<p>My friend has been rejected by all colleges she applied to this year. She was really depressed and wants to know if she can attend a community college and then transfer to another better school. However, since she's an international student, she's afraid that most colleges will not provide need based and merit aid, simply because they cannot allocate enough funding. Do any of you (international students) have any experience on this topic or had transferred successfully with generous fin aid?
Please can you give an advice for my poor friend? I'm obliged to your help.</p>
<p>In general, both need based FA and merit scholarships for transfers are fewer and for less money than for fr admissions. And I’m afraid that the fact that your friend is an Intl. student only adds to the difficulty in getting aid as a transfer. The Resources sticky thread on the Transfer Students forum has a link to some merit scholarships for transfers, but many of them may not include Intl. applicants.</p>
<p>There are schools that give good need based FA to transfers, but these are usually also the most selective for admissions.</p>
<p>She could consider taking a gap year and applying to a more realistic list of schools next round.</p>
<p>Thank you entomom! I guess I had put my hope on transfer too much when I read posts about successful transfer students on CC. My friend had taken gap year this year. There are maybe no more hopes for her to apply next year. I am just a little more lucky than her that I got accepted, but into my safety. I wish I could transfer but now it’s too hard. Anyway, thanks so much for your advice.</p>
<p>There is very little financial aid for international students, and very little aid for transfers. This means that it will be very nearly impossible for your friend to receive any significant amount of aid as an international transfer. I know one student in that category who received a huge scholarship when she transferred - she had perfect grades at her CC and completed the full associates degree there. Unless your friend has the skills and commitment to earn perfect grades, she should not start at a CC hoping to get a scholarship when she transfers.</p>
<p>Even though your friend has already done a gap year, she may have to do another if she really wants to go to school here.</p>
<p>If she has the stats, then she needs to include a school or two that gives large merit to int’ls as safety schools.</p>
<p>Have her attend community college in Massachusetts, and if she is a top student after two years, apply to Mount Holyoke. They are now 25-30% international, and they give great money and acceptances to Mass. community college grads.</p>
<p>Thanks so much! I don’t know Mount Holyoke can be a chance.</p>
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<p>Actually, according to their common data set, MHC has 21% international students.</p>
<p>other things to consider;</p>
<p>MHC only accepts ~50 students as transfers.</p>
<p>However, Mount Holyoke is not need blind to international students. Her ability to pay will still be an issue during the admissions process.</p>