where can/should i transfer to?

college_ruled
Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:09:10 +0000

I think Vassar only had 10 transfer spots for over 300 applicants. (Or some other ridiculous statistic). The collegeboard website lists transfer admit rates, by the way.

The problem with liberal arts schools is that they don’t have a lot of spaces for transfers. In addition, they are less likely to be need blind/ meet full need for transfers. On the other hand, if you are a full pay at Reed, that would be a huge plus. NYT article about this here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/business/economy/10reed.html?scp=1&sq=reed%20college&st=cse

If you are female, the all women’s colleges, aka Mount Holyoke and Smith, have more statistically favorable admit rates. Hendrix, Kalamazoo, Oberlin, Kenyon, Earlham, and Beloit are all in the midwest but might be worth looking into. Also investigate the colleges listed in the Colleges that Change Lives book, and the LACs ranked below and slightly above Bard.

I’m pretty sure that Bard is test optional, but other schools may not be. You might want to take an ACT practice test, and see if you find that goes better. Obviously, retaking a standardized test shouldn’t distract from your studies, but it is another data point that could potentially be in your favor.

As a heads up, LACs generally require you to spend 2 full years on campus, so it’s good that you would study abroad before you apply. However, I’ve found that schools are super picky when they will let you interview (often they’ll make you wait until after the freshmen rush is over), so you might want to figure out interview logistics before you study abroad.

Good luck!