Advice from Former Transfers

gprime
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:23:51 +0000

Based on my experience, I’d say:

Schools that want demonstrated interest expect less in that regard from transfers. They realize you can’t miss a week of class to drive down and take a student tour. Just the application will suffice, because the strain involved in transferring signifies interest pretty strongly on its own. At most, get the application in a bit early, or inquire about something simple like credit transferring.

Since most of the application variables, such as old SAT scores or cumulative GPA up until the time you apply is essentially beyond your control, focus on what you can do. In practical terms, this means spending additional time constructing a strong essay that outlines a solid reason for transferring to the specific institution, without insulting your current college, or coming off as a brown-noser. Obviously, this is not an issue for schools that lack supplemental essays, such as WashU, but is helpful elsewhere.