Can someone please explain what a transfer student is? Also, does a transfer student applying to colleges need to take the ACT or submit ACT scores?
Transfer students are simply those who have already attended a post-secondary educational institution. Typically the best time to transfer is after the first 2 years of college and at that time, you do not need ACT or SAT scores but your college transcripts. If you choose to transfer after a single year, you might have to send your ACT/SAT scores along with your high school transcripts.
A transfer student is typically someone who has attended college after high school graduation but wants to start attending a different college, using the college credit earned at the previous college (transfer credit) to fulfill some of the degree requirements at his/her new college. There may be some variations in the definition depending on the college one applies to transfer to.
Whether ACT, SAT or other high school based credentials are needed to transfer to a selective (i.e. not open admission) college depends on the college one applies to transfer to. If transferring as a junior (after completion of two years’ worth of college courses), high school based credentials including ACT or SAT scores tend to be less important (or not considered at some colleges) compared to transferring with less college course work.