My DS Says He Wants to Transfer

[Anonymous]

I’m confused about the preferred schools for transferring. They are all more competitive to get into and likely more academically challenging. What argument would your son make for why he should be admitted?

[Anonymous]

Great that your child gave so much thought to it but wtf with waiting until now to look into it? Don't they recall the college application process from less than a year ago?

I agree transferring when we were in school was uncommon but these days I see friends kids do this a more more so I dont think it is a big deal - kudos for them wanting to try to find a better fit. But unfortunate that they waited so long to look into it. They have have to do what another friends kid who waited too long - ended up not going back in Sept and transferring in spring session.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m confused about the preferred schools for transferring. They are all more competitive to get into and likely more academically challenging. What argument would your son make for why he should be admitted?

For a lot of schools GPA is basically all that matters in transfer admissions. It can be much easier than getting in for undergrad depending on the school.

For UC schools you are at a disadvantage as a transfer student if you are coming from a 4-year school versus a CC.

[Anonymous]

A bad roommate or dorm social situation can discourage a student from continuing at the school. Maybe stick it out in a new living situation next year, could be better.

The problem with switching schools is that most kids find their friends/roommates freshman year. Being new to the school in year #2 is hard, especially if your student is socially challenged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great that your child gave so much thought to it but wtf with waiting until now to look into it? Don't they recall the college application process from less than a year ago?

I agree transferring when we were in school was uncommon but these days I see friends kids do this a more more so I dont think it is a big deal - kudos for them wanting to try to find a better fit. But unfortunate that they waited so long to look into it. They have have to do what another friends kid who waited too long - ended up not going back in Sept and transferring in spring session.

??? You generally have to wait until you have a specified amount of credits to transfer unless you have a lot of AP credits. Kids don't transfer until the end of sophomore year in my experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great that your child gave so much thought to it but wtf with waiting until now to look into it? Don't they recall the college application process from less than a year ago?

I agree transferring when we were in school was uncommon but these days I see friends kids do this a more more so I dont think it is a big deal - kudos for them wanting to try to find a better fit. But unfortunate that they waited so long to look into it. They have have to do what another friends kid who waited too long - ended up not going back in Sept and transferring in spring session.

??? You generally have to wait until you have a specified amount of credits to transfer unless you have a lot of AP credits. Kids don't transfer until the end of sophomore year in my experience.

um no? Most kids transfer after freshman year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great that your child gave so much thought to it but wtf with waiting until now to look into it? Don't they recall the college application process from less than a year ago?

I agree transferring when we were in school was uncommon but these days I see friends kids do this a more more so I dont think it is a big deal - kudos for them wanting to try to find a better fit. But unfortunate that they waited so long to look into it. They have have to do what another friends kid who waited too long - ended up not going back in Sept and transferring in spring session.

??? You generally have to wait until you have a specified amount of credits to transfer unless you have a lot of AP credits. Kids don't transfer until the end of sophomore year in my experience.

um no? Most kids transfer after freshman year.

If you are rejected from UMich as hs senior, they expect 60 credits completed before they will accept you as a transfer there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:His grades are good and he made the equivalent of the dean’s list first semester (they just don’t call it that).

He’s currently at a state flagship. He is looking for a mid-sized university along the lines of G’town, Tufts, Vandy, etc.

We talked more and he was very calm about the whole thing, and thoughtful. He said he has friends and that’s not the issue (I believe that is true: he was invited to go on a spring break trip and he went. It sounded like he had a good time).

He said he was sorry for keeping it all in but he was truly trying to give it a chance. He said he kept looking at the transfer application deadline dates and talking himself out of applying because he didn’t want to be a quitter. But now he said he actually feels it in the pit of his stomach that he made the wrong decision, and he wants to right it if he can.

He said he would go and do more research but he believes some places have rolling admissions even for transfers.

Not sure how to support him, but I did tell him it was his decision.

He has missed the transfer deadline for all 3 of the colleges. In some cases, the deadline is in November for the following year. In one of these cases, transfer for the spring semester is an option with applications due in November. Applying fir a mid year transfer next year may be his best bet. That would allow him the fall semester to align his courses with requirements for the new college, which are decisions that should be made now. This whole process involves long term planning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great that your child gave so much thought to it but wtf with waiting until now to look into it? Don't they recall the college application process from less than a year ago?

I agree transferring when we were in school was uncommon but these days I see friends kids do this a more more so I dont think it is a big deal - kudos for them wanting to try to find a better fit. But unfortunate that they waited so long to look into it. They have have to do what another friends kid who waited too long - ended up not going back in Sept and transferring in spring session.

