How To Transfer From One College To Another

How Does Transferring Affect Financial Aid

Transfer students have a number of concerns. They may worry about graduating on time or losing financial aid. However, with careful planning, transfer students can stick to their original graduation timeline while still pursuing financial aid opportunities to help offset the cost of their education.

How To Transfer To Another University

There are a few circumstances under which students might want to consider changing schools. Here’s a short list of some common reasons for transferring and some points to keep in mind if they apply to you:

• Affordability. Some students transfer colleges when their financial situation changes or they discover a degree program that might save them money in the long run. Remember to consider the potential hidden expenses of transferring, like the cost of moving to a new city.

• Specialized study. Over the course of your degree program, you may learn that your true passions lie in a specialized discipline that your current school doesn’t offer. You’ll need to consider the degree requirements at your destination school and make sure you won’t have to take too many supplemental courses at additional cost.

• Job market alignment. Finishing your degree in a city where your skills are likely to be in high demand can take some of the stress out of the job search after graduation. It can be helpful to talk to career counselors at both schools to make sure you’re a good candidate for this type of transfer.

Consult Your International Student Advisor And Academic Advisor

Every college or university has their own unique transfer process, though there may be similarities between them. Some processes will be smooth while others most definitely will not.

Your current schools International Student Services Centre will be your best bet in helping you with the transfer process. Source: Shutterstock

The people who would know this best will be sitting in your International Student Services Centre. Your International Student Advisor or Academic Advisor would probably have helped former students start the process, informing the correct authority and taking the necessary steps to get things rolling.

Important information that students should consult with their ISS include the number of credits that can be transferred and whether things like special English language classes are transferrable to the new school.

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Q Im A Canadian Resident With Postsecondary Credentials From Another Country

A. You will need to have your credentials evaluated for equivalency to Canadian postsecondary education levels. Visit cicic.ca for information on credential evaluation in Ontario.

Ontario colleges and universities offer some bridging programs designed for internationally educated professionals. Visit tcu.gov.on.ca for information on these programs and possible financial assistance.

Do I Need A Certain Number Of Credits Before I Can Apply To Transfer To Another College

The answer is NO and YES.

NO A student may always apply to another college/university for admission but if that student has too few completed college credits, then their application will not be given the same consideration as is given to a TRUE transfer applicant. The applicant will be considered with all the other freshman applicants and at that competitive level, high school grades and SAT scores strongly affect the answer. If the student is accepted to another college and has earned college credit, those completed colleges credits will be evaluated by the receiving college/university for transferability.

YES A TRUE transfer applicant does need to have a minimum number of completed college credits at the time an application is filed. The number of completed credits will vary from as few as 12 to as many as 60 credits. Applying for admission under transfer status affords the student certain additional considerations not offered to freshman applicants. If earning a degree is not your goal, you should plan to attend long enough to complete at least 30 college credits before you apply to transfer. This does not include basic skills coursework. Most four-year colleges will waive the SAT requirements for transfer students who have earned more than 30 college credits. And some will not require high school transcripts either. The admission decision will be on your college work alone.

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Consider How Transferring Colleges Will Affect Your College Timeline

Unless youve planned to change schools right from the start and arranged your courses accordingly, graduating on time can be tough when transferring colleges.

If a student chooses to take a different major or must fulfill certain academic requirements mandated by the new school a delay may be inevitable. Transfer students usually take and pay for more courses than necessary because certain universities are strict with the credits they recognize and accept.

A 2014 NCES report showed that 39 percent of transfer students dont receive credit for their previous classes. On average, they lose about 27 earned credits, which explains why they graduate later than non-transfer students.

You should also take into account the possibility that some schools will expect you to complete a specific amount of semester hours before earning a bachelors degree. What this means is that some colleges can demand that you stay for an additional semester or year which will add to your overall timeline.

More Frequently Asked Questions

That depends on whether you plan to enroll at a school you have previously attended. Often, when students have taken time off from college and then start taking classes again, they are considered “returning” students, particularly if they go back to the same institution.

“Transfer students” are students who have previously attended a different college or university and hope to attend a new school.

Requirements for transfer students and declaring a major vary between institutions. For example, the University of California, Santa Cruz requires junior students to declare their majors by the second quarter, while the University of Florida requires students to declare a major when they apply.

