Generally, the larger the university, the more transfer applications and admissions. That is because more students are coming and going from these schools, and there is often not a residential housing restriction placed on incoming students. In other words, if the university admits you, they may not guarantee housing for you. New York University, for example, attracts tens of thousands of transfer applications each year, and accepts many students to its wide variety of programs. Highly selective schools like the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, and Emory admit a small group of transfer students annually. The biggest group of institutions that accept transfer applicants includes the public flagship universities in each state. . How do students find out about transfer policies and opportunities? Transfer admissions is a much more "mature" process than freshman admissions coming directly out of high school. Colleges expect students to be more self-directed, and to contact them personally. Students can research college transfer policies on the colleges' Web sites, try to find out the name of the admission officer responsible for transfer applicants, and call the college admission offices directly to talk to these counselors. Students can ask about transfer policies, and request to meet with the transfer admission officer during a campus visit. Some guidebooks, like the College Board's annual College Handbook, and Peterson's Four Year Colleges also list colleges' transfer admission policies. . When should students consider transferring? Students enrolled in junior or community colleges will have their best chance of transferring to a selective four-year college or university once they have completed their Associate's degree, preferably in two years. Some students who excel during a first year may be ready to file transfer applications during the winter of their second semester. Similarly, students wishing to transfer from one four-year institution to another will typically file applications between their second and fourth semesters. Strong grades in a good curriculum over three semesters will give students their best chance of transferring. Many selective colleges will not accept transfer candidates who have completed too few course credits (say, under 15) or too many (say, over 60). That means the prime time frame for students to apply to transfer is during the middle of their second year of college, right at the beginning of their fourth semester of full-time coursework. That gives students enough time to establish a good record, and to consider whether transferring is the right move. There is usually an adjustment period at any college, so students should think carefully before jumping ship during their first semester. Thoughts about transferring often turn out to be early jitters, which settle down later in a student's freshman year. . Where should prospective transfer applicants begin their college education if they believe they are likely to transfer to a more competitive institution in the future? Transfer applicants may come from any accredited college or university, but should plan to enroll in an institution where they will do well right from the start and set a strong foundation for their application after the first or second year. Four-year institutions will give priority consideration to those applicants who have completed their Associate's degree at a two-year college, and many four-year institutions have specific agreements with in-state two-year colleges on acceptance and credit transfer policies. . Does transfer admission work only for "traditional" college-age students? No. Transfer works both for traditional students and adult learners. The institutions these two types of applicants will want to attend are likely to differ, but there is no reason a more mature person wishing to continue his or her college education should not consider a transfer application. . What qualifications does a student need to transfer successfully? Most selective colleges look for strong to outstanding academic performance as the key component of an interesting transfer application. A Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.3 (B+) or above, and, at more selective schools, preferably 3.7 (A-), is an important baseline, though there are certainly exceptions. The more credit hours of college work a student has accumulated, the less are important high school GPA or standardized tests. A student who does not test well can succeed as a transfer applicant with strong grades in a good curriculum precisely because test scores fade away as college credits accumulate. Colleges also look for interest in one or more academic areas, and knowledge of which subject or subjects might become a student's major. Applicants will want to write maturely, directly, and knowledgeably about their interests, their qualifications, their reasons for wanting to transfer, and their rationale for seeking a transfer to each college in particular. In general, transfer applicants should follow the approach we lay out in the Ten Steps process for freshman applicants, especially in terms of presenting themselves successfully, finding their place in colleges' pie charts, and understanding their own strengths and interests. Transferring is often a viable and even desirable route for many students, who should remember that "nothing is forever", that they should not feel locked in or limited by their initial college choice, and that a strong academic record will always lead to more choices in the future. © 2003 by Howard R. Greene and Matthew W. Greene. All rights reserved. This article can be found online at http://www.pbs.org/tenstepstocollege/focus_main.html Copies of the Greenes' Kit is available by visiting shop.pbs.com or by calling (800) 344-3337. Close Window