<p>After the first semester of college my son is unhappy. We pressured him into going to a certain state school for financial reasons. He is looking to transfer out. </p>
<p>Unfortunately he never took the ACT. He scored a 1730 on the SAT and we feel confident he would of done much better on the ACT. If he were to take the ACT could he mention it on his transfer application. Would it be beneficial to take the ACT exam at this time.</p>
<p>Thank you for your time!</p>
<p>Absolutely, especially if he does much better. Then, colleges don’t even need to know about the ACT!</p>
<p>Hello there,</p>
<p>Perhaps I am not thinking clearly because it is late but what do you mean when you say colleges won’t even know about the ACT?</p>
<p>You think we should have him take the ACT now? I just was confused by your response, my apologies!</p>
<p>P.S. We are from Montgomery County, MD/DC Area!</p>
<p>Grades are also very important to transfer applications. My D’s great GPA in her 1st semester of CC really helped boost her application to transfer & helped the U see her lower HS grades in context. The more college grades you have, the more important the college record is over the HS record in the transfer app.</p>
<p>If your S has a particular school he’s interested in transferring to, he can ask the transfer counselor what courses are most likely to transfer as well. That will help him not lose credits. Be sure you & S have a plan on how expenses related to whatever school he will attend will be met. If he completes 2 years at a less expensive U, it will require less financing at more expensive U.</p>
<p>Encourage your S to make the most of his time where he is–join clubs, see if he can do research with a prof in field he’s most interested in, try out for sports, etc. The social skills he gains by reaching out & making friends will stand him in good stead wherever he does next–as a transfer or after his degree as a grad student.</p>
<p>Sometimes people believe the grass is always greener and to their disappointment find that whatever made them unhappy in 1st school/place follows them to where they do next. Just a thought. 
Thriving where planted is always a good strategy.</p>
<p>I think the poster above meant to say that you don’t have to submit SAT scores if he does well on ACT & doesn’t want to send out the SAT scores.</p>
<p>Are the financial reasons still a constraint?</p>
<p>The selection process is more difficult now, since you/he will be limited to schools that:</p>
<ul>
<li>Accept transfer students at the class standing that he wants to transfer at. Junior standing is probably the most accepted, with some acceptance at sophomore standing.</li>
<li>Fall within the cost constraint.</li>
<li>Have the student’s desired major and are otherwise an academic and non-academic fit.</li>
</ul>
<p>Note that the transfer-friendly state universities may prefer transfer applicants from in-state community colleges over transfer applicants from four year schools, since the community college transfer route is often specifically intended to exist as a “second chance” for many students (late bloomers and the like). Some students unhappy at their four year schools transfer to community college to complete their sophomore year and then transfer to a different four year school as a junior.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone! My S received a 3.6 this semester. He was .5 away an A that would of solidified a 3.9 but oh well!</p>
<p>I think I am going to have him take the ACT and submit it on application.</p>
<p>He is currently involved at the school he is at now. He is on the Varsity Cross Country and Track team.</p>
<p>Icarma,</p>
<p>You and your son could benefit greatly from spending some time in the Transfer Forum. Start with <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/988533-resources-transfers-start-here.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/988533-resources-transfers-start-here.html</a></p>
<p>Is your son back at college yet? If he’s still home, have him pop by the counseling center at Montgomery College, and see whether they can offer him better options. Happykid has several friends who joined her there at this time last year because they were miserable at their first college/university. All of them are now thriving and making their plans to transfer. With the AA or AS under their belts, none of them will have to produce an SAT or ACT exam score.</p>
<p>Since your son’s university choice was determined by your family financial situation, do crunch your numbers again before you let him get excited about the option of transferring elsewhere. Many people have to attend the institution that is most affordable for their family (that’s why Happykid is at MC and will most likely be at Towson next year). As long as they can find some things that they like about their college/university (such as their pals on the track team), they have the basis for making their college experience work for them.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>It seems a bit early to write off the school he’s attending. Lots of freshman have adjustment issues. It takes a while to find a social group (the first people you meet - based on proximity to your dorm room - aren’t necessarily going to be a good fit longer term). It takes a while to develop faculty relationships. Are there specific reasons why he feels this school won’t work for him? </p>
<p>Since he’s stuck there through the rest of the year, he has another semester to work on the fit. If he decides he’s leaving, he’s likely to opt out and not make the contacts and connections that would result in him deciding to stay.</p>
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<p>My mistake; I meant to write ‘colleges won’t even know about the SAT’.</p>
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<p>Not necessarily. Since Icarma mentioned that she and husband ‘pressured’ their son to go to the school, it may very well have been that he didn’t even want to apply there in the first place. In this case, if he is truly unhappy (and there is still time), I would suggest going to community college for a semester or two, saving money, getting absolutely stellar grades, and then transferring (if you’re in-state 99.9% of your credits will transfer to UMD, if that’s the route you want to take. CC to state school credit transfer is easier than private school to state school transfer).</p>
<p>Thank you hm1 for recommending the Transfer Students Resource sticky thread, it has lots of good information.</p>
<p>As a soph transfer applicant, his HS record (gpa & rigor of coursework) and test scores will be weighted more heavily than his college record, which will be just 1 full semester and a mid-year grade report when decisions are made.</p>
<p>Check the school websites and see if test scores are necessary for soph transfers, if so, then it may be helpful for him to retest.</p>
<p>While it may be early to completely know whether he wants to leave yet or not. But if he applies to a few schools now, he can wait to see where he gets in in May, and make his final decision after he finishes a full year at his current college.</p>