How soon is too soon for transfer applications?

[elegantlion]

Ds wants to transfer after the 2016-17 school year. I know this will be school specific, but in general is late this summer too early to apply? I know we probably won't have financial information until next spring, but it would be nice for him to get some of the application process done before this next semester starts and we all get busy. 

 

He'll have 27 completed hours, with a high GPA, and a couple of professors willing to write references. 

[JanetC]

I would say August 1 (when the common app opens) is probably the earliest colleges would want to receive apps. Essay questions are available now if he would like to start writing those. Getting letters done over the summer while professors are less busy is also a good idea.

[J-rap]

My dd applied (not as a transfer, but as a first year) in August a year in advance.  It didn't seem to be a problem with the schools, so I assume you could do the same as a transfer.  The only small glitch was that some schools' application questions/process/fees changed a bit from year to year, so she would sometimes have to go back in and tweak everything once the new application was online.  (usually in the fall)  With one college, someone there actually had to hand enter all of her information into the new application once it was up, but it all worked out in the end.

 

 

Edited June 9, 2016 by J-rap

[G5052]

For the one DS plans to transfer to, there is a guaranteed admission agreement in place if they are going from CC to there if you meet all the criteria.

 

You "declare" upon completion of 45 hours and then apply by March 1 of the calendar year you intend (fall only for his program). We were told that they pretty much ignore the applications until after January 1st because they want a fall transcript.

 

We'll probably do it over the holidays so that it's done.

[elegantlion]

This is be a transfer from a 4 year state university to, well at this point the list is about 5 schools long. Sounds like August would be a good time to start, thank you. 

[Pegasus]

Wow, it varies so much from school to school.  The student really needs to visit the website of each potential school to research transfer requirements.  DD will be transferring spring 2017 and spring transfers are even more complex.  For one potential school, she had to apply by early December 2015 in order to be eligible for scholarships.  For a second potential school, the application doesn't even open for her until August 2016, so a full 8 months later!

 

The first school has already accepted her and offered a scholarship.  We won't know until well into the fall semester if the second school accepts her into her competitive major.

[elegantlion]

Wow, it varies so much from school to school.  The student really needs to visit the website of each potential school to research transfer requirements.  DD will be transferring spring 2017 and spring transfers are even more complex.  For one potential school, she had to apply by early December 2015 in order to be eligible for scholarships.  For a second potential school, the application doesn't even open for her until August 2016, so a full 8 months later!

 

The first school has already accepted her and offered a scholarship.  We won't know until well into the fall semester if the second school accepts her into her competitive major.

 

He has been checking dates and it seems like most are in the fall, with scholarship deadlines running from Jan-Mar. He's going to have a busy fall schedule, so anything we can get started before the semester gets in full swing would be good. 

[Gwen in VA]

Dd found that as a music major even early December is late to start. (Thankfully all the schools she applied to accepted her late application -- with specific permission from the head of the department....)

 

Best wishes! Transferring is a hard process.

 

(I transferred ages ago when there were wolves in Wales, dd transferred last fall..... for both of us it was the right thing to do, but it wasn't easy!)