<p>Hi, I am a freshman student at UCLA and my parents and I are having difficulties affording my education, especially considering I have two siblings as well. I already love UCLA, but as a matter of personal choice I have decided to look into transferring. I know we can afford this year, but it isn't a guarantee we'll be able to afford it for long. Therefore, I want to go to a school that will give me better financial aid. I am a motivated student, willing to work extremely hard, and consider myself to be pretty smart so I am hoping to get around a 4.0 throughout the year. However, I don't know much about the transfer system so I am wondering how far that will get me.</p>
<p>A few major questions:
What do colleges look at in a transfer application?
What are my chances of getting into a school that is as good or better than UCLA with a 4.0 college gpa and a 33 ACT?
What kind of financial aid is offered to students applying for transfer?</p>
<p>Any information you have will really help, especially from anyone with real experience in the transfer process. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I can’t say anything about what college would be comparable to UCLA because I really don’t know, I’m on the east coast.</p>
<p>But as a transfer student I can offer some advice. First and foremost your application is gonna be much like what they looked for when you first applied to college. I transferred after my first semester as a freshman, so high school was more important at that point. Because you’re only a freshman, you’ll definitely need to add all your HS stats to your application.</p>
<p>Some colleges require you to wait until junior year to transfer because you’ll need around 60 credits. Look carefully and search closely. Call admissions if you’re not sure about transfer policies. As a transfer student you have to be on top of your application, etc.</p>
<p>It can be kinda hard to get financial aid as a transfer student. Since you have such high scores and a high GPA academic scholarships are the best way to go. I would call several of the financial aid departments at the colleges you are looking into and talk to a fin aid officer. Ask them what your options are. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Yes, talk to UCLA first to see how much they can help financially first. My friend’s dd did get merit scholarships that kept the cost down to almost nothing from UCLA, but not as a second year. This should be your first priority. </p>
<p>Other suggestions:</p>
<p>Are you an OOS or CA resident? If you are CA resident, you can ask your Service Area CSU to see if you can transfer there and commute from your home. It should be able to keep the cost to the minimum and you might be able to talk to them to give you some AID, however small it will be. CSUs are vie for good students like you. Do not call them, just make an appointment with the Director of Admission to discuss it in face.</p>
<p>Other thoughts are: Community college or a gap year to see if your financial conditions will improve.</p>
<p>You will be what you will be, don’t worry about a rocky start. Good luck.</p>
<p>
This is key. If you are dead set on leaving UCLA I would do it now and take a gap year. Then you could reapply next year as a freshman and be eligible for those scholarships.</p>
<p>**UCLA has NOT started classes yet…**you need to get OUT now and do a gap year.</p>
<p>You will not get the FA or merit money you need as a transfer student.</p>
<p>Classes start in a couple of weeks…GET OUT NOW.</p>
<p>If you don’t get out now, you’ll be sorely disappointed next year when you can’t afford anything more than a Cal State.</p>
<p>Since you have such high scores and a high GPA academic scholarships are the best way to go.</p>
<p>Biologynerd is mistaken…transfer students rarely get much even if they have great stats.</p>
<p>What was your EFC? Did you qualify for Blue and Gold (incomes under $80k at UCs)???</p>
<p>Do NOT take any CC classes during your gap year.</p>
<p>A few options.</p>
<p>QUIT UCLA immediately before classes start and apply to schools for next year and see if you get better aid. (This is the “gap year” route - do not take CCC classes during this year or it will ruin your freshman status.)</p>
<p>QUIT UCLA and attend your local California Community College (CCC) for 2 years (while living at home) and then transfer back into UCLA or another UC–that route pretty much cuts the cost of your overall education in HALF. The diploma at the end of 4 years will still say UCLA on it.</p>
<p>Skip the CSU route–they are almost as expensive as UCs and they have low priority for transfer into UCs (CCC transfers get first crack).</p>
<p>Basically, all options include QUITTING UCLA immediately. It is drastic, but if you stay at UCLA even just one quarter, you mess up a lot of opportunities. Think long term rather than short term here.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, I did say it was hard to get aid as a transfer student, with those stats though it is easier to get outside but academic related merit scholarships.</p>
<p>* it is easier to get outside but academic related merit scholarships. *</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>Not as a transfer student.</p>
<p>Most outside scholarships are for incoming frosh. And, many are for smallish amounts and are hard to get.</p>
<p>It’s is very hard to get outside scholarships as a transfer student.</p>
<p>Comments about FA often being less and merit aid very difficult to come by for transfers are true. Go to the Transfer Students forum and read the Resources sticky thread. Both admission and money are usually more difficult (particularly for selective colleges) for transfers than for fr applicants, so listen to the advice about withdrawing immediately and taking a gap year.</p>