Allen Grove at About.com recently wrote a good article entitled “5 Good Reasons to Transfer to a New College“. Allen lists 5 of the most common reasons that students transfer from one college to another. There are good reasons where a transfer to another college is appropriate. But, more often than not, the reason for a transfer to another college is inadequate planning when first choosing a college.
Let’s look at several of the reasons listed in the article. Reason 1 for a transfer: Financial Necessity. I have written many times about the need to understand college financial aid before choosing a college. If you understand financial aid and consider it when making the decision of where to apply to college, the chances that you will need to transfer for financial reasons is substantially reduced.
Reason 2: Academic Upgrade. If you understand what your qualifications are and what colleges are looking for, you have a much higher chance of being accepted at a college that is academically appropriate for you. It is true that many very qualified students are not accepted into the most selective colleges, but if you have planned your match and safety colleges appropriately, then you should have been accepted into an appropriate academic college to begin with.
Reason 5: Social Situation. If you have spent the time to investigate colleges before applying, you should understand the social situation at those colleges when you apply. To understand the social situation at a college will generally involve visiting the college, either before applying or after acceptance. This is why I also tell people to visit a college before making the decision on whether to attend or not.
By doing some work before applying to college, you can hopefully avoid the need to transfer to another college.
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