How to Transfer Colleges After Freshman Year

Don’t transfer schools on a whim or just because you want to. You must think it through — it demands following a process and submitting papers for a start. Once you’ve transferred schools, you’ll have to adjust to new people and places.

Your decision to transfer schools after freshman year may be due to:

• Difficulty in making friends or finding your tribe
• Challenges concerning academic coursework and/or teaching styles
• Mismatch between your needs and campus culture, including extracurricular opportunities

You must distinguish between legitimate reasons and temporary issues in your decision. Roommate conflicts, homesickness, and transition-related stress are short-term issues. You can overcome them with support, time, and campus resources.

Legitimate reasons have a more long-term impact on your college life. If you cite one of these reasons, you have a legitimate need for a college transfer:

• Your current degree program doesn’t align with your interests and career goals.
• Your financial resources are insufficient for the cost of attendance.
• You have family obligations that demand being closer to your home.
• You want more specialized or prestigious degree programs.
• You have a strong desire for a different climate or culture.

Before making any transfer decision, speak with current campus resources first. Your advisors, counselors, and even residence staff can provide guidance on your issues. You may, for example, be pointed toward financial aid alternatives or student clubs.

Did you know that 30% of undergraduates change majors? In fact, it’s the top reason for college transfers.

Ask yourself these questions before making a decision:

• What campus resources in my current school are available that can address my issues?
• What specific benefits or opportunities are offered in the new school that I want to enjoy? 
• What are the possible financial and logistical challenges if I decide to transfer?

You must understand the freshman transfer timeline because meeting deadlines is vital to success. You miss a deadline, you miss a college transfer opportunity — at least, until the next cycle.

An excellent step is to apply for transfer during the spring semester of your freshman year. If you’re admitted into your target school, you’ll start classes in the following fall semester. 

The timeline allows your target college enough time to evaluate your:

• Freshman academic performance
• Application documents
• Readiness for transfer

Planning is also key to your transfer success. Missing a key application document or a deadline can delay, even prevent, enrollment.
 
You must check your target school’s website for detailed information because every school has a specific fall transfer deadline. Most selective colleges, including Ivy League schools, have deadlines between March 1 and March 15 every year.

If you need more time to prepare, consider the spring transfer option. This is also applicable if you decide mid-year that you want to transfer colleges. NYU, UGA, and UNC-Chapel Hill are among the colleges that accept spring transfer. Their application deadlines are usually between October and December of the previous year. You should then start planning earlier than for a fall transfer.

You must check for your target school’s minimum credit requirements. Many schools require transfer applicants to have completed 12-24 college-level credits. This is equivalent to one full semester or an academic year of courses.

The timeline breakdown is as follows:

• Start researching your potential transfer schools during the fall semester in your freshman year.
• Submit your transfer applications during the spring semester (fall semester entry). For spring entry, October to December are common deadlines.
• Admission decisions usually arrive in late spring or early summer. You’ll have enough time to plan your entry.

The ideal scenario is 100% transfer of credits between your old and new schools. However, this isn’t an ideal world. So, it’s best to set realistic expectations during the transfer credit process.

When you transfer, your earned credits are evaluated by your target school. Their evaluation determines which courses will count toward your new degree. However, not all credits will transfer. This is due to the differences in course content, rigor, and level between schools.

Every school has a minimum grade threshold for credits to transfer. Most schools require at least a “C” grade or its equivalent for credits to be eligible. STEM and business degree programs usually have higher grade requirements. You should know about the minimum grade threshold so you can plan accordingly.

The credit evaluation process and procedures differ between schools. However, schools typically review transcripts on a course-by-course basis. Your target school compares the syllabus, course descriptions, and learning outcomes. The main goal: Check for alignment between what you learned and what they require for the degree.

Many schools have articulation agreements that facilitate credit transfers. These are formal partnerships that guarantee certain courses will transfer without credit loss. Community colleges and state universities (i.e., associate-to-bachelor’s pathway) usually have them.

You can use online tools, such as Transferology, for informed decision-making. These tools check credit equivalencies – how courses may transfer between schools.

Warning: You can experience some credit loss — 58% of transfer students do. You may also have to repeat courses — 20% of transfer students did.

The credit loss and repeat courses will significantly affect your graduation timeline. You may have to take summer courses or complete an extra semester in your transfer school.  This will affect your finances and career timeline, too, so planning is key.

When you’ve finally decided that a college transfer is the right choice, the next step is to gather the required application materials. It is crucial to give this process enough time.

Write down the complete checklist of the required transfer application materials. Your target school will provide detailed information about these documents (e.g., format). Ask questions when in doubt to avoid misunderstanding the requirements.

Request your official transcripts from your high school and all colleges attended. Your high school transcripts are especially important for a freshman transfer.

Your college GPA carries more weight than your high school GPA in a freshman transfer. This is because college GPA is the primary indicator of your  overall academic performance.  It answers the question, “Are you prepared to succeed as a sophomore in our school?” That said, your high school transcripts are reviewed.

Most schools require letters of recommendation for transfer applications. These must be from your college professors, not your high school teachers. Your college professors should attest to your academic abilities and potential.

You may find it challenging to request letters of recommendation. You may not have had enough time to build meaningful relationships with your professors. So, it’s vital to attend office hours and participate in class to overcome this issue. 

Many schools also require mid-term reports or your grades in the current semester. You must submit them on time as a demonstration of your responsibility.

You may or may not be required to submit standardized test scores. Many schools are increasingly test-optional. But you may want to submit them to boost your application.

