Colleges that let transfers apply as freshmen

[CatalinaIslander]

<p>I've noticed some colleges allow transfers (if they have less than one year of college completed, for example) to apply as freshmen. I thought we could make a list of these.</p>

<p>For example, the University of Pennsylvania states: "Students who leave college at the end of the first term may apply to the freshman class entering in the subsequent September."</p>

<p>Sarah Lawrence College states: "If you have completed less than one year of full-time study (approximately 30 credits) at the college level, you are considered a first-year applicant."</p>

<p>What other colleges have similar allowances?</p>

[ucbalumnus]

<p>The military service academies accept applications from those who have prior college credit. All applicants apply as plebes/frosh.</p>

[ucbalumnus]

<p>The University of California allows students who have attended college in the summer immediately after high school graduation to apply as frosh.</p>

<p>Those who have attended college after the summer immediately after high school graduation must apply as transfers.</p>

[juillet]

<p>I would be willing to bet that that most colleges allow students who have completed less than a year (typically 24-30 credits) to apply as freshman. Here are some</p>

<p>Harvard (one continuous academic year to be a transfer)
Columbia (you must have more than 24 credits to be considered a transfer student)
Dartmouth (anything less than one full year of university coursework, you would apply as a freshman)
Swarthmore (admissions status for less than two semester is determined case-by-case)
Amherst (at least one year as a full-time student elsewhere)
Wellesley (only eligible for transfer admissions with at least one full year of coursework)
Emory
Vanderbilt (after one semester)
Washington & Lee
Duke
Wisconsin-Madison (must have at least 24 semester hours)</p>

<p>In fact, it would probably be more prudent to list the exceptions to this rule. Stanford is a notable exception - any student who has enrolled either full-time or as a degree-seeking student after graduating from high school must apply as a transfer student. Caltech is a bit ambiguous - they just say that transfer admissions will be considered for those who “have enrolled at a college and earned credit for courses,” which could indicate that anyone who completes at least a semester is a transfer but a person who doesn’t earn any credit may not be. Case Western seems to imply that those with one semester of college credit may still be considered transfers.</p>

[ucbalumnus]

<p>[Transfer</a> Applicants - Office of Admissions and Recruitment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison](<a href=“http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/transfer.php]Transfer”>http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/transfer.php) says that</p>

<p>

@University of Wisconsin

A transfer student is anyone who has attended another college or university after graduating from high school and wishes to enroll in an undergraduate degree program at UW–Madison. In order to be eligible for transfer admission, you must have completed at least 24 semester hours of college–level work. (We do not admit freshman–level transfer students.)

</p>

<p>This appears to indicate that students who have attended any college of university after graduating from high school are ineligible to apply as frosh, but must complete at least 24 semester hours of college courses to become eligible to apply as transfers. I.e. there is a range of post-high-school college credit (0* or 1 to 23 semester hours) where one is ineligible to apply as either a frosh or transfer to the University of Wisconsin. I.e. read the fine print – many schools require at least a year or two of college credit to be eligible for transfer admission, but may disqualify one from frosh admission at lesser amounts of college credit after graduating from high school.</p>

<p>*Depends on if they count enrolled but withdrawn or failed as causing one to be ineligible to apply as frosh.</p>

[Erin_s_Dad]

<p>It appears Ohio State puts all students with any college courses as transfers:

If you have earned one to 29 semester or one to 44 quarter hours, we will review your academic performance in college and high school and your performance on the ACT or SAT to determine your eligibility for admission.</p>

<p>If you are currently enrolled in your first term of college, both your academic performance in high school and your performance on the ACT or SAT will determine your eligibility for admission.

[Transfer</a> admission](<a href=“http://undergrad.osu.edu/admissions/transfer/]Transfer”>http://undergrad.osu.edu/admissions/transfer/)</p>

<p>Wright State, also in OH, puts the bar at 9 Semester hours:

You are considered a transfer student if you have earned a high school diploma (or equivalent) and attempted 9 or more semester credit hours (12 quarter hours) at a regionally accredited college.

[Transfer</a> Students | Wright State University](<a href=“Application Dates and Process for Transfer Students | Transfer Center | Wright State University”>http://www.wright.edu/transfer/apply/transfer-students#tab=admission-requirements)</p>