Transferring Colleges in the United States

The United States’ education system is unusual in that allows students to transfer from one school to another.   Deciding to transfer is a very important decision to make during your college career. If you are thinking about transferring, here is some information you should know to get started on the process.   The most common reasons for transferring are: (i) Moving from a two-year community college to a four-year college/university; (2) Trying to get into a better school; (3) Finding a school that offers a major that is unavailable at your current school.

(I) Community Colleges/Junior Colleges

Community Colleges are designed to be transfer schools and offer only the first two years of undergraduate study. Their graduates often go on to do the last two years of a bachelor’s degree at another school.  Many students choose such an approach to their university education because of the cost-effectiveness: community college tuition is low, though many community colleges offer great educations.

(II) Getting into a better school

For those students who want a second try at their dream schools or for those who simply want to trade up, transferring after your freshman or sophomore year might be an option.  It’s much easier to get into selective schools as a sophomore/junior than as a freshman.

(III) Majors

Given that US schools generally only require students to declare their majors in their sophomore year, sometimes students do not realize their preferred majors are unavailable at their schools until they’ve attended classes for a full year.  Students transferring for this reason are best advised to research which schools are highly respected in their preferred major before making their transfer choice.

Keep in mind that some “credits” may not be transferable. If you are transferring from a two-year school to a four-year school, you may be required to retake courses that you have already completed at the community college. Furthermore, some schools require you to complete a minimum number of credits at your new school before you can graduate (usually 60 credits or 2 years of coursework). This may delay your graduation date.