Transfer Prep

First post on CC!

I did say gap year, but I am a student just out of high school that will be attending a community college this Fall. I am planning on transferring to a 4 year university for next year’s Fall Semester, but honestly am not too sure on how or when to start preparing. I have experience using the common app, but I am not sure if I would be considered a transfer student vs a first year (when making the CA account), since I’d technically be starting as a Freshman. Are community college students given the option to apply EA or ED? I read somewhere that transfer students do not have the opportunity to do so, but again, I am not completely sure if I am considered a transfer student or not.

Other than focusing on my college courses and keeping up with application deadlines/essays, if there is anything else I have to be thinking of, any suggestions or advice will be appreciated!

Different colleges have different criteria for frosh versus transfer. For most colleges, taking college courses after graduating or otherwise leaving high school can require you to be a transfer, although some colleges have a minimum amount of college credit attempted or completed before you must be a transfer. This information is not always easy to find on college web sites. It is best to assume that you will be a transfer after taking college courses after graduating or otherwise leaving high school, unless you find out otherwise from a specific college.

Whether a college offers EA or ED to transfer students is up to the specific college.

Some colleges have transfer credit articulation agreements or listings with various community colleges and other colleges, so that you can find out which courses will transfer for subject credit. AP or IB credit generally transfers based on the rules of the college you transfer to, not the community college you transfer from.