Hello everyone, I will be attending Virginia Tech in the fall! I am very excited to attend VT, but lately I have been thinking about transferring to another college either my sophomore or junior year, Reasons for transferring would be financial reasons, better political science (major) colleges, stronger debate/mun programs. I also made the mistake in high school of applying to too many reach schools. My GPA in high school was a 3.86, SAT: 1600, and I had great extracurricular activities/recommendations. Do you all have any advice as to where I should transfer, and if I should retake my SAT if I am applying to a very prestigious university? I have some ideas of the colleges I would like to transfer to but I would like some advice as well, thank you!!
bump
Transfers generally get less aid than freshmen. If you can’t afford VA Tech for all 4 years and don’t have a more affordable option, you may want to take a gap year and apply to a new list of schools. You could retake the SAT or try the ACT before you apply.
If you applied to “too many reach(es)” this time around, I wouldn’t apply to “a very prestigious university” unless you have a good financial safety lined up.
I don’t think re-taking the SAT once you are in college would help much. Admissions offices simply presume that a college student’s scores will be higher than a high school student’s. Colleges will ask to see your existing scores for sophomore transfer admission. They usually will not for junior admissions.
Are you instate for virginia?
@woogzmama, I don’t believe OP is in college yet. I think students can retake the SAT after high school graduation as long as they haven’t taken any college classes yet. I’ve known state schools to take gap year scores, but I don’t know if private schools would. I suppose, like so many things, it’s school specific and OP would have to contact individual schools to find out what their policy is.
Retaking the SAT will only help if you take a gap year. If you start in the Fall, your SAT score will have little bearing on anything; your college grades will matter more. It seems to me that getting into VTech with a 1600 SAT is already getting into a reach school, so let’s try to see how it works out before you think of transferring.
Note that transfers get lousy aid. Are you instate for VA publics?
A few comments:
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I always recommend starting a college with the intent of staying four years. If you walk in thinking you will transfer you will never get invested in finding new friends, getting involved in activities on campus etc. By doing this you will never give the first college a fair chance and if you end up staying you would have lost a golden opportunity to find friends freshman year.
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Agreed with others that re-taking the SATs once you start college won’t impress anyone. The score you have will be a problem for top schools. You did well to get into VATech with that SAT.
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Also agree that merit aid is hard to come by as a transfer so likely your best financial option will remain VA Tech unless perhaps you move to an in-state school (but it sounds like you want a “very prestigious” school so I’m guessing you aren’t looking at another state option).
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For some people transferring is a great option and it works out well. But if you transfer know that the grass isn’t always greener. Many friends etc. are made freshman year so it can be difficult to come into a new school as a transfer. Also you need to be sure your coursework will transfer over (many transfers some classes).
@TesfayeB, If you were just accepted at VA Tech and are already considering transferring for financial reasons, this school is probably too expensive for you. How much can your parents afford to pay/year for your school? It seems from your posts last summer that you were pretty intent on getting into an Ivy. Is that because of the prestige or because your family income is ~$40k and you’re hoping for good need based aid? A 1600 SAT/19 ACT and 450+/- subject tests aren’t likely to get you into the competitive schools that offer great need based aid. If money is a deciding factor, you need a different strategy.
You’re in state for VA, right? Were the other VA schools that accepted you affordable? If your net cost at VA Tech isn’t affordable, you may want to check the [NACAC list](http://www.nacacnet.org/research/research-data/College-Openings/Pages/College-Openings-Results.aspx) of schools still accepting applications and see if any of the colleges that accepted you are on it. Maybe they would let you enroll if they still have a spot. Other options are applying to schools that are within commuting distance of your home so you can save on room and board fees by living at home, or starting at a cc and transferring to a 4-year school after you get your Associate’s degree.
Thanks for all the advice everyone. Not to sound defensive but I think that Virginia Tech accepted me because I am much more than an SAT score/standardized test score. I’ve taken several AP classes, I have a decent GPA, and I have been involved a lot in my community and in clubs/organizations at my school.
