So I’m planning to attend university this fall but I want to transfer somewhere else. How long after I start attending a university can I transfer to somewhere else? Also, I would like to transfer to a top tier college. Any tips on what I should do during college? I’m planning on getting a good first year GPA and maybe raising my ACT score but other than that I don’t have a clue.
Are you unable to get into the college where you would want to go? Is your high school GPA lower than you would like?
First of all, expect college to be significantly more difficult than high school. College might start out relatively easy, but then get harder over time and the workload can sneak up on you. Some schools will have a number of weak and unfocused students many of which will either wise up or disappear within a year, possibly sooner. Don’t let them distract you.
For classes that you really like, you may be able to get additional work from the professor. This might seem unnecessary, but can make you stand out. You do have to be doing all the regular work very well before you would even consider this.
If you try to transfer after only one year of university, then your high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores will matter. If you try to transfer after two years then your high school grades will matter a lot less, but you will already be half way through before you change schools.
Usually financial aid is harder to get for transfer students.
For the very top schools in the US getting accepted as a transfer student is often more difficult than getting in straight out of high school.
However, I have seen a few cases of students who did very badly in high school (even to the point of barely passing), went to community college or a poor university, did VERY well, transferred to a top university, and still did very well. In one case the student went on to get a PhD from a top school and ended up a full professor at a very good university that he would never have been able to get into straight out of high school.
I have seen more cases of students who went to “pretty good” universities for undergrad, then went to a really top school for a Master’s degree.
Finally, there may still be some schools accepting applications, although you would have to move quickly and of the ones accepting applications many are past their financial aid deadline.
If you really screwed up your application strategy (rather than your high school GPA), then there is always the option of taking a gap year and reapplying to more realistic schools.
So is it possible to transfer to like an Ivy League if i transfer from U of Pacific? I know i can do better in college and i am determined to. I just want to know if there are other things i should do besides get a good first year gpa and improve my standardized testing.
“So is it possible to transfer to like an Ivy League if i transfer from U of Pacific?”
Possible.
Very unlikely.
“So is it possible to transfer to like an Ivy League if i transfer from U of Pacific?”
Certainly work hard, keep ahead in your classes, and strive for A’s when you are there. Also make friends and participate in clubs / activities that you like. Good grades will improve your chances of transferring, improve your chances of going to a very good graduate school, and are one indicator that you are learning the material well in your classes.
However, I think that if you give it a chance, you are likely to find that you like U of the Pacific a lot more than you are giving it credit for.
I sincerely thank you for your answers. I just got offered a pathway program at GATech so i can automatically transfer there after a year. Looks like it worked out in the end.