Transfer to BC-Questions?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Boston College
1

Hi everyone.

I’m considering transferring to Boston College as a sophomore for fall 2018. I’ve checked their application materials, FAQ’s, and other resources for transfers, but I still have a few questions for anyone who may have information about the process.

  1. Are financial aid deadlines the same as application deadlines? (I can’t find them on the website, or maybe I’m missing them, but I would like to know)

  2. Am I more likely to get in if I don’t ask for financial aid?

  3. How difficult would it be to get in as a transfer? I got accepted Regular Decision as an applying freshman, but I’m concerned about competition to transfer in (I would go as an English major, concentration in Creative Writing, into Morrissey School of Arts and Sciences).

  4. Can I reuse essay/supplements from my first (freshman) application? (I know most people say it’s iffy to do so, because with transfers the writing quality is more advanced b/c college students, however, I’ve always been a talented writer, my essay quality is top notch, and frankly I don’t feel the need to change much of anything because, having looked it over, it all still applies to me (plus the Common App prompt I used is the exact same). (Same goes for the supplement–I really like my supplement, the quality is quite good, and the prompt is the same, so I see very little reason to change, unless it could negatively impact my chances of getting in).

  5. I know they need standardized tests…does anyone know if they’ll accept the old SAT? That was my best test of all the ones I took, and I sincerely hope I don’t have to retake because they don’t accept it (again, I can’t find this on their website)

Those are all the questions I can think of. Any information/input is greatly appreciated!

2

@IDKStillDeciding:
If you apply now to BC as a transfer student, you will be evaluated among other transfer students, and not against college seniors.

When one reads your recent post about your current life at Colgate,

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/2020288-questions-and-decisions-should-i-transfer.html#latest

all that comes across is someone who looks down at themselves and at most things about the school. Anyone reading that can only assume you’ll have the same outlook at BC.

The transfer students you’ll be competing against will have applications that showing how they developed, grew, and thrived in the college they’re transferring from.

If you really want to improve your chances, you need to make your time at Colgate work for you. This not only means good grades, as lots of applicants have those. But it also means your life outside of the classroom should be rich enough in activities that the BC adcoms will look at it and think: “This looks like a great person as part of our student body.”

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@jpm50 It’s difficult to properly convey my feelings through online text. What seems to you that I’m someone who “looks down at themselves and mos things about the school,” is meant to be that I’m someone who loved a school based on a visit, never went there again 'til move-in day, and has slowly started feeling her love for the place decrease into indifference and, at points, outright dislike.

That said, I’m doing my best to make good of not-the-best situation. I’ve joined clubs–2 club athletic teams, a religious community, a political community, several publications on campus, a community service club, and some others. I want to show that I am an applicant they’d be interested in, no matter how difficult it would be. All that said, I also know that such a decision can’t come from just a wishy-washy change of mind. I feel as if I rushed my high school application process, and am loath to repeat the same mistake. I have told myself that, if I am to apply as a transfer, and even consider the idea of leaving my current school, I need to be sure of myself, and my decision. I plan to revisit BC, to spend time with students I know there, and to do my best to get an idea of what staying and studying there would really be like. I’m not going through with another idealized daydream, which is what I think I did unintentionally for 'Gate (I thought I loved the countryside, for example, only to find that throwing myself into it after a life in suburbia was downright miserable, and kind of stupid).

What I don’t understand is this: if I thrived in a college, why would I want to transfer? I had expectations and goals that Colgate so far has not met (again, I’m giving it a chance for the entire year, but this is my experience thus far). My goals remain the same, as do my aspirations and expectations–I want a community where I can hone my skills, grow as a person, and experience life in ways previously unavailable to me. If one college didn’t do that, why should I make it seem as if it did? I haven’t grown, nothing’s changed. I’ll reiterate here that I intend to visit BC and explore/exhaust all potential avenues to see if I truly feel the school would be a better fit for me BEFORE I make any major decisions (I have until March to submit an application, so…). If I find that BC would better help me reach my goals than Colgate, I’ll make that clear, but I am genuinely confused by how I’m supposed to say I thrived in an environment that did not help me grow.

Other than that, I am doing my best to make myself a competitive applicant. I’m working hard in my classes, I’m balancing extracurriculars, and I’m trying to make the most of 'Gate for the next several months. I just want to clarify that I’m not some wishy-washy confused teenager who wants to transfer for ridiculous reasons, or who hasn’t given enough thought into the tremendous process she’s considering undertaking.

Also please note, none of this is meant to seem like an attack and I’m sorry if it does at all, I’m just trying to get across my frame of mind in a way that makes sense, because frankly when I try to write about it it doesn’t seem to make much sense ^^"