??? You generally have to wait until you have a specified amount of credits to transfer unless you have a lot of AP credits. Kids don't transfer until the end of sophomore year in my experience.

um no? Most kids transfer after freshman year.

If you are rejected from UMich as hs senior, they expect 60 credits completed before they will accept you as a transfer there.

Michigan is a poor example. He’s already at a state flagship and is not interested in another one.

[Anonymous]

Let's just say some kids treat going away to college like being a lion let out into the wild and make for truly horrible roommates. Freshman year in the dorms with an assigned roommate is a miserable experience for a lot of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great that your child gave so much thought to it but wtf with waiting until now to look into it? Don't they recall the college application process from less than a year ago?

I agree transferring when we were in school was uncommon but these days I see friends kids do this a more more so I dont think it is a big deal - kudos for them wanting to try to find a better fit. But unfortunate that they waited so long to look into it. They have have to do what another friends kid who waited too long - ended up not going back in Sept and transferring in spring session.

??? You generally have to wait until you have a specified amount of credits to transfer unless you have a lot of AP credits. Kids don't transfer until the end of sophomore year in my experience.

Actually the opposite is usually the case. Most colleges want a minimum of 60 credits at their school in order to award a degree. The later any student waits, the dicier this becomes . . . Unless s/he wants to spend a 5th year for their undergrad degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great that your child gave so much thought to it but wtf with waiting until now to look into it? Don't they recall the college application process from less than a year ago?

I agree transferring when we were in school was uncommon but these days I see friends kids do this a more more so I dont think it is a big deal - kudos for them wanting to try to find a better fit. But unfortunate that they waited so long to look into it. They have have to do what another friends kid who waited too long - ended up not going back in Sept and transferring in spring session.

??? You generally have to wait until you have a specified amount of credits to transfer unless you have a lot of AP credits. Kids don't transfer until the end of sophomore year in my experience.

Actually the opposite is usually the case. Most colleges want a minimum of 60 credits at their school in order to award a degree. The later any student waits, the dicier this becomes . . . Unless s/he wants to spend a 5th year for their undergrad degree.

A lot of schools make you wait until you have 30 credits to transfer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe help by calling places + ask about transgfers + have your son follow up.

No. This is her son’s responsibility

Huh?

Huh? Why don’t you understand? He’s an adult. His mommy should not be calling around trying to figure out transfer deadlines for help.

I do understand. It’s a dumb comment.

Agree, dumb and unnecessary comment from our resident hateful poster. Family supports family, nothing wrong with being there for each other. No one is suggesting Op do ALL the work, but given that her son is probably back at school in a full time capacity, he's going to need some assistance from the outside with the time frame. I, my husband, in fact my whole family, are always there for each other. We just pick up the phone and know there's help if we need it, it's such a comforting feeling and I fully attribute this to my parents hard work in creating and maintaining our family ties. I feel for the hateful poster who see life in such a lonely and hurtful way, she's on many threads. Perhaps therapy? But for that to work you can't be closed minded, second thought, probably won't work.

[Anonymous]

Vanderbilt

"You are strongly encouraged to meet our March 15 priority application deadline. While we’ll continue to review applications on a rolling basis over the late spring/early summer months, we typically stop accepting new applications by May 1."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:His grades are good and he made the equivalent of the dean’s list first semester (they just don’t call it that).

He’s currently at a state flagship. He is looking for a mid-sized university along the lines of G’town, Tufts, Vandy, etc.

We talked more and he was very calm about the whole thing, and thoughtful. He said he has friends and that’s not the issue (I believe that is true: he was invited to go on a spring break trip and he went. It sounded like he had a good time).

He said he was sorry for keeping it all in but he was truly trying to give it a chance. He said he kept looking at the transfer application deadline dates and talking himself out of applying because he didn’t want to be a quitter. But now he said he actually feels it in the pit of his stomach that he made the wrong decision, and he wants to right it if he can.

He said he would go and do more research but he believes some places have rolling admissions even for transfers.

Not sure how to support him, but I did tell him it was his decision.

You could be describing my son. We had exactly the same way conversation, but not until July after his first year. He ended up taking a year off (worked, volunteered and did an internship) and then transferred to a school that was in all ways except for size the complete opposite of the school he started out at. He had a great experience there and then went on to law school. He's 27 now and his -- and our -- perspective is that every step in this process was an important learning experience that helped him become the person he is today. I hope that whatever your son decides to do, things work out as well for him.