Boston College Transfer Opportunities

I am most likely enrolling at Boston College next fall and feel as if there is a significant chance I will end up transferring as I am unable to pursue the major that I want to study there (engineering). As a result of this, I am wondering what kind of schools I can expect to get into if I transfer out. I am in the business school at BC (and cannot transfer into the engineering program) and plan to take some business, physics, math, and engineering classes my freshman year there. If I wish to seriously pursue engineering, I will have to transfer. Assuming I do well my freshman year, do I have a shot at these following schools?

  • UT Austin
  • Georgia Tech
  • Notre Dame
  • Vanderbilt
  • Northwestern
  • Virginia Tech

I know this is very early to be thinking about transferring, but I am trying to be proactive about this whole situation. Thanks.

Why aren’t you going to Clemson if you want to study engineering ? And yes you’ll have a shot - bit how good one can’t say. And you’ll likely be behind on necessary classes.

Clemson - That would be a much better choice now. Even if you decided business after all later, it’s not that far down from Carroll. If one thinks engineering is a possibility, it’s far better to start there. And even if you could transfer into to BC engineering, it’s a no go due to no ABET accreditation. Name your really low rated school with ABET would be a better choice.

Check each school on theyr transfer website and in the CDS. Some take 2nd years. Some not. Aid will likely be less of any as a transfer. . And you may lose classes that you take first year. You may also be behind others in course sequencing.

For engineering you need ABET accreditation. Going to UT Austin is likely, in reality, little to no advantage over a Clemson or any other regardless of the rank. My kid at Bama interned with Ga Tech kids. They all made the same $$ He got invited back a second summer. They didn’t. It’s not about the name in engineering short of a few.

Notre Dame and NU - what’s the appeal ? The overall school rating because while they’ll be fine, in the engineering world they’re not top shelf or close to it. That’s a large expense for likely no lift.

Look at school’s admission stats and timing (some may say third year). NU admitted about 12% of transfers so a bit easier than normal , as an example.

Frankly, your Clemson option today would be a much much much better choice. It’s much harder to restart- especially in a major like engineering when everyone is following a similar course sequencing. And in engineering, where you go matters far less than other majors.

Best of luck.

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I ultimately decided that BC was a better overall fit. Simple as that. Just planning for the future at this point.

IMO it is a terrible idea to start college with the idea of transferring out. This mindset can stand in the way of your investing time and energy in new friendships, developing relationships with professors, getting involved on campus etc.

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I added to my last comment. So it’s longer. Sorry.

If you want to do engineering BC is not a better fit and frankly not a fit at all.

There are two key rules of fit in my mind

  1. Affordability

  2. Being able to study what you want. BC is not an option there and you somehow could get in - Without ABET accreditation your job possibilities are greatly reduced.

So you are so much better off starting in engineering and leaving then vice versa.

Good luck. But this isn’t a good path - I don’t believe.

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OP has made his decision on BC and is asking for likelihood of transfer success not criticism of that decision. While most people advise against going to school with the intention of transferring that ship has sailed and it is certainly up to OP to make that call.

Well said. Thank you.

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  1. I’d check the common data set for transfer acceptance percentages at each school.
  2. Confirm the engineering curriculum and transfer requirements, that the schools accept engineering transfer students who have not started freshman year as engineering students.

For example from ND:

College of Engineering Transfer Requirements

Applicants planning to transfer into the College of Engineering must apply to a specific major within the College of Engineering. Once a transfer student has been successfully admitted to the College and a major, changes to a student’s major are not typically granted.

The following majors are traditionally not open to transfer students:

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Computer Science

In addition to making progress in the University’s Core Curriculum, the College of Engineering requires the following courses be completed in the first year of coursework:*

  • Calculus I
  • Calculus II
  • Chemistry I (with lab)
  • Calculus-based Physics I (with lab)
  • English Composition

*Credit by examination can be used to satisfy some of these requirements based on Notre Dame’s advanced credit and placement policies.

Students in the College of Engineering take two Introduction to Engineering courses during their first year. Two rigorous technical electives can replace this requirement.

Please see below for additional requirements:

  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Environmental Earth Sciences intents: Chemistry II (a lab is not required)
  • Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Computer Engineering intents: rigorous science technical elective (does not have to include a lab)

For more information about the individual departments within the College of Engineering, please refer to the College’s list of majors and programs.

Students who have completed first-year coursework that closely mirrors Notre Dame’s first-year coursework will be more competitive in the transfer admissions process. Please be aware that the College of Engineering does not favor substituting sophomore courses for those required in the first year.

