Transfer Smarter: Aim for Top Schools
Reasons You May Want to Transfer Schools
Transferring schools has become fairly common these days – approximately one-third of undergraduate students opt to transfer over the course of their college careers. There are many legitimate reasons for transferring to a different college. Perhaps you want to change your major, but the school you attend doesn’t offer that major, or your current school’s degree program has limited offerings. Alternatively, you might be seeking a more challenging academic environment, along with the educational and career opportunities that often accompany attending a more highly regarded school. Or the cost of attending your college may pose an unexpected barrier, prompting you to consider in-state public schools and other lower cost options. In some cases, a school’s social environment or location may simply not be a good match for you.
Greater challenge, a better program, or lower costs are all great reasons to transfer colleges.
Considerations Before Applying
Acceptance rates for transfer applicants are often lower than those for first-year students, especially at elite schools. Consequently, it’s crucial for a transfer applicant to have an impeccable college record, along with a resume that shows academic engagement, work experience, leadership and community involvement.
It’s equally important for a student to cultivate relationships with professors to obtain their detailed, persuasive letters of recommendation. As an aspiring transfer student, if you lack these credentials, it might be more prudent to delay applying and instead focus on building a strong resume.
Our Personalized Counseling Services for Aspiring Transfer Students
Whatever the reason is for your desire to transfer, we offer comprehensive guidance on the transfer admissions process that’s tailored to your individual circumstances.
We will help you identify your reasons for wanting to transfer, find schools that represent a better fit for your individual needs and academic aspirations - and devise a compelling transfer application. Our college counselors can provide transfer applicants with the following guidance:
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Support navigating the transfer student admission process
Pinpointing the optimal time for you to transfer.
Targeting schools that align with your background, academic goals and individual needs; evaluating transfer admissions data for each school to gauge selectivity.
Helping you understand each school’s unique set of transfer application requirements, including official high school and college transcripts, College Reports, letters of recommendation, test scores, completion of any lower-division courses for certain majors and all applicable deadlines.
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Devising a compelling transfer application
Advising on how to create a compelling resume by enhancing your extracurriculars, including work/internship experience, leadership in organizations, academic research and service work.
Helping you make the most out of the transfer application essays – crafting convincing Personal Statements tailored to each school that provide cogent reasons for transferring and reference specific features of the school that you’re drawn to; writing creative supplemental essays.
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Considerations that are unique to transfer students
Ensuring that as many college credits transfer with you as possible and understanding applicable articulation agreements to save you time and money and ensure that you’ll graduate in four years.
Minimizing any financial impact associated with transferring to a particular school, including comprehending which scholarships/grants will transfer and which ones won’t.
Connecting you with resources and support networks geared toward transfer students to help you ease into your new school environment.