Did you settle for your second choice school after being rejected by your dream school? Perhaps you’ve realized that the college you’re attending isn’t the right fit, or that you want to pursue a major not offered at your current institution. While these situations can feel discouraging, transferring can offer a fresh start. Now equipped with a better understanding of your preferences, your goals, and the college admissions process, you have a new opportunity to find the right fit, pursue your academic goals, and take advantage of resources not available to you at your current school. Transferring can also be a strategic way to leverage your odds of admission at some of the most competitive schools in the nation, where transfer admissions rates are often significantly higher than freshmen admission rates. But just like applying to college for the first time, the transfer process requires careful planning and research to maximize your chances of success.
Where Should You Apply as a Transfer Student?
One of the most critical steps in the transfer admissions process is assembling a strategic “College List 2.0.” This updated list should reflect your current academic and personal goals, so take how you have learned and grown during your time at your current school into account as you add schools to your list. Consider key questions such as: Does this school offer my intended major? Does it provide the extracurricular and research opportunities I want to explore? Is it academically rigorous enough to challenge me? Visiting the schools on your “College List 2.0” is an important way to gauge whether the colleges would be a good fit—even if you visited as a freshman applicant, seeing a college with fresh eyes and a more critical understanding of your needs can help you determine whether you would be a good fit on campus.
Equally important is understanding each school’s transfer requirements. As a transfer applicant, you may be required to meet a certain minimum GPA threshold, complete coursework prerequisites, finish a certain number of semesters at your current institution, or submit standardized test scores or letters of recommendation from current instructors. This is not the case at every school—for instance, UVA does not require standardized test scores, and Barnard allows students to transfer both in the fall and the spring. However, many top schools have strict policies for transfer applicants. Columbia only accepts fall applicants and requires students to complete 24 credits and maintain a 3.5 GPA in order to be eligible for transfer admission. Meanwhile, transfer applicants to Emory must have completed 28 credit hours and maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 in order to apply. Students should note that these requirements may vary depending on the program or school they are applying to within a university, as is the case at Cornell.
Finally, the most significant question to consider is: Will the school offer unique opportunities and resources not available at my current institution? This is not only important for your own evaluation of your options—colleges will expect you to compellingly articulate what their institution provides that you are currently lacking as you pursue your academic and professional aspirations. As a part of the transfer application, students submit a personal statement, which should be devoted in large part to the specific reasons that they are transferring and why they want to transfer to the specific institution to which they are applying.
Top Schools with the Best Transfer Admissions Rates
While it shouldn’t be the only or primary consideration, transfer students should also take note of which top schools have significantly higher transfer rates than their freshman acceptance rates. Particularly if a student originally hoped to attend a Top 25 college, transferring can offer more favorable odds of admission. The following schools are highly-ranked, academically rigorous institutions with transfer acceptance rates more than double their freshman admission rates:
- Northeastern
- Freshman acceptance rate: 5.6%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 24.3%
- Factor Increase: 4.30x
- Boston University
- Freshman acceptance rate: 10.8%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 39.7%
- Factor Increase: 3.66x
- Tulane
- Freshman acceptance rate: 14.6%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 50.6%
- Factor Increase: 3.47x
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Freshman acceptance rate: 8.7%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 26.3%
- Factor Increase: 3.01x
- Vanderbilt
- Freshman acceptance rate: 6.3%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 18.9%
- Factor Increase: 3.01x
- Barnard
- Freshman acceptance rate: 8.0%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 20.7%
- Factor Increase: 2.59x
- Columbia
- Freshman acceptance rate: 4.0%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 10.1%
- Factor Increase: 2.53x
- University of Southern California
- Freshman acceptance rate: 10.0%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 24.4%
- Factor Increase: 2.44x
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Freshman acceptance rate: 18.7%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 45.1%
- Factor Increase: 2.40x
- University of California, Berkeley
- Freshman acceptance rate: 11.7%
- Transfer acceptance rate: 26.8%
- Factor Increase: 2.28x
Transferring to a top college offers a unique opportunity to reset your academic trajectory and take advantage of resources and experiences that may not be available at your current school. While these heightened admissions rates promise greater odds of admission to a top school, the key to success isn’t just about targeting schools with favorable acceptance rates—it’s about finding institutions that align with your academic goals, personal interests, and career aspirations. It is therefore critical for students to approach the process with intentional strategy and thoughtful introspection. With transfer deadlines approaching in March, now is the time to research top schools, assemble a balanced list, and begin crafting standout transfer applications.
For more on transferring into your dream school, check out Command Education’s complete guide and schedule a free consult today!
