Hello! I was just wondering if anyone could give me some tips/advice on the college transfer application process. I’m currently on a leave of absence from school (for medical reasons). I completed my freshman year last year (2018-19) at a very small liberal arts college.
My leave of absence has really allowed me to think through what I would like in my education and future career. I’m looking to transfer for several reasons–one of the most important being that the college’s French program (my major) is very lackluster, with only one faculty member. I’ve not had a good experience in the program and have not felt challenged by it. In addition to that, the area is much more rural than I expected, and the student population is very small and clique-y with a campus culture I haven’t been able to assimilate into. That’s not to say there weren’t positive aspects of the school, but the perception I had when visiting and applying was very different to when I started attending.
That being said, I am feeling a little lost to how I should approach this process. I know what I am looking for in a future college-- a stronger language program, slightly larger student population, and a more suburban/urban area (looking at schools in mid-atlantic region at the moment). So many schools look interesting but I’m not sure how many to apply to–how different/similar is this process to applying as a first year? Is it more difficult to get in as a transfer? Also, what will colleges be looking for in terms of college transcripts and high school? I went to a very large and competitive public high school and was not top of my class but was in around the top 25% with a GPA of 3.7. I’ve adjusted well to college academics and received all A’s in my freshman year with a 3.9.
Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it! 