<p>I'm an incoming freshman, my question is about transferring and studying abroad... can I do BOTH? I'm already worried about how my credits will transfer in the process, itself... would studying abroad make them near impossible to transfer? If it is possible for me to study abroad and transfer, should I plan on doing it sophomore year, right before I transfer junior year? I really want to do both, can you guys give me suggestions/advice? Have any of you done so?</p>
<p>Well, Im doing both, but its a unique situation. Basically Im transferring in as a sophomore, so I will study abroad my junior year, to make things simple. It seems like you would be able to study abroad your senior year if you were a junior transfer, but I know you cant in CA because there are weird in-residence unit requirements for the UCs. Oh well.</p>
<p>I guess in order to answer your question we would need more info.</p>
<p>Transferring in as a junior can often make it impossible to do study abroad, since many schools require a year's notice to go out of the country. At schools with short terms, like Bates and Mount Holyoke, this can often be avoided, but most schools warn junior transfers that they probably won't be able to do study abroad.</p>
<p>I'm going to Wells College, and their residence requirements state that students must fulfill 60 credits of work at Wells or in Wells affiliated programs. That means that I'll be able to study abroad my second semester of Junior year (if I can get the funds). There are some schools out there that allow it, you'll just have to find them.</p>
<p>I didn't realize Wells allowed it. They don't require a year's notice? It seems like every school I look at does. :/ They just shot up a little higher on my list. :)</p>
<p>They do require you to take a one credits class related to foreign cultures and languages, blah, etc. The only time it's offered this fall conflicts (they overlap by 20 minutes) with the required transfer course "Introduction to Wells." I'm going to make a huge fuss if they don't allow me to complete the course through independent study.
Because of the required senior thesis, students aren't allowed to study abroad during their senior year. This will be my only opportunity to study abroad for undergraduate.</p>
<p>This is why I transfered for sophomore year rather than wait out another year to apply as a junior transfer. Study abroad is soooo important to me that I wasn't willing to give my former college a chance. </p>
<p>Generally, colleges require two-years residency- making studying abroad as a junior transfer very, very difficult thing to do. However, for most part, if the college has a study abroad program of its own (like BU, Colgate, Cornell, etc), check to see if going abroad on that program counts in the residency requirement. I know that Colgate counts going on their study group programs as part of the residency requirement so I didn't hesistate. </p>
<p>But occasionally- that LOA notification can be a problem too. But if you express your desire enough and explain your transfer situation, the college may be willing to make some exceptions. I know of one transfer at Colgate who missed the deadline for a program in China and she was able to go on that program's date because of her unique situation. Usually colleges will make exceptions for transfers, it's just a matter of making phone calls and e-mails to people to find out what's under the surface.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>yes, i've done both! i'm not sure if you mean studying abroad at the university that you're transferring to or not, but i studied abroad through my community college so the units did transfer. i must say, it was amazing!!! i just got home last week. living in paris for a month studying french & art history was certainly life-changing! anyone who dreams of studying abroad shouldn't even second guess it, just go! it's so worth it! it was only a summer program though, i really hope i can do a whole semester once i transfer! i'm applying to the UCs this novemember & i'm writing about my experience abroad for my personal statement! so check with your college right now if there are any opportunities, good luck!</p>
<p>My CC offers study abroad, but it rarely comes up and when it does, it's more or less just a long vacation without any real "studying." I want to actual research abroad, which will need to wait until I transfer. :/</p>
<p>true. there were only about 20 students with 2 professors from my college in the program & half of the students took the classes credit/no credit & didn't show up to class. i was really into the art history & going to all the museums so i loved it. i wouldn't have been able to go if it weren't for school.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies! I'm going to a UC, I don't know if that makes too much of a difference, other than the fact that it's harder to transfer that way! Ticklemepink-- that's a good idea you transferred sophomore year. I would do the same except my high school record isn't very impressive and I think I really need two solid years to prove myself. So since its' harder to study abroad junior year, I guess I would have to do it sophomore year. If I could, I would study abroad the whole year but being a transfer applicant I shouldn't push it so I'll probably only be able to do a semester. I would be doing the app process the first part of sophomore year, so would it be wiser to do study abroad during the first or second part of soph year?</p>
<p>Just give sophomore year application a try. The worst that can happen is that things don't work out and you wind up living abroad for some time after college... My high school record was so-so :). You should apply for transfer for sophomore year prior to the deadline for application. It's actually very difficult to go anywhere abroad as sophomore unless you have a special case... usually science as a major.</p>
<p>macramequeen, can you maybe do a special summer course where you can go abroad? Some schools do that. It's not the traditional semester away, but it's still something.</p>
<p>If your going to a UC you can study abroad your first semester.
Check out there website, it tells you everything. You would have to apply for it b4 you actually transfered but you can do that.....</p>
<p>For the UCs, most courses that you take on EAP count as in-residence courses and may count for your major but you'd have to check with your school and make sure of that.</p>