I am a freshman at the University of Maryland and had a few questions to ask. I did not have the best first semester at UMD and do not plan on coming back for my second semester for multiple reasons. I am now debating whether to apply to schools as a freshman or transfer. My grades this semester were not too good and I decided to change my major half way through the semester so I have a “withdraw” on my transcript. I will complete this semester with 10 credits and came into school with 13 credits from high school. My SAT scores from high school were decent as I got a 1770, but my high school grades were very good and I graduated in the top 10 percent of my class. Do you think it would be better for me to apply to schools as a transfer or as a freshman? Also if I applied as a freshman would I be able to retake the SATs in January and have enough time to submit them for consideration?
You need to contact each college and university on your application list, and ask them which application to use. Some will consider you a transfer applicant. Others will consider you a freshman applicant. You need to ask each place separately because there is no way to predict.
I can’t see how you would be anything but a transfer. You don’t get to choose. But you can ask each college you are interested in.
There are differences. For instance Penn State considers you a freshman applicant with <18 semester hours.