3 Any FA requirements? Transfer students don’t always receive as much FA and needing it can affect acceptance chances.

As far as chances, Vanderbilt has a fairly large transfer class. Not sure how state schools like GT and UT Austin treat transfers who are OOS.

If you’re set on transferring I’d expand your list a bit. There are many excellent engineering schools that have higher transfer acceptances rates. You have a good reason for transferring which is a plus. What you need to explain is why each specific school’s engineering school is a fit for you.

Good luck!

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I thought that I read on another thread that you live close to BC. That would suggest that you are out of state for all of the public schools that you listed. Is this correct?

If so then I would think that transferring into any of them for engineering is at best a reach. However, that might depend somewhat on your stats, which I have not seen. Did I just miss them from another thread?

Also, did you already apply to these programs and get turned down, or are these programs that you did not apply to yet?

If you are seriously hoping to transfer into an ABET accredited engineering program after one year, you should most likely also consider in-state programs. If you are from Massachusetts, you might want to look at the requirements for transferring into both U.Mass Amherst and U.Mass Lowell in addition to the schools on your list.

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The other concern is that starting outside of engineering, the student may potentially take longer to graduate, even with APs due to course sequencing. My son started as a 2nd year but still took four years due to this.

The research provided by UND before by @vpa2019 is the type OP will need to do for each school. Engineering is a different ball of wax then other departments.

OP plans to start at Carroll School of Management but has Clemson Engineering as an option but deciding not to attend.

So that will be the challenge he faces and from a cost POV UMASS and UMASS Lowell are good suggestions.

Transfer scholarships will vary by school - but if you took an Alabama for example, as a first year, someone with a 3.5 and 32 ACT would qualify for $30,500 off the $32K tuition. But as a transfer, it appears the best case is an OOS waiver for two years and potentially another $3000. These can only happen with 45 credits. So that would be much less robust.

As the student is headed to BC, it’s likely OP is full pay - so cost elsewhere may not be a concern for this student.

Did you apply to any of those schools this cycle?

After the first semester, if you are still certain you want to transfer, you will have to have some more likely schools on your list…the ones on your list are all reaches.

I agree that you have to look at each school’s website to determine what engineering majors you can transfer into, and what the requirements are.

I also agree transferring into engineering will likely add a year to your undergrad schooling. Engineering is a specific curriculum which is typically jam packed over four years…and starting at Carroll will not allow you to take many of the classes that first year engineering students will be taking.

Will you be applying for financial aid if/when you transfer?

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The question, why enroll at BC and spend that kind of money just to transfer? Save that money and go to community college for a couple semesters. Also, the list is kind of all over the place. There’s literally no benefit to going out of state and spending triple the tuition, especially for a degree that’s so employable. UT-Austin for instance, only reserves 10% of applicants to out of state applicants. Their engineering school is even more competitive than that. All you need is an ABET accredited school. Your in-state school can easily do that for a fraction of the cost.

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Did you ask admissions if they can transfer your acceptance from the business school into the engineering program? Its a longshot but seems worth a try.

They cannot. No way of transferring internally either.

Is there a chance you will stay at BC and study a business discipline ?

Otherwise, will you be taking engineering related classes ?

I’m not sure why you’d enroll otherwise.

Of course your choice but it’s a real head scratcher.

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For my entire high school career I was all focused on business. Now I have an interest in engineering that is emerging. I can take a couple engineering classes at BC.

If you want to transfer into engineering at the listed schools I would think you would be better off starting in engineering at Clemson. Doubtful a business path will get you the classes you need for an engineering transfer. Look up the transfer pathway requirements for Georgia Tech. These are formal pathways for sophomore transfer but require math thru Calc 2, physics, etc.

There is a capacity problem in first year core classes so they want you to have taken those for transfer. You could do that at Clemson.

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Agree that is a hurdle and he is in Clemson which is a highly regarded engineering school. I would go there.

I have AP scores to test out of certain requirements that a typical first year at BC would take, and I plan to use those spots to take calc and physics. Just to reiterate, business is my main interest and I am only considering transferring if I like the the few engineering courses that BC offers more than the business classes.

I thought you said you won’t have access to engineering.

Don’t forget, BC is not ABET - so check the curriculum there vs. others and see if anything you take will even transfer.

Honestly, even had you gotten into BC for engineering (were you doing mechanical), it wasn’t really an option as so many jobs require ABET accreditation.

Good luck.

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