<p>Any recent experiences out there of a second bite at the apple -- applying to a school in 12th grade, getting admitted, declining the offer of admission (to go elsewhere), and then regretting it after a year or two and re-applying as a transfer student? I am interested to know how this is received by the colleges.</p>
<p>I can imagine that it might help that they liked you once, it might hurt that you did not take them up on their offer the first time, or it might be completely neutral and depend entirely on how well you match what they're looking for as an incoming transfer at the later date. I also wonder if it depends on why you declined -- for example, if the money wasn't there the first time around, so you went to community college, and you can afford to pay for two years, but not four. I'd like to hear about people's experiences.</p>
<p>I haven’t found that this is a big factor in transfer admissions results. I’ve seen successful transfers who didn’t apply as freshmen, who were admitted as freshmen, and who were denied as freshmen. It’s really about competitiveness compared to the rest of the transfer applicants. The rest is water under the bridge.</p>
<p>I’m going to be honest, and tell you that it really comes down to money and the size of your target school. </p>
<p>I was a typical high-stat CC kid, and I went to an ivy engineering program straight out of high school. When I decided that wasn’t for me after a year of decent grades, I attempted to transfer to some “lower ranked” LACs that had accepted me originally. I say “lower” with quotes, since my taste of college really showed me how rankings have little to do with the undergraduate experience. </p>
<p>I had an EFC of around $10k, and I found myself rejected at all of the schools that had accepted me in high school. At full need schools, even if they’re need-blind for freshman, virtually none of them are need-blind for transfers. Schools that don’t meet full need may admit you and then gap you on aid. And if the school is a small LAC and/or reasonably selective, they have very few spots open for transfers in the first place. </p>
<p>Now if you’re full-pay, you can disregard all of the above. But you should still remember that there are fewer places available for transfers, and although there are also fewer applicants, the applicant pool tends to be self-selecting and motivated. I wouldn’t worry about them reading to far into your previous decision to go elsewhere; I honestly don’t think there’s enough time in the day for them to worry about such things. That said, if you can demonstrate interest somehow (like going for an interview), I’d recommend it. </p>
<p>I eventually ended up at a school I love that had previously admitted me (Tufts), and I’m happy with how it finally worked out. Tufts meets full need and is need aware for transfers, but that doesn’t mean they don’t accept anyone who needs aid. It’s competitive but not impossible.</p>
<p>If that is your plan, I would say do it as soon as possible. My D was accepted at college 1 with honors and very generous merit aid. She declined that offer and enrolled at college 2, also with honors and aid. By Thanksgiving of freshman year, she decided she would rather be at college 1. She made calls to her original admissions counselor and the financial aid office.<br>
Their original offer was reinstated!</p>
<p>I knew someone who did this after only one semester. She was in high school but took many classes at a local community college. She applied to UMich, was admitted, but decided that it made more sense to stay at CC for another semester because there were enough classes left where she could pay a much lower cost and transfer the credits. She then applied to UMich for transfer the next semester and was admitted again.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for your input. It would seem that the history of having been admitted once, as a 12th grader, can’t hurt and might help. The only way it could hurt, I guess, is if the college is resentful of the prior decision not to enroll. It seems unlikely that an institution would take something personally and be pouty about it (although I guess anything is possible).</p>
<p>In the scenario given, the assumption is that the non-enrollment (and opting initially for community college) is for financial reasons, which the four-year school should understand. The other working assumption is that there will be no aid whatsoever, neither need-based nor merit-based, not out of 12th grade and not as a transfer.</p>
<p>My son was admitted to UChicago EA and declined (recruited athlete). He attended his ED Ivy and in freshman year decided he wanted to transfer. He reapplied to UChicago and was accepted again. He also applied to UGeorgia (again) and was rejected as transfer student even though he had been accepted as a freshman. He ultimately settled down and stayed, happily, at his original school.</p>