Transferring: Not for the Faint of Heart

Parents Forum
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<p>I work as a college advisor. Remember the story about the cobbler's children having no shoes? When #3 embarked upon his college journey, looking for a very specific program, I just let it all unfold. #1 and #2 had found their perfect places, so I assumed it would all work out for #3. Mistakes in research, including not visiting campus when there were students there, were abundant. He could have been admitted to more selective schools, but let their lack of this specific program dissuade him. Most importantly, the schools he applied to weren't very exciting to him--we should have done more research.</p>

<p>Fast forward to a very rocky year. I describe it as, pretty much, in every area of college life, if something could go wrong, it did. I'm sure the college is fine, but it is most definitely NOT a fit for #3. Academically, doing great. He's changed majors and embarked upon the transfer process, looking for the best schools in his newly chosen major. And he has driven it all, and has undertaken every step with encouragement, but not help, from me. I am VERY proud of him.</p>

<p>For those of you thinking about transferring, if you think applying during high school was complicated, transfer. In addition to renewing your acquaintance with your high school, to get your transcripts, school report and, sometimes, recommendations, you get to do the same with your college. Sometime before Christmas (if you're applying for Fall the following year) you need to approach one of your professors and ask for a recommendation. That may or may not be followed by a call from one of several university departments to check your mental health and happiness. That recommendation may or may not be submitted online, and may or may not be a Common app form. You also have to see your advisor and university registrar to get their parts of your transfer application completed early in your second semester. This will comprise several trips to many offices. The Common App does have a transfer application, which includes an essay "Why are you transferring?" and you will most likely have supplemental essays. You also have to squeeze in college visits, and all of this has to be done while you are a college student.</p>

<p>Transfer admissions aren't standardized like freshman admissions, so there aren't specific notification dates and reply dates. Notification for my #3 began in late March, and will be over by May 1, with reply dates ranging from May 1 - May 15 (notice the overlap). When you are admitted, best case you can pay a non-binding housing deposit and begin to research housing locations for transfers (if it is available) to try best to be in a position to meet people your age/year who also are looking to meet people. In big universities, this is an enormous research project. If, however, you can't find a non-binding housing application (and you don't want to double deposit, which is an ethics issue) you realize you may be living....well, you don't know where you'll be living. All this is happening at or near mid-terms or finals in your college. You have had to make a housing decision at your current school, just in case, so you try to do it without potentially hurting anyone. And you're still waiting for admissions decisions, so you don't know where you'll be, potentially, next year when you're packing up your dorm room. And you haven't really told your friends you might be leaving.</p>

<p>And then you might change your mind and stay where you are.</p>

<p>I absolutely believe that, this time next year, #3 will be thrilled wherever he is. But for anyone looking at admissions decisions and saying "Hey, if he/she doesn't like X University, they can just transfer," beware! My experience in college advising has been that, sometime between Thanksgiving and February, nearly every freshman in college utters the "T" word, and nearly every freshman in college, by about March 1, is back in love with their university. </p>

<p>However, thousands of kids transfer every year, and are eventually thrilled with their choice. Starting over at a new university, without the built-in safety nets Freshmen get, is not for wimps!</p>

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<p>I couldn’t agree more! One other thing that applied to me was studying for and writing the SAT twice while I also had responsibilities as a student. That wasn’t fun at all, and resulted in a few late assignments. </p>

<p>In addition, it’s really awkward socially to transfer. I get asked, “what degree are you taking”… “oh, hmmm, haa, _______ but I plan on transferring.” Then I get asked “why?” by people who attend the university which is even more uncomfortable because it essentially gives them the impression that their university isn’t good. Even worse, I get asked “How’s university going, are you liking it?” from friends and family. Awkward silence… “Yeah, it’s okay.” Then I have to tell my family, who are all alumni of this university, that I hate the place, which is even worse.</p>

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<p>please post this valuable information on the Transfers forum as well!
My DS went through the transfer process his Freshman year, and ended up returning to the college he started with after only 1 qtr his Sophomore year. It ended up being a learning process for us both.</p>

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<p>SJTH, that sounds rough! I love your cobbler’s kids analogy. Just goes to show that no one is immune from the stress.</p>

<p>My son’s transfer experience has been completely different so far. He applied through the common app. and was able to use the Internet to have his transcripts sent from College A to University B. He didn’t have to meet with anyone in person and no one questioned his mental health!</p>

<p>It probably makes a difference that he is transfering from a community college to its neighboring Big University. (Go Blue!) Many, many times I have said, “This transfer plan has been fantastic! It would have been so much more stressful to try to get in as a freshman!”.</p>

<p>Best wishes to your son… and to you. It’s a good thing schools don’t call to check on the happiness/mental health of parents, huh?</p>

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<p>Been there, done that :(.</p>

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<p>And Entomom–your advice on the Transfer board has been invaluable for my son and for me! Thank you!!!</p>

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<p>Huh. Maybe things must have changed, but when S decided to transfer for his sophomore year ten years ago, he handled it all himself and I never heard a complaint. I think if a student is highly motivated to switch schools, the process is not all that daunting. And it sounds as if OP’s son’s school was unusually uncooperative in providing the necessary paperwork.</p>

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<p>It’s not unusual on the Transfer Students forum for members to post problems with getting their college to fill out the COR. The person who fills this form out varies by school, it could be an advisor, department chair, etc., every year there are reports of difficulty determining who is responsible and little to no cooperation by the college.</p>

<p>D1 had an experience that goes beyond uncooperative. Out of about 6k fr, she was one of 15 to receive the largest scholarship, full tuition, R&B, at a top public. Her honors advisor filled out the COR and assured her that she would not ‘sabotage’ (the advisor’s word) her application. The school made a mistake in sending out the forms, so one of the colleges she was applying to returned the materials to D1. If not for this mistake, she would never have seen the COR which included a recommendation statement by her advisor, who failed to mention her as a recipient of this scholarship. D1 called the people who run the scholarship program and they permitted her to write a supplement to the COR which they signed and submitted to her schools.</p>

<p>So yes, YMMV, and it’s not always a smooth transition.</p>

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<p>That has been my experience entomom. I showed up at the administration building with my colleges official report, and they’re like “we dont do those” and I said it was required. They repeated themselves again and I kept saying its required and they were like okay… Let me phone this lady. I got it filled out.</p>

<p>My high school was worse to an extent. The counsellor whom I have known for years didn’t want to fill out the secondary school report and I had to argue with her for five minutes before she agreed. I also had to send the principal a suck up email to obtain my class rank. Without that, I would have been finished.</p>

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<p>Yes, community college to state university as a junior is likely the most common transfer route, and the one that is likely logistically easiest and most standardized (within the state).</p>

<p>Each of the following likely makes transferring more of a hassle:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Transferring as a sophomore: the target schools are more likely to be interested in high school records, since the student won’t have much of a college record.</p></li>
<li><p>Transferring from a four year school: unlike community colleges, they may not expect a lot of students to transfer away, and may be uncooperative because they do not want students to transfer away. Need to wait until registering to get course equivalency evaluated.</p></li>
<li><p>Transferring to a school that takes few transfers: may have more onerous application requirements. Need to wait until registering to get course equivalency evaluated. May have worse financial aid for transfers (unlike typical transfer-friendly state universities).</p></li>
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