How To Prepare To Transfer Colleges
Its important to carefully plan for each move because colleges have their own policies for transfer students. You may feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work to be done as soon as you begin the process!
But hang tight here are some tips to guide you on how to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Do I Choose All Of My Courses Myself
The online registration system will prompt you to register for courses listed as To do on your progression chart for the upcoming semester. Generally, all students choose their own general education courses and complementary courses. Students in most programs are assigned all or some of their specific education courses. The exceptions are General Social Science and Liberal Arts students, who select their own specific education courses.
First Ask Yourself If Transferring Is Really Necessary
Transferring colleges can be laborious and risky so its best to revisit the motivation behind your decision to switch schools. Ensure that your main reason is worth the effort to go through the college transfer process.
As you evaluate, try not to let more trivial matters like peer pressure, bad roommates, or embarrassing social situations dictate your decision. These are generally temporary and can easily happen at your next school. Consider: if they did reoccur, would you move again?
It can also help to ask trusted family members, friends, and mentors if this is the best move for you. An outside perspective can help you reach an objective conclusion.
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Q Does The Transfer Guide Include All Transfer Pathways Available
A. If there is no information for a particular program or institution, credit transfer may be possible on a case-by-case basis. Please consult the receiving institutionâs transfer policy and contact the transfer advisor for the receiving institution if you do not find the pathway or course-to-course transfer you are looking for.
Maintain A High Gpa At Your Current College
Having good grades was important the last time around, but its doubly important as a transfer applicant. Whereas college admissions officers have to imagine what kind of college student a high school student will be, they can see it plainly for a transfer student! For this reason, your college coursework and grades are paramount in your transfer application.
Its especially crucial that you have good grades in your major coursework, whether in the subject in which youve already declared your major or the subject you intend to study at your new college. Those are the grades that matter most to transfer admissions officers, as they will become essential transfer credits at the school where you continue your degree.
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Contact Your Academic Advisor
As each university and college has its own policies regarding university transfer, it is important to work closely with an international student advisor or academic advisor through the process. This type of advisor, also known as a Designated School Official , can help you understand the type of information and documentation you need to collect, go over anticipated costs, and address any changes to your student visa you need to keep in mind.
This process is different depending on the university you are currently attending, the program you want to study, and the universities you are considering for your transfer. With the help of your Shorelight advisor and an academic advisor, you can learn how to transfer universities in the USA and will be supported through the entire process.
Depending on your particular transfer, there may be specific transfer processes you need to follow.
How Will My Credits Transfer
Not all schools accept courses and credits in the same way, so it’s important to consider how your prospective school addresses the following factors.
Colleges may accept transfer credits if they are direct equivalents. For instance, one school may accept an English 101 class from another school in lieu of its own English 101 class.
Conversely, another school might accept your composition class, but only as a general elective that counts toward the total credits you need to graduate. It’s often simpler to transfer credits from general, lower-level classes than it is for more specialized, upper-level courses.
It is usually much easier to transfer credits for basic courses, such as 100- and 200-level courses, than it is to transfer upper-level courses. For basic courses, direct course equivalency is more common.
Your new school might accept the credits for your upper-level courses but not count them toward your major, so you may have to retake them. If you have already completed several upper-level courses, check with prospective schools to see if they will accept them.
Another factor to consider is whether a school runs on a semester system or a quarter system. While it’s best to speak with a transfer counselor at the receiving school, you can estimate the value of transfer credits with the following formulas:
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How To Transfer To A University
Community college students have two main types of university transfer to consider. Transfer applications to most universities in the country are handled on a case-by-case basis, but some community colleges have agreements in place with specific universities that can make transferring easier.
Articulation agreements typically require students to complete their associate degree in community college before transferring, while transfer agreements may sometimes allow for the transfer of credits without the completion of an associate degree plan. Check with your adviser to learn about the agreements in place at your school.
