Upcoming transfer student question

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I'm am currently planning on transferring to Swarthmore next fall as a junior. For those of you that might now: is it too late to be considered into the honors program? And is it relatively possible to graduate on time when pursuing a double major?</p>

<p>Also, could someone (hopefully someone with first hand info) tell me what the honors program is like and how they got in.</p>

<p>Thank you ahead of time!</p>

<p>Try posting your questions on the Facebook Swarthmore College class of 2014 (the one with 319 members and an arial photograph of the college). You may get more current students to reply. There is also an official facebook page where you might get answers. Good luck.</p>

<p>I switched into the Honors program as a double major in the spring of my junior year, so it’s not at all unheard of - that said, I had already fulfilled all of my other distribution requirements, so it might be harder for a junior transfer. The process was incredibly easy for me, which is surprising because I’m a special major. I just filled out one form and talked with my advisors, and voila! Honors. Sometimes you just have to know who to talk to, and be driven on your own to do it. The application process shouldn’t be too hard, but again, you might run up against other difficulties within your major.</p>

<p>As for just being a double major, I don’t know too many people who have only one major. Almost everyone has a major and minors or double majors. And most of us graduate on time. :]</p>

<p>Swarthmore students write a Sophmore Paper that declares a major, outlines their course selections for the remainng four semesters, details any study abroad plans, and specifies whether or not they plan to pursue the Honors track. This paper is written in conjunction with a faculty advisor from their major department. </p>

<p>A lot of what you are asking is so specific that it needs to be worked out with your faculty advisor and the registrar. So much depends on the credits that you bring with you as a transfer. I don’t know where you stand in terms of communication, but I assume that, at some point this summer, you will be reviewing your transcript with the registrar’s office and communicating with a faculty advisor in your intended major. That’s the next step after you notify Swarthmore of your intention to accept their offer of a transfer spot.</p>

<p>A high percentage of Swarthmore students double major or major/minor (as Honors students do). Most of them do it in four years.</p>

<p>I’ve been trying to open the swarthmore website for a couple of days but apparently ‘the server cannot be found’ everytime. I applied to a couple of places in the states this year but wasn’t accepted. I’m an international student. Now I’m probably going to go for an engineering degree here in my own country but I plan to apply for a transfer. I know my chances are slim, given I’ll also be applying for aid but I’m applying nonetheless. My problem is, here there are no liberal arts programs. If I go for an engineering degree then that’s the only thing I’ll be studying for the next four years. I know swarthmore is the only liberal arts college to award a BS engineering degree so I was wondering if it might make it somewhat easier for me to transfer there. I’m only relatively speaking, of course. Would it matter that I won’t have fulfilled a lot of requirements when I apply for a transfer? Would they not allow me to catch up on those requirements upon transferring?</p>

<p>sorry but swarthmore does not offer financial aids to international transfer students. Williams does not accept international transfer student.
Amherst is the only college (among AWS) that offer financial aids to international transfer students (need-blind policy)</p>

<p>I think I saw you at BMC thread too. See if they offer financial aids to qualified international students.</p>

<p>“Financial aid is available to foreign students who are applying as freshmen. None is available for transfers, so the College does not accept transfer applications from foreign students who require aid.”</p>

<p>[Swarthmore</a> College | Admissions | Frequently Asked Questions<br> for International Students](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/FAQintl.xml]Swarthmore”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/FAQintl.xml)</p>

<p>Thanks ohilkyusat. I finally got through to the website. It was such a disappointment. Anyway, here’s what bryn mawr had to say.</p>

<p>Foreign citizens may apply for transfer to Bryn Mawr. However, only those students who are currently attending U.S. colleges or universities may be considered for grant and loan support from the College. To learn more, please read the Bryn Mawr Common Application Supplement for Transfer Students. </p>

<p>So Bryn Mawr’s ruled out. That leaves very few universities to where I can transfer. Colgate, Mount holyoke, cornell are the only ones so far. Not that I was planning on it, but even harvard says it doesn’t ‘ordinarily’ accept transfer students pursuing vocational degrees. Engineering qualifies as a vocational degree?</p>

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<p>I wouldn’t bet on it. Amherst has now capped their international enrollment as part of an effort to reduce the finanical aid budgets. Amherst’s budgeted financial aid cuts are more severe than Swarthmore’s.</p>

<p>to interesteddad: Well, at least international students can apply as a transfer along with financial aid (amherst) Williams does not accept any international transfer, swarthmore doesn’t accept international with financial aid. That was my point.</p>

<p>I understand that amherst currently has several problems with its endowments (especially cash flows etc) but at least international students can apply!</p>

<p>and sorry about that noonesfool. maybe you can take a gap year?</p>

<p>I hate to say this, but I’d agree with interesteddad. If the financial budget cuts are severe then there’s no chance at all of getting a package. It sucks, ohilkyusat, but I can’t take a gap year. I already am on one, you see. So its kind of a dilemma. Thanks for your help anyway.</p>