Hi!
So my first attempt of attending an US university failed by getting only one acceptance but no Financial Aid (Cornell).
Now, in my probably long lasting depression/saddness, an idea popped in my head and is making me try next year. I wanna know if I enroll at a local University can I apply as a freshmen or do I really need to apply as a transfer?
Would it be better to not enroll at all and take a gap year? Or should I just forget about everything?
You’ll have to check the definition of a transfer applicant for each university separately. Some define a transfer applicant as anyone who’s ever been enrolled at a university. Others will let you apply as a freshman as long as you have completed (or attempted) less than x college credits.
If you enroll in a local university for the “maintenance grant”/living money + automatic health insurance, but DO NOT TAKE ANY CLASS, you’re still a freshman (most youth fall out of administrative parameters if they’re neither in education, training, or work).
If you take classes for college credit, most universities will consider you a transfer.
Since you need financial aid as an international, you MUST preserve your freshman status. Using your gap year to work/prep for tests is a better use of your time anyway if your goal is a US college.
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