Frequently Asked Questions Below
General Transfer Question
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How And When Should I Submit My Transcripts
You should submit your transcripts and any other required documents as early as possible. All required documents will be listed in your JOIN U of T portal. The deadline for submitting transcripts and English language test scores is February 1.
Transcripts should be submitted electronically. You need to ask your institution to submit your updated electronic official final transcript directly to . Include your first and last name and your U of T student/applicant number when requesting your transcript. Visit the Future Students site for instructions about how to submit your documents electronically.
Students transferring from another U of T campus or faculty do not need to submit a transcript of their U of T studies.
The System Is Asking Me To Register For Courses That I Passed At University What Do I Do
For the time being, finalize your registration with these courses. Once you have finalized, you may request an equivalence for that course . Equivalence request forms are available from the Registrars Office . There is a non-refundable fee of $10, for each equivalence requested, to a maximum of $50.
Remember that if you do not register for the course and the equivalence is not granted, you may run into issues regarding advancement in your program. Be sure to speak to adviser at Drop-in if you have any questions or concerns.
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Its A Bad Idea To Leave Your Credits Behind
Naturally, the more credits you can transfer in, the fewer courses youll have to take. Of course that would translate to a savings of both time and money. Whats not so obvious, though, is that the more of your credits your transfer school accepts, the more likely you are to earn your bachelors degree in some cases, much more likely.
The difference credit transfer makes is remarkable. According to The Community College Route to the Bachelors Degree, a study by David Monaghan and Paul Attewell of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, community college students who transfer in all or most of the credits theyve earned are 2.5 times more likely to graduate than those who transfer in less than 50%.
But the study also revealed that only 58% of students transfer in with all or most of their credits. Even more disheartening, though, is that 14% of community college students lose almost all previously earned credits and are therefore starting out as freshmen again! regardless of how much time theyve already been in college.
That is why, Monaghan and Attewell explain, transfer students as a group graduate at lower rates than native students . It is not that transfer students are academically inferior. Nor do they have less access to financial aid. The cold, hard truth is that these students are at a big disadvantage because they lose so many credits when they transfer.
What Do Colleges Look For In Transfer Students
Transfer and regular admissions are similar in some ways and vastly different in others.
Both require strong academic performance and tend to reward applicants who present themselves as specialists rather than jacks-of-all-trades. In other words, you should demonstrate a deep commitment to one or two extracurricular activities instead of spreading yourself too thin across several.
Students who specialize in one or two areas, by contrast, have usually experienced some pretty interesting stuff, standing out for the unique perspective they can add to campus life.
The transfer process arguably rewards specialists even more than regular admissions, since lower admissions rates mean its even harder to differentiate applicants based on scholastic excellence alone.
But theres a key difference: high school students are allowed to list some hobby or casual interest as their specialization, because theres no rush for them to figure out who they are. Colleges just want evidence that theres something memorable about a student in general, so theres potential that theyll be valuable to the campus later on as well.
Transfer applicants, however, need their specialization to be more career-oriented, especially if theyre applying to transfer for their junior year.
In other words, theyre asking: Why are you better prepared to take from and give to our campus than some other candidate?
Well talk about how you can set this up later on in the guide.
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Is Transferring Colleges A Smart Decision
Whether you should transfer colleges ultimately depends on your own circumstances and why you are choosing to transfer. Not all transfer students are satisfied with their decision, and some even experience a condition known as “transfer shock.” Nevertheless, the majority of transfer students have a positive experience and go on to earn their degree.
Before you commit to transferring colleges, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. Ask yourself the following questions:
Transferring from a community college to a four-year institution to earn your degree is almost always a smart decision, as most high-paying jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree. A 2017 CareerBuilder survey found that over a period of just five years, 38% of employers raised their educational requirements for open positions.
Transferring colleges for financial or family reasons can be a wise choice, too, as long as you understand the fees and associated costs you’ll be responsible for. Remember that you always have the option of applying for financial aid and looking for part-time work.
If you’re considering transferring because you don’t think your current school is the right fit for you or you’re feeling socially isolated, try consulting on-campus advisors and counselors â they should be able to help you make an informed decision.
