Hi everyone, I know this is not in my control to change, as transfer deadlines are rapidly approaching, but I was curious about course information. I’ve heard that transfer admissions appreciate students who take on difficult courses, but if you’re applying after freshman year, how can this even be evaluated since freshmen mostly take intro courses. In addition to these, this semester I’m taking an ancient political theory class (a 300 class usually taken by juniors and seniors) and a 400 level feminist literature class and I did this to try to show transfer admissions officers that I can challenge myself (and I obviously love the topics as well!). I’m getting A’s in these classes, but I was wondering if this is even a big deal to people reading my application. It obviously doesn’t hurt me nor would it be the sole reason for any acceptances, but is this the type of “challenging coursework” admissions officers like to see? Will it be something their eyes simply gloss over or will it capture their attention? Do the 100-400 level categories mean anything? Thanks!
Expected course work for transfer applicants will include whatever the target college sees as general education course work (e.g. English composition, math / statistics / quantitative reasoning, courses outside the area of your intended major) and preparation for your intended major (since transfer students commonly enter at a level where they are close to or ready for declaring a major). Check each target college (including its department for your intended major) for whether it has any specific requirements or recommendations.
It’s not necessarily the level of the courses that you have to be worried about. When colleges say they want “rigorous” coursework, they mean they want 1) non-remedial coursework (a lot of community college students struggle with this, because they’re forced to take the ACCUPLACER and then possibly placed in remedial courses if they don’t score high enough for regular courses), and 2) general liberal arts courses (or, if you are in an engineering/business programs, courses that meet those requirements). Basically, as long as there aren’t a lot of “Politics of Music” or “Theories of Football” courses on your transcript, you’ll be fine. Certain colleges do recommend writing, math, and foreign language before transferring, but taking the 100 level versions of those during your freshmen year won’t be seen as alarming by any means.