Joan Isaac Mohr
Vice President and Dean of Admissions
Quinnipiac University
Sometimes, you don’t have a choice about transferring colleges. You may need to move from a two-year to a four-year college to complete your degree, or you might have changed your mind and selected a major that’s not available at the college where you first enrolled. Sometimes, students start at one school hoping to improve their academic record and plan to transfer to a more competitive institution. Or, in some cases, personal and/or family circumstances change, and you must transfer closer to home for a variety of reasons. \
The most important thing you can do is evaluate your current situation closely and make the decision that is best for you. Transferring colleges is not the simplest process, but if you do your research and get organized, it can be fairly easy and beneficial.
Michelle Lockhart
Former Senior Director of Admissions
Oklahoma City University
The answer to this depends on a lot of different factors. First, what type of institution are you currently attending? If you are at a two-year college, you'll likely want to or need to transfer to a four-year college or university to get your bachelor’s degree. Or you might be at a four-year college where factors in changing institutions could depend on your major, location, class size, or cost.
The most important question you can ask yourself before starting the transfer process is “Why?” Whether you need a new scene or you’re trying to find a major that your current school doesn’t offer, really examine your motives to make certain that a college transfer will help solve your problems. All of these are valid reasons, but only you know what's right for you.
For more advice on transferring from people who’ve been there, listen to the "Thinking About Transferring?" episode of the CollegeXpress podcast.