Chances for a Transfer Student to W&M

K9Leader
Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:31:10 +0000

Kelly57:

My son is OOS at William & Mary and my daughter will be starting at Bucknell next year. There is a cost differential, but not as much as you would think - T&F+R&B for OOS at W&M will be a hair under $40K next year and about $52K at Bucknell. We had pretty much written Bucknell off as too expensive, until my D got a merit scholarship that pretty much evens out its cost to the same as we will be paying for son at W&M.

My wife and I are W&M grads, so we love the school. My D is not going there because it has no engineering. If W&M had engineering, it probably would have been her choice as well. However, she really liked what she saw at Bucknell and is very happy to be going there (although we’ve told her she needs to find some more scholarships to help with the big price tag).

My wife was an OOS female transfer in to W&M (after two rejections and a waitlisting) and my two closest friends were transfers in as well. It sounds as though she has a good chance, although OOS female is the toughest for getting in.

What are the possibilities that her success at Bucknell might open some scholarship opportunities, both institutional and outside? At this point, the savings, assuming full price at each would be about $36,000 over her remaining three years, less if she has to go an extra semester, and you’re in the hole if she has to go another full year. And, frankly, the chance for any merit aid for an OOS transfer at W&M is about the same as winning the lottery without buying a ticket (for anyone else it is about the same as winning the lottery with buying a ticket - still virtually 0%).

Considering that she likes Bucknell, it is a good school, and she’s already 25% of the way through, the cost savings may not be as much as you had hoped (and could even end up costing more in the long run), and the trauma of transferring and reacclimating to another school, I’m not so sure transferring to anything but a significantly less-expensive (i.e., in-state public) would really be worth it. It sounds as though she has not already applied to W&M, so it would not be for next fall - Spring 2010 would be her first opportunity. Would she stay at Bucknell for Fall 2009? Sit out a semester? Get some community college courses?

Whatever you and she decides, good luck! Hope we can help you with this dilemma.