There is a great deal of similarity between the application process for transfer students and incoming first-year students. However, since transfer students have already been through the process at least once, they may be more comfortable with it.

Some schools may require a lower grade point average for students who are switching colleges than they do for those right out of high school. However, some schools accept a lower percentage of transfer student applicants than first-year applicants.

It is possible to transfer schools midyear, but to do so you need to start the process in October. However, most students transfer schools at the beginning of the year.

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How To Transfer From Community Colleges

Certain specific rules may apply to students transferring out of a community college program. If you’re enrolled in a career-focused program, for example, there may be specific prerequisite classes that you need to complete to meet the degree qualifications at your destination school. Here are a few guidelines to follow when transferring the credits of your certificate, diploma or associate degree program.

Talk With Your Advisor

If you need any help with the transfer process, get in touch with your current colleges academic advisor. Theyve been through the process with previous students and are the best people to guide you.

If you do not know what college is best suited for your needs or if youre having trouble managing the requirements, they can also connect you to the right people in your current schools admissions and financial aid office.

Your advisor may also give you an idea of which academic credits can be transferred and how they will be affected by your newly chosen program. Reaching out to the advisors from your prospective universities can also help answer some of these questions, or any other lingering concerns you may have.

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Do I Have To Transfer Credits When Switching Schools

Youre by no means required to transfer credits, but it is a good idea as transferring gen-ed credits could save you a lot of money. If you have a specific concern about transferring credits, contact the registrars office at the school you plan to transfer to. It should be able to answer your questions and address your concerns.

Best Colleges/universities To Transfer

The colleges mentioned below are providing an ideal combination of good quality education, affordability, and alumni success.

Youll notice colleges in California dominate our list below. Thats not surprising – the states two four-year college systems have a clearly defined pathway for community college students, supported by a statewide set of general education courses that will transfer between institutions.

Other states, like Florida, also guaranteeing admission to a public four-year college for students who start at community colleges.

If you are feeling that your current institution isnt ideal for you, then instead of just hanging on with it, you need to move towards an institution that matches your needs and the first step to this process is the transfer application.

So, invest your time in the transfer application, as it is the first step towards studying in your dream school. Making the admission officers believe that their college is a perfect fit for you is the primary goal over here. So using the correct words and reasons is the key in this process.

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Confirm Which College Credits Will Transfer

You may find that not all of the credits youve earned so far will be accepted by your new university. Some credits will be retained, others will be lost, and youll be better equipped by knowing in advance which credits will survive the leap. This step may be a headache but its essential to make your overall transition easier and avoid repeating classes unnecessarily.

One way to confirm is to send your current college transcript to your desired university and ask the admissions officer to tell you which credits will be transferred. You can also check in with your current academic advisor to see how your credits will align toward the degree program youre vying for.

Some colleges have their own credit transfer research tools that can make this process easier and more understandable, so it pays to do some digging.

Learn How To Write A College Transfer Application Effectively And Avoid The Struggle Of What To Write And What Not To Write While Transferring From One College To Another

TCM Staff

8th October 2020

If you find yourself reading this blog, youve already been through the college application process once. You tried for a college, you got into it. But now that youre on campus, youve decided that you need to transfer to another college. The only decision at this moment is to re-apply to a college that matches your needs

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Transfer application plays a crucial role as it is an application for transferring from one college to another. Writing a transfer essay is your chance to introduce yourself to your dream school and most students struggle to write a unique transfer application, that marks the decision of the admission officer in your favor.

Although there is no perfect outline for a guaranteed spotless transfer essay, there are some guidelines to help your essay along the way. The transfer essay should include these fields in order to be able to stand out amongst the others.

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Reasons To Transfer Community Colleges

Students consider transferring to another community college for a variety of reasons. Whether wanting to improve their grade point average or move closer to home, the decision to transfer is a personal choice.

But not all transfers are simply about grades and location. Some students decide to transfer because they want to switch majors, and a different campus offers degree programs that are more in line with their interests or ideal line of work. In fact, some community colleges partner with a four-year public college to offer students a seamless transition from one to another. For example, Santa Monica College in California has partnered with the California State University and University of California to offer a variety of degree programs for community college transfer students to choose from.

