What Successful Transfer Students Do Differently

Last year (spring 2013), Harvard received 1,486 transfer applications and 15 were accepted — about a 1% transfer admissions rate. Dartmouth received 683 transfer applications, 57 were admitted and 27 enrolled. Amherst received 471 transfer applications, 20 were accepted and 13 enrolled. The University of Virginia received 2,456 transfer applications, 996 were admitted, and 618 enrolled. This data reveals several things.

College transfer is extraordinarily difficult at top colleges, and nearly impossible at the most competitive colleges.
The number of students who gain transfer acceptance don’t always opt to enroll; thus, these students are likely sending transfer applications to several colleges and flooding an already overflowing fishbowl of top transfer applicants.
This data is out there and it’s important for prospective transfer students to determine their targeted colleges THEN explore the actual recent number of transfers who gained acceptance. That’s the competition, these are the statistics, and knowledge is power, especially when it comes to the turbulent terrain of the college transfer process.

University data from the 2013-2014 academic year has been released on college websites in the past month. Some colleges released information in mid-December, and some have just posted it in early February. The good news is we have outlined the needed steps for finding the transfer acceptance statistics for the schools you’re targeting AND how to navigate the transfer admissions process from start to finish. To find transfer admissions statistics for the colleges you’d like to apply to:

Step 1: Google the college’s name and the words “2013-2014 Common Data Set.”

Step 2: Open the file (it’s usually in PDF format) and scroll down to section D where the transfer admissions statistics are listed. You’re looking for this section “D. Transfer Admission.” What does that section actually look like? See page 13 of Dartmouth’s PDF.

Step 3: If your targeted college doesn’t release their own PDF of the Common Data Set (we’re talking to you, U Chicago), not to worry, just go to the College Board’s Big Future website (http://bigfuture.org) instead. Type the school name into the search box in the upper right. On each college’s “profile page” you’ll see a “For transfer students” tab in gray font on the left side of the screen. Click on it to get the transfer application deadline, minimum number of college credits needed to transfer, minimum college GPA, the number of students applying for transfer in the previous year, the number accepted, and more. For example, check out the transfer page for Tufts University.

Still can’t find transfer data on the college you are interested in? We promise we’ll find it for you if you sign up for one of our transfer packages. Through our books, website, blog, newsletter, and consulting services, we field questions from thousands of parents and students annually. We are often asked about transferring specifics and it’s no wonder with one third of all college students transferring at least once according to National Student Clearinghouse data.

Transferring to a top-tier college or university is no doubt competitive. However, applying as a transfer student allows you the opportunity to show your experience in college, your competence in college level coursework and more. You have the chance to show that you have excelled in a college environment, and how you will bring this same dedication and enthusiasm to your new college as a transfer admit.

Here are a couple of key aspects of the transfer student application:

1.) Essays: Your transfer essay allows you to show specific reasons why you believe a certain college or university is a good fit. You also have the chance to illustrate a compelling reason why you want to transfer, and can show what you will bring to the college community, and how you have exhibited such contributions at your current college.

2.) Professor Recommendations: Professor recommendations are often heavily weighted in transfer applications. Be sure to maintain relationships with professors before and after you have chosen who you would like to write your recommendations (ask two months before the submission deadline). If you attend a larger university where you have more contact with TAs than your professors, it is often possible to have a TA write your recommendation or complete it jointly with a professor. Be sure you have your advisor write one of your recommendations and that person should address your motivation and reasoning for transfer as well. Following up with a thank you note is an appreciated and appropriate gesture.

3.) Grades: The grades you have received at your current college will be a heavily weighted aspect of your transfer applications, as they are a testament to how well you perform academically in a college setting. Additionally, keep in mind that many colleges request spring semester progress reports for fall transfer applicants, so keep your grades UP!

The main thing to be aware of with transfer applications is the transfer admission hurdle is more difficult than the regular admission hurdle. This is because the overall acceptance rate for transfer students (64%) is slightly lower than the 69% acceptance rate of first-year students (according to data from the National Association for College Admission Counseling), and yet the cap on transfer student acceptances at colleges is much lower than regular admit acceptances every year.

Regardless of the reason you, or someone you know, may be seeking to transfer to another college, we can tell you that there IS a college out there for everyone – it’s just a matter of finding it and then presenting an application in the best possible light to gain admission!

Finally, if you are looking for assistance with the transfer admissions process, we are thrilled to announce our Transfer Analysis and Essay Guidance Package! February is prime time for transfer applications and essays. We’ve received many emails and calls from parents and students seeking a package that is an in-between of our year-long unlimited consulting Special Transfer Package and our five-hour Essay Guidance Package. We listened and we are now offering our Transfer Analysis and Essay Guidance Package.

The package includes

A comprehensive report to analyze the student’s high school GPA, freshman year college stats if appropriate, scores, extras and hooks with an eye towards recommendations of colleges, application strategies, and maximizing talents and academic strengths with a top first choice college.
A one-hour follow-up phone call with Dr. Michele Hernandez or Mimi Doe and a Senior Counselor to discuss the student’s plan of action for transfer applications and admissions based on the written analysis.
5 hours of Essay Guidance including consulting and editing done via phone and/or email with a Senior Counselor.

If you are a student seeking college transfer admission, we hope the above tips are useful to you! Let us know if you need our help finding transfer acceptance rates for your targeted programs as well as if we can offer assistance on your transfer admissions path!