The Pros and Cons of Transferring Colleges
If you’re planning on transferring colleges, applications are due soon. There are several good reasons to transfer colleges, especially if you’re finding that you’re not fully satisfied at your current school. But transferring colleges can be a lot of work. Before deciding whether transferring colleges is right for you, consider a few pros and cons:
Pros:
A chance to study at your first-choice college. Perhaps your grades weren’t quite where they needed to be, or you were waitlisted and didn’t make the final cut. Whatever the reason, if you missed out on the first-choice the first time around, transferring might be the right choice for you. By this point, make sure your grades are outstanding, and you have a good number of references to make your transfer application really stand out.
Finding a college that’s a better fit. If you’re feeling out of place at your current college, either socially or academically, then maybe a change would do you good. Just make sure that the college you choose to transfer to has the opportunities you are looking for before you transfer. Keep in mind that, sometimes, it takes a while for a new place to really feel like home. And a transfer of schools might feel similar at first to your current experience. But if your current college is just not the right place for you, then find the place that is right.
Personal growth. Change is difficult. Moving is difficult. And if you transfer schools, you’ll be faced with both. However, oftentimes the more difficult the task, the more personal growth comes from it. If transferring colleges is really the right choice for you, then accept the challenge. Face it head-on and come out the other side feeling stronger and more confident.
Cons:
Some credits might not transfer. This is a major consideration when transferring colleges. Some of the classes you have taken at your current college may be different from the college you are transferring to. Or, the new college might expect you to take certain classes that are specific to their curriculum. Either way, there’s a chance that some of your current credits will not transfer. This might set you back a bit in terms of timing. Having to retake classes or make-up classes that your new school requires will take a semester or two. Before transferring, talk to your advisor and an advisor at the new college to make sure you can transfer as many credits as you can.
You’ll have to relive the whole application process. In most ways, applying to transfer colleges is going to mirror your experience of applying to college the first time around. You’ll be faced with many of the same tasks such as writing essays and finding letters of recommendation. It’s going to be time consuming, and you’ll be expected to do a lot of the work while still doing your classwork and maintaining your grades at your current college. If you plan on transferring, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to work on the applications. Also, make sure you have some good professors you can ask for letters of recommendation. Just like the first time around, these elements will be an important part of your application. At Ivy Link, our transfer students typically work on their applications at the end of December or in January during the holidays. However, many students will work with us on strategies to build their resume and enhance their profiles during the fall of their first year.
Leaving behind the new friends you have made. This can be hard in any situation. Chances are you’ve made some new friends at your current college. You’ve bonded with these friends because you’re all in a new situation and a new place. It can be hard to leave these people behind and start new once again. But if transferring colleges is really the right choice for you, then you can bet that you’ll make new friends there. It might take a little while, but you’ll find your place at the new college just as you did in your current college.
In our experience, the majority of our students who transferred were happy with their decision. Deciding to transfer should not be taken lightly. In addition to advising our students with their applications, as well as strategies to help them stand out to admissions readers, we work with them to decide whether or not to transfer in the first place. To learn more about transfer advising with Ivy Link, contact us below.
