<p>Does anyone have any advice for my son regarding a college transfer. He is accepted and will go to his 3rd choice college in the Fall but he wants to have another shot at his first and second choice colleges. When can he start the process and what is involved ? What are the chances - if you know? Thanks.</p>
<p>Did he get accepted as freshman or a transfer student? If he got accepted in as a freshman but would like another chance at his first choice university then I suggest to take a gap year off. Make the MOST of the year. Then reapply as a freshman.</p>
<p>But if he got accepted as a transfer, then the choice to either transfer or stay should be his preference. There isn't a difference in the application process.</p>
<p>Why I said that if he was accepted as freshman to not enrol but take a gap year its because applying as a transfer is technically much much much more competitive than as a freshman. It is because much more places are allocated for freshman compared to transfer students but the applicants for both are not that significantly different. When I said this, I strictly meant the top schools like HYP.</p>
<p>Therefore, if he really intends to get another chance, don't enrol but take a gap year and really make it experience of a lifetime then reapply.</p>
<p>Check the transfer students forum. You'll get more informed advice there.</p>
<p>Information about transfer admission rates is available in the individual school's common data set (google the school name and common data set). Also, on cc Papachicken has posted links to many college's common data sets. Using the search engine you can find his posts. Most college websites have a section with information about transfers. If the school has a low attrition rate obviously fewer transfers will be accepted.
Freshman year my S. thought seriously about transferring. In the middle of his freshman year he sent out applications and interviewed and was accepted at several schools. For his schools, the transfer application submission date for fall was months later (March and April) than the standard application due date. He decided to not transfer and now a senior, loves the original school and is glad he didn't transfer. </p>
<pre><code> My 2 cents if your interested -
Consider encouraging your son to approach the first semester as if he will spend all four years there, that is fully engage and give it a fair shot. He may be pleasantly surprised. So many kids end up happy and well served by a non first choice school.
</code></pre>
<p>Thanks for the advice - we hadn't thought of the gap year. His birthday is in the summer and so he is a little younger than others in his class. Maybe the gap year is an option. But i have questions..How do colleges look on this and how do they assess him academically if he takes a year off?</p>