Transfer Admissions

There are many reasons why students choose to transfer schools during their higher education journey. The reality is, it’s not as simple as selecting a new college or university and enrolling, especially for students hoping to apply to more selective institutions. At IvyWise, our college transfer counselors work with students to understand why they want to transfer, what they want out of their new school — academically, socially, and financially — and what it will take to achieve that goal. If your answer is “yes” to any of the questions below, exploring transfer admissions with our experts is the right move for you.

• Have your academic interests and goals changed?
• Is the campus experience not what you expected?
• Are the academics at your current school too rigorous or perhaps not challenging enough?
• Are you hoping to gain admission to a top school after a successful first year of college?
• Are you looking to transfer from a two-year school to a four-year university?
• Is your current school not a good financial fit?

Transfer applications are reviewed holistically, meaning all factors like grades, activities, essays, recommendations, and more are taken into consideration when deciding which transfer students to admit. However, colleges are also looking at their institutional needs when filling spots for transfer students.

IvyWise transfer admissions counselors have extensive experience evaluating transfer applications and making admissions decisions — they know how your transfer application will be evaluated and what you can do to stand out. For more information, check out our blog article on how transfer applications are evaluated.

Students can transfer to any number of four-year institutions including:

• • Public Universities
  • Private Colleges and Universities
  • Ivy League or Elite Universities
  • International Universities

IvyWise will help you identify the best-fit schools for you, depending on your academic goals and needs.

The transfer admissions process can take about 3-6 months from start to finish, depending on when you decide to transfer, how prepared you are, application deadlines, and more. At IvyWise, we recommend getting started on your transfer admissions journey as soon as possible so you can have ample support deciding if and when to transfer, crafting a thoughtful transfer college list, and putting together compelling transfer applications with the help of IvyWise expert counselors.

It depends on the school you currently attend and the school you’d like to attend. Do your research to find out how your credits will transfer from your current school to a new school. At IvyWise, we work with students in the transfer admissions process to not only identify the best-fit college to transfer to, but also help them decide where to attend depending on how transferring will impact their educational journey.

Soft factors such as essays, extracurricular activities, and recommendations are important for transfer admissions because they help admissions officers determine how a student will fit into the campus community and make an impact if they are admitted. However, transfer applicants must be academically qualified to have the best chance for admission, so performing well in current college courses is critical. At IvyWise we support transfer applicants through all parts of the admissions process, from help with soft factors to tutoring to improve “hard factors” like grades.

Transfer application deadlines are usually in the spring for admission to the next fall semester, however, deadlines can vary by institution. It’s important to do your research on transfer application deadlines when creating your transfer application strategy. You can transfer at any point in your undergraduate career, however, most students usually transfer after their first year.

According to Forbes research, about 2.1 million college transfer students moved from one institution to another during the 2020-21 school year. So you are not alone in this journey! Transferring is a common part of the college experience, and our counselors are here to guide you every step of the way so that you can transfer to a college where you will be successful and happy.