Adult Transfer options [23 years old, 2.66 GPA in 3 semesters of college]

[ucbalumnus]

@annaliese67

1. transfer from a top 30 university to a small college/university (not in top 100); or 2) to take classes as a non-degree seeking student at a local university or community college, and then apply to an adult entry program at a higher ranked school; or 3) to take classes non-degree seeking, and reapply for January or Fall 2026?

Is the school in option (1) a good fit (realistic for admission, academic programs, cost, size, etc.)? Are the schools that may be applied to in (2) or (3) better fits than the school in option (1)?

In the case of (2) or (3), community colleges may be better set up to assist students with transfer preparation.

Note that age 24 affects whether the student is considered independent versus dependent for FAFSA purposes and colleges that follow the FAFSA rules on that for financial aid purposes.