Transferring is more common than one would think. Did you know that ⅓ of all students transfer to a different college at least once before they graduate? The most common reasons students transfer are financial issues, poor academic performance, or deciding on a new major and the current college doesn’t offer it. Allow BestFit College Advisors to guide you through this step-by-step process.
My advice is not to be too hasty to transfer without weighing all of your options. Ask yourself these questions:
Is the transfer really necessary?
Research potential schools of interest
Visit the college. Speak with current students, admissions, and professors.
Meet with the academic advisor, registrar’s office, and financial aid office
Does the new school offer opportunities academically and socially that your current school does not
After gathering all this information, make a pros and cons list for each college
Be prepared to explain why you are transferring now and why to this particular college, and what have you learned from your time in college.
There are a few pros for transferring students. Firstly, did you know that your GPA and course load at your current college will hold far more weight than your high school transcript. This can be advantageous for some who proved to be stronger students in college than high school. Secondly, acceptance rates for transfer students have started to rise. In 2019, according to the NACAC’s State of College Admissions report, the admit rate was 61% compared to 66% for freshman. However, as you can see from the chart below comparing Transfer v. Freshman acceptance rates are starting to equlize.
The process to apply as a transfer student is just as difficult if not more than for freshmen. It can sometimes be an intimidating process with a lot of paperwork, not to mention transfer students do not get the support that freshman applicants get from their high school guidance counselors. Also, once they apply, there’s still a lot to consider. The student needs to readjust to the new schedule, classes, roommate, campus, social circle, etc. A major drawback to transferring colleges is the potential of losing out on scholarships and financial aid. This was the case with my daughter who was thinking about transferring after her sophomore year. Upon inquiring, we discovered that the $4,000 yearly merit scholarship she was granted by the college each year would turn into a loan if she transferred to another school. Needless to say, she decided not to transfer.
To learn more about the ins and outs of transferring college, reach out to Cheryl at BestFit College Advisors so we can walk you successfully and without stress through this process. We welcome you to contact us at 207 229-8603 to learn more.