Transferring from a community college to a four-year institution is almost always a smart decision, as most high-paying jobs require at least a bachelorâs degree.
College Transfer Acceptance Rate
Youll also want to make sure you target schools where you have a strong chance of admission. One way is to look at the transfer admission rates. However, be aware that transfer admission rates vary much more than first-year admission rates. Especially for small colleges, the number of open spots for transfers can vary widely from year to year, as can the number of applicants. As such, its important to look at the raw numbers, not just the admissions percentage. How many spots do they usually have, and how many prospective students apply?
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Nail Your College Transfer Application Essay
While college transfer applications can be exhausting to juggle alongside your studies, you must push yourself to submit a great transfer essay. This can increase your chances of getting into your chosen college.
When writing your transfer essay, its important to keep it short, precise, and specific. Using around 500 words, talk about how your future college can bring you the complete college experience that you find lacking in your current university. You can also explain some of the goals that you hope to achieve when you successfully transfer.
Additionally, mention distinct academic or social features that youre excited about, like particular programs or renowned professors. Do keep in mind, its best to refrain from throwing your original school under the bus so only mention how your current college managed to help you grow during your attendance.
Admissions Process For Transfer Students
Applying for college as a transfer student is similar to applying as a first-year student, but there are a handful of crucial differences that prospective transfer students should note.
Like first-year applicants, transfer students need to plan ahead so they can gather all application materials before their deadlines. Academic transcripts, recommendation letters, essays and an application form are common requirements for transfer and first-year students alike, but there are a few discrepancies. Here are some considerations that are specific to transfer students.
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Procure Strong Letters Of Recommendation
Recommendation letters are crucial to your transfer application. To start, youll need at least one and maybe two academic letters. Ideally, these letters should come from professors at your current college who have had you in class admissions officers will be skeptical if you can only present letters from high school teachers.
Additionally, many schools allow or encourage transfer applicants to submit additional, non-academic letters. Consider asking for a letter of recommendation from an employer, internship supervisor, or administrator at your current school.
How Much Does It Cost To Transfer Colleges
Just as in first-year admissions, the transfer admissions process generally involves an application fee, although fee waivers are available. Its important to research whether a new school will offer financial aid or scholarships, as those will not automatically transfer over with you. Its also worth considering the cost of living in the area to which youd be moving, the cost of moving your things, and other associated costs, like for a new car registration.
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So How Hard Is It To Transfer Colleges
The easy answer is that its just as difficult as applying to colleges normally, but the process is slightly different. Your college GPA and course load will be a larger factor than your high school GPA, unless youre transferring after one year.
If youre dead-set on transferring colleges, there are hundreds of schools with relatively high acceptance rates and you will likely find one to attend. However, if youre trying to transfer into a competitive school then the process will be tough.
Transfer Agreements Are In Place
Read more about college transfers and going back to school here:
This extensive resource can help military students figure out transfer policies, including how credits and experience will transfer to different schools.Big Future by The College Board Tips for Transferring
The College Board and Big Future have tons of resources for students planning their college paths. This page has tips specifically designed for those thinking about transferring from a two-year to a four-year college.CollegeTransfer.Net
Students can find informative articles and FAQ pages to help guide them through the transfer process, and they can check their course equivalencies between various schools.National Association for College Admission Counseling Transfer
While this professional organization is geared toward college admission counselors, prospective transfer students can find many of the resources, tools and information they would obtain from a transfer counselor on this page.Transferology
This free online tool allows students to enter the courses theyve taken and find equivalent courses at other schools. This can help students figure out which schools will grant them the most credit for the courses theyve already completed.
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Can I Request A Transfer Into A Different Program In Any Semester
Provided you meet the admissions criteria, you may request a transfer into any program for the fall semester. You may request a transfer into a selection of Social Science or Creative Arts/Arts, Literature and Communication or Science profiles for the winter semester. Transfers into three-year career programs are not possible for the winter semester. Generally, you cannot request a program transfer for the summer semester.