Note that transfer essays are different from freshman essays. You must focus on your reasons for transferring. Admissions officers seek transfer applicants who’ve done their reflection and research. Your transfer decision should be a thoughtful and purposeful one.

Don’t rush through your transfer essay; a four-week timeline should suffice. Brainstorm for ideas, write your first draft, ask for feedback, and revise for the final essay.

Your transfer essay should be more focused than your freshman essays. In it, you should clearly explain the reasons behind your transfer decision. You must also highlight your readiness for new places and people.

You’re well-advised to use these key questions as a guide in writing your transfer essay. “Why are you transferring schools? Why is this school the right fit?” Your reflection and research will be more targeted when you focus on these questions.

You should include these things in your transfer essay:

• Your academic and personal growth during your freshman year. 
• Your specific academic and career goals (e.g., law school and a career in immigration law).
• Your reasons why your target school aligns with your goals.

You must NOT include these things in your transfer essay:

• Complaints about your current school
• Shifting the blame to others
• Social drama and other non-academic reasons

You have to do your research on your target school. Be sure to mention specific courses, professors, and resources that make it the right fit. You’re demonstrating that your transfer decision is a purposeful one.

Your transfer essay will be more compelling with a “push-pull” explanation. Explain why you want to leave your current school (push). Then, explain why you chose the target school (pull). Your essay will have a well-balanced feel to it as a result.

Your essay should provide a direct answer to the Common App transfer prompt. It will ask you to “provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve.”

Note the 3,000-character (including spaces) limit, or about 500-650 words. 

The financial aid process as a transfer student is neither seamless nor automatic. You must follow the process and meet deadlines with deliberate action. Otherwise, you may end up with reduced aid.

Your critical first step is to update your FAFSA with your new school’s federal school code. This allows your new school to receive and evaluate your financial aid information. Be sure to update early, too, to avoid delays in registration and billing.

Your federal aid, such as Pell Grants and loans, can be transferred to your new school if it participates in Title IV federal student aid programs. Your new school will recalculate your eligibility.

You have to apply for institutional scholarships and grants in your new school. These do NOT transfer because your old and new schools are independent entities. 

Your remaining eligibility will be based on your federal loan balance for the year. Both your annual and aggregate federal loan limits are considered. To be sure, consult with the financial aid office of your current and target schools about it.

You must also know your remaining Pell eligibility. The Pell Grant has a lifetime limit of 12 full-time semesters total. Your used credits at your previous school are counted against it.

Your new school may offer dedicated transfer scholarships, so make it a point to apply early. These scholarships are usually based on merit, such as GPA and leadership experience. Be mindful of their separate deadlines. 

You must file your FAFSA before your new school’s priority deadline. This is important to maximize your financial aid from multiple sources.

If you’re transferring to a private school, you may have to complete a CSS Profile. This is in addition to FAFSA.

You may also be required to complete an exit counseling session at your old school. This is done before you transfer schools.

In your application, consider the pros and cons of each option:

• The Common App for Transfer allows multiple application submissions using a single account.
• The direct-to-school option offers the benefits of direct communication and college-specific customization.

The Common App for Transfer is a transfer-specific platform accepted by over 600 schools. This is a separate platform from the Common App used by incoming freshmen.

You can’t use your original freshman profile to log in, and instead create a new transfer account in the Common App for Transfer platform. Your transfer application materials are evaluated based on transfer admission standards.

The typical transfer application components include your:

• Personal information
• Academic history
• Transfer essays
• Letter of recommendations/recommenders

Your target schools may also require school-specific supplements. These include additional essays or short-answer questions not found in the Common App. You must provide school-specific answers, too, to boost your application.

Mid-term reports may also be required for transfer applications. You can request them from your current school’s registrar or dean. Then, your current school directly submits them to your target school.

Your advisor or dean at your current school completes the College Report form. The form verifies your enrollment and academic standing, among other relevant matters.

The application fees typically range from $50 to $85, depending on the school. You may be eligible for fee waivers if you can demonstrate financial need.

Consider applying to several schools to increase your likelihood of being accepted into one of your target schools. Be strategic in your choices.

You have to know which type of admissions your target schools use. Rolling admissions mean applications are reviewed as they are received. Deadline admissions mean applications must be submitted by a specific date.

The transition phase can be just as challenging as the transfer process. You must be as thoughtful and purposeful in your decisions at this time.

You should regularly check your email and the application portal for your notification. Most schools send out notifications between April and May for fall entry.

Compare the offers from the target schools to which you’ve been accepted. Your key points of comparison should include:

• Financial aid package
• Credit transfer valuations
• Room and board options

Make an enrollment deposit to secure your spot. Be sure to pay on or before the deadline, usually May 1 or later. If you miss it, you may lose housing priority, even admission.

Send your official transcripts after the end of the spring semester. Your previous school’s registrar directly sends it to your new school.

Research your transfer student housing options. Remember that not every school guarantees housing for transfer students. Understanding your options and applying early are a must.

Attend the transfer student orientation, if available. This is often a separate event from the freshman orientation. In it, you’ll learn about transfer-specific resources and academic expectations.

Make an official withdrawal from your current school. You have to settle outstanding balances and resolve any relevant issues. Notify your current school’s financial aid office about cancelling remaining disbursements in a mid-year transfer.

Your loan servicers must be notified about your college transfer as well. This ensures that your deferment status will continue uninterrupted at your new school.

Register for your classes. An academic advisor provides guidance to select courses that build on your transferred credits.