Transferring Colleges

Applying to a college as a transfer student can be similar to applying as a first-year student, but there are a few differences that prospective transfer students should be aware of. Both your new and initial institutions will probably have many policies with many hard-to-understand names, like transfer articulation, core equivalencies, core waivers, and core substitution policies. Don’t try to take on the transfer process all on your own. Make use of the guidance from your current and future colleges.

Like first-year applicants, transfer students need to plan so they can gather all the required application materials before their deadlines. Academic transcripts, recommendation letters, essays, and an application form are common requirements for transfer and first-year students.

You will need to submit your high school transcript, first-semester college transcript, and a copy of your SAT or ACT scores (if required).

Transfer College Admissions

You will have additional requirements if you are a second-term undergraduate freshman or a sophomore. Check your anticipated school’s GPA requirements for transfer students. 

Surprisingly, the minimum GPA requirement for transfer applicants may be lower than that for first-year students since college coursework is more intensive and challenging than a typical high school curriculum. You will be required to provide your official transcripts from any post-secondary institutions you’ve attended. Your college transcript is also critical in determining how many credits can be transferred to your new school.

Planning is particularly important for students transferring between schools that don’t have any transfer agreements in place. Students should pay extra attention to course equivalencies between their schools so they can ensure as many of their credits transfer as possible. You should also know your intended university’s core curriculum, GPA, and transfer requirements. Some schools will not accept transfer students who don’t meet credit minimums or haven’t taken specific core classes. Communicating regularly with advisors from both schools can help transfer students keep track of requirements and transferable credits.

How long after completing a course can you transfer that college credit? Some schools do impose “use by” dates for credits. These limits can range from 5 to 10 years. However, innovations are constantly occurring in fast-developing technology fields, so coursework taken several years ago may no longer be relevant or valid today.

Special Transfer Admissions Programs

Many colleges have Special Transfer Admissions programs that make it easier for students to switch schools. Universities and nearby community colleges often team up to facilitate a smooth transfer between two-year and four-year schools. Courses transfer directly, for instance, and degree planning tools are often available to help transfer students transition between partner schools. Some colleges even have two-year “transfer degrees” that set students up to enter a partnering four-year school seamlessly. Some transfer agreements, community college-to-university, and university-to-university have guaranteed admission policies. Other schools may have dual enrollment policies, which allow students to earn credit from either institution concurrently.

Students who attend community college intending to transfer to a university should prepare early and make an academic plan that accounts for their time in both schools. Getting a copy of their schools’ articulation agreement can be extremely helpful for transfer students.

Students who plan to transfer from community college to a university may also consider earning an Associate’s Degree before making the switch. Those who hold Associate’s Degrees can often gain automatic junior standing and have all lower-level core requirements met upon entering their new university, eliminating the need to determine which courses transfer between schools.

The key questions are:

• Does your community college and intended university have any transfer agreements in place? If yes, will admission to the transfer university be guaranteed?
• Does your community college have a transfer degree that makes for a seamless transition between schools? Which classes transfer, and which do not?