Typically, you earn your associate degree by meeting the community colleges general education requirements and transfer to the partnering university to finish out your bachelors degree. This is an articulation agreement and can help you transfer from community college to a state university with all your electives and general education courses. Articulation agreements minimize the risk of losing earned credits while in community college.

Types Of Credit Transfer

There are two types of credit transfer:

• Course Transfer. Transferring courses from one institution to another or taking a course at a different institution that will transfer back to your current institution.
• Program Transfer. Transferring a block of courses from one program to a similar program at another institution. For example, you have completed a diploma program in Accounting and want to take an advanced diploma or degree program in Accounting.

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Financial Aid For Transfer Students

Several institutions offer financial aid programs specifically for transfer students. Here’s a short list of example university aid programs for students transferring in:

• Kent State Universityoffers up to $2,500 per year to eligible students who have been accepted for transfer with at least 90 credit hours under their belts and a GPA of 2.5 or better.

• The transfer scholarship at Illinois State University requires a cumulative transfer GPA of 3.5 or better and is available to students transferring in with 24 credits or more.

• Private institution Valparaiso University offers transfer scholarships of between $20,000 and $25,000 that base their award amount on each student’s previous academic work.

Scholarships And Grants For Transfer Students

Transfer students may lose some of their scholarships if they switch schools. Notably, school-specific scholarships cannot shift to your new college. If you received your scholarship from an outside foundation or community group, you may be able to transfer those awards to your new college.

That said, there are many scholarships available to transfer students. Most scholarship applications require you to submit an essay and your school transcripts. Some may require you to demonstrate financial need, while others may ask you to highlight your achievements in art, sports, leadership, and/or public service. Many scholarships also require a letter of recommendation from an advisor or mentor.

College grants are funds that students receive free of charge, with no condition of repayment. To receive college grants from the government, students must apply by submitting the FAFSA. Grants are not scholarships.

While scholarships are typically awarded based on academics, athletics, or some form of achievement, grants are dispensed based primarily on financial need. Grants are also available to students participating in military-sponsored programs and students in STEM and healthcare fields.

Students are not limited to the grants provided by the government. Many colleges, businesses, and other private and public organizations offer grants to reduce the burden of tuition.

Award Amount: up to $40,000 per year

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Meet With Your Advisor

If you have already, speak with your advisor about transferring. Probabilities are, theyve gone through the procedure before with another student.

Theyll know who to talk to in the registrar, admissions, and financial aid offices at your school. Also, they should be able to give you an awareness of which credits transfer.

Articulations & Transfer Plans

Articulation Agreements are formal agreements between two or more colleges and universities to accept credits in transfer toward a specific academic program. They provide a seamless transition for students moving from one level of education to another by matching curriculum to reduce duplication of course content. Articulation agreements exist between South Texas College and various colleges and universities.

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Transferring Colleges After 1 Year

Its worth adding a quick snippet in if you find yourself in this unique situation. If you are transferring colleges after one semester or one year, your high school GPA is going to be much more important than if you transfer later on in your college career.

Your transfer colleges, in this case, will likely align closely in competitiveness with your list of colleges in high school.

The College Transfer Process: How To Transfer Colleges

Its not unusual for a student to start courses at a college, only to realize that they want to make a change. Perhaps the student wants to attend a school with more resources for art students, or maybe a student wants to switch to a school that allows its students to put their knowledge into practice via internship opportunities.

There are countless reasons why college students want to transfer to other schools, and understandably, students in this situation want to know how this process works how to complete the prep work necessary to put the transfer into motion. Before taking this big step, examine what a student must do in order to transfer colleges:

Researching the Deadline for Transfer ApplicationsOne of the first steps to transferring schools is for students to visit the website of the college they want to attend. Many colleges have a specific section on their website where students can find information about transferring into the school. Its important for students to note the various application deadlines so they can submit all of their necessary documents on time.

Sometimes, visiting the college itself to talk with an academic counselor can make the college transfer process easier. For instance, during such a meeting, a student can inquire about the minimum number of credits necessary to transfer into the school . The counselor may also be able to help map out strategies that will allow the transfer to graduate on schedule.

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