<p>so i am a freshman at umass lowell...i am thinking of applying to umass amherst for spring semester....however, id like to go to a top school so i was actually thinking of applying to georgetown as a junior...</p>
<p>is transfering TWICE generally a big nono?</p>
<p>Not a big no-no. Like a lot of things, it’s case by case. But I think if you feel UMass Amherst is a stronger school than Lowell; you spend 3 terms there and want to try for your last two years at Georgetown… that’s an ok goal. </p>
<p>Make the most of Amherst, though, and don’t assume the Georgetown thing will work.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>I would advise against it IF your intermediate choice is unsatisfactory. If you get a chance to transfer, the school you transfer too should be one you are sure you will be happy in. </p>
<p>It IS however very possible to transfer twice (this is expecially true if you are willing to be in college longer than four years and your major/most of your classes are taught everywhere). I have a friend who transferred FOUR times successfully (most of them were DAMN good schools, but he’s happy now) but I’m pretty sure he’s going to graduate with six years of college total.</p>
<p>Oh, and speaking as a transfer student myself, I have no idea how people can muster up the sheer force of will to go through the application process again and again.</p>
<p>^^^ Good point and worth thinking about. Although the process can be fairly streamlined in some instances… for example, in those schools which are purely “by the numbers”. McGill is a private along those lines, some state schools are that way etc. But for many schools, it is a time-consuming process and can also be emotionally taxing.</p>
<p>The Umass Amherst application isn’t really that involved. It does’t have many requirements that other schools (like Georgetown) have. The application is pretty straight forward with one/two essays. I know for my transfer process I had to write a bunch of essays, get 3 LORs, recommendation from my academic advisor… ect.</p>
<p>I had a friend transfer from Umass Boston to Amherst this year. He really didn’t spend much time on the essays and his GPA was around a 3.0. He also didn’t have an LOR and he got in. Transferring in the Umass system is pretty easy and you should not have a problem as long as you have a respectable GPA. Now for your Georgetown goal that will be much harder, but if its really what you want then go for it! I don’t see a problem in transferring more than once. Sometimes it takes people a couple of times/experiences to figure out where they are most happy, but then again I am not an admission rep.</p>
<p>will they consider me a “prestiege hunter” though?</p>
<p>Isn’t that what you are doing? I mean you haven’t told us all the details about your reason for transferring, but from what I have gathered you seem to fit the “prestige hunter” stereotype. All that matters is how you present yourself to Georgetown admissions. Make sure you have great reasons why Georgetown is perfect for you and how it fits into your future career goals. Make them thing you are the perfect transfer candidate, that is honestly the best you can do and maybe it will work out in your favor. You will never know unless you apply.</p>
<p>well presteige is good but my school doesnt even have my major</p>
<p>I think “prestige whores” are unappealing to many schools when it seems clear that is the reason for the transfer application. However, if you’re trying to move up by transferring to an intermediate school <em>for valid reasons</em>… and this comes through in your applications, I don’t think it should be a problem for you.</p>
<p>So, if you want to move to UMAmherst for your major, or because you realize you are ready for a stronger/tougher school and want that strength to enhance your chances at a top school… I don’t think that is ipso facto a problem. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>Your saying Umass Amherst won’t have your major? You want to transfer from Amherst before you have even got there. I would at least give it a shot before you discard it and want to move up to the next level. I think you will find Amherst isn’t as easy as you think. Unless of course you are doing some basket-weaving major, then it will be cake.</p>