Possible schools I am interested in transferring to are:
Drexel University
Boston University
Syracuse University
William and Mary
UVA
Cornell
UPenn
and GW…some of the schools do not require my SAT score if I apply to transfer my sophomore year for junior year, but I do not think I would want to wait that long to transfer.
@shawnspencer yes I am in-state! 
The only schools that would make sense transferring to from VTech would be W&M, UVA, Cornell, Upenn, and GW.
Do you want to transfer to another school because VTech is not affordable, or because you don’t like it much?
If you apply Spring Sophomore year, they won’t look at your HS transcript nor your SAT scores, indeed. However, if you apply spring freshman year, you’ll have a lot resting on these first 5 classes you took. So, reassess after your first semester whether your plan is feasible.
If finances are an issue, I would avoid Drexel. The cost of attendance is second to only NYU I believe and they don’t give out the best aid packages. Aren’t these some of the same schools you applied to and couldn’t afford or get into initially? What do you think will be different?
I agree, the only schools that it would make sense to leave VT for would be William & Mary, UVa, and if affordable Cornell, Penn (possibly GW but it may not be worth the price differential). I do stand by my initial comments that it is a mistake to go to a school intending to transfer.
^I agree. Go to VTech, get involved, take advantage of everything it has to offer. Then, and only then, should you try to reassess. In any case, give it your all Fall freshman year.
Like others have mentioned, I recommend you go into your first year at Virginia Tech with an open mind, without the notion of immediately switching. You won’t enjoy your time there if that is the only thing that drives you. Alternatively if you are 100% sure you want to switch (ex: financially can’t afford it), you could take a gap year and apply to some safer schools with you high school stats. Given your record though, I think you would benefit from an admissions process that looked more at college grades rather than test scores (test optional schools also an option)
You have an excellent selection of colleges if you are instate for Virginia. You may want to also consider James Madison and George Mason University. Their proximity to the DC area could be an asset if looking for internships later down there road. By the same token American could also be a good fit.
I currently go to William & Mary. The model un team here is really good and has competed at several worldwide competitions. The political science and international relations program is also strong, based off quality of academics and opportunities for students. I am currently staying over the summer doing research on international aid and development after just my first year. PM me if you have more questions
However like I originally mentioned, take your freshman year to really figure out what you like and what you really don’t like about a college. There are many pathways to get to where you want to go and I think it will be to your benefit to really have some of your college record to show you are “more than a standardized test score” and you can handle the workload. Best of luck
Thank you guys! I never said I was going to officially transfer, but it has been on my mind lately. I want to go to a school with a strong Political Science program/government program. Finances won’t be a big issue, but I am seeking for more aid. I know Virginia Tech is more of a science/engineering school, so I am also taking that into consideration. I am sure I will love Tech the campus is beautiful, but I am not sure if I want to stay there for 4 years. I guess I could wait to transfer, but if I ended up with a 4.0 GPA at Tech would you all recommend that I should transfer for sophomore year (if I end up transferring)?
I wouldn’t recommend transferring without a solid financial plan for the remaining 3 years. There isn’t much merit aid for transfers and your parents won’t likely qualify for loans with a $40k income. How much can your parents pay/year? Did you qualify for Pell? Are you working? Add those to the ~$5500/year federal loan and look for colleges in that price range.
@austinmshauri that’s true! Well some of the schools I am looking into have pretty good financial aid packages for transfer students. My parent’s contribution would be $145 a year (which is very affordable) and as of right now I am not working. I am in the process of finding a job this summer. I do qualify for Pell grants. Thank you for the advice 
@TesfayeB, Are you able to graduate from VT without loans (or with just the federal student loans)? If so, that’s awesome. I’d think carefully before giving that up. A lot of kids can’t afford to go away to college at all. It sounds like you’re in good shape.
A 4.0 in college is VERY hard to get. Even a 3.75 places you in the elite of college students
You can try to transfer to other schools with good financial aid, less tech-y majors, and better IR programs - Tufts, Dickinson, Georgetown… - but this may not work out.