There is a pervasive myth in the world of transferring that if you couldn’t get in a college as a first-year, you can wait a year or two and have a better chance as a transfer. This can be true for some schools — especially small and medium-sized liberal arts schools — but it isn’t true for most of the top schools in the United States. Despite the fact the statistics rarely work out in favor of the idea that transferring is a back door into the best schools in the country, we’re constantly contacted by students (and their parents) who think that while the Ivy League wasn’t an option when they were a high school senior, it may be an option with some college under their belts.
Most Ivy League schools have a lower transfer acceptance rate than first-year acceptance rate. At Harvard, for example, less than 1% of transfer applicants are accepted. Columbia University is a rare example of a top college that has a higher acceptance rate for transfers than for first-year applicants. About 3% of high school seniors who apply to Columbia gain admission, whereas about 6% of transfer applicants receive a letter of acceptance.
All in all, over 100 transfer students end up at Columbia College annually. To get there, Columbia requires applicants to have a minimum GPA of 3.5, and they only accept the coalition application — not the common app — for transfer applicants.
As you prepare to apply to Columbia as a transfer student, your essays will be the most important piece of your application that you have complete control over in the short term. We’ve helped hundreds of students successfully earn admission to the world’s best schools, and we’ve learned a few tricks for transferring in the process.
Know What You Want
No matter when you’re applying to college, you need to know what you want to study. Even if you aren’t certain, you need to write like you are. Columbia wants students that they know will graduate in four years with minimal hiccups. Presenting a clear academic path is a great way of communicating that you deserve their confidence because you’re operating with conviction.
Communicate your Path
Even more important than simply what you will study is communicating how you will pursue it at Columbia. You’re leaving your current school for a reason, but why is Columbia a better fit? What does Columbia offer you academically that you can’t get where you are now? And simply being more prestigious doesn’t count as a reason. It’s imperative that you do your research into Columbia’s academic and extracurricular programs so that you can speak to the specifics of how you’ll spend your time there if you’re accepted as a student.
Be Blunt, But Avoid Badmouthing
Columbia doesn’t want to hear you talk smack about your current school. They don’t want to hear about how your professors are uninspiring or peers are idiots or the campus smells like bleu cheese (although we wouldn’t consider that a knock against it). They need to know that a move is necessary, but present the need for a change in as pragmatic and respectful a way as possible. If you are too dramatic about where you’re leaving, they’ll think you’ll bring that drama with you to them — and that’s a recipe for rejection.
Look to the Future
Plans change, and they should, but that doesn’t mean Columbia doesn’t appreciate applicants who can chart a path for themselves post-graduation. Be sure to share how you see yourself using a Columbia degree out in the real world.
As you explore applying to Columbia as a transfer, it’s also worth looking into the School of General Studies. Designed for non-traditional students who have left school for more than a year or want to attend college part-time, Columbia GS has a much higher acceptance rate than Columbia College, but the same classes, requirements, and diploma.
If you want the best team possible for your transfer admissions process, send us an email