Got Spring Transfer Blues?

What's it going to take to transfer?

Transfer applicants nervously await acceptance letters in Spring just as high school seniors do.

Difference between a Transfer and HS Senior

 Admission as a transfer student is based on demonstrated college competency while admission as a freshman is based on potential to succeed at that particular institution.

Short List of Transfer “To Do’s”:

•  Earn 60 transferable college credits minimum at 2.0 G.P.A (Higher the better)
•  Complete specific college requirements (E.G, General Education areas)
• Complete all prerequisites for your major
• Collect helpful letters of recommendations
• Write an interesting personal statement

Transfer requirements for California public colleges: Cal State University (CSU) and University of California (UC).

Public versus Private College Admission

San Francisco State Student Union 2007 (Photo by Jim Wong)

Hoover Tower, Stanford University (Wikimedia Commons)

Applying to your home state publicly funded school like a UC or CSU is straightforward: cover the Transfer“To Do’s”, turn everything in on time, and cross your fingers.  Since public colleges must justify their admission they rely heavily on quantifiable facts (GPAs, required classes) for most decisions.    

Private colleges, on the other hand, admit anyone they want for any reason and not have to explain. Consequently, students with lesser grades and other considerations like “legacy” (alumni ties – parents, siblings, donor, etc…) or special characteristics (athlete, specialized talents, etc…) can play a larger role in admission decisions.

Foremost, your GPA

(Wikimedia Commons)

Is your GPA within rage of the last year’s class of transfer students?  Go to the school’s web page   and look up statistics for their latest transfer class – GPA, gender, ethnicity to gauge your competitiveness.  For some schools you’ll have to contact the Admissions/Outreach Office for the information.  E.G., the University of California's 2013’s average transfer GPA 3.77.  If you’re not close you’ll need the help of a compelling Personal Statement and Letters of Recommendations!

Summary:

Meet all the requirements,  apply on time, and aim at schools-programs where your grades are competitive.  Anyone with a 2.0 GPA will get accepted somewhere.

Next: How Personal Statements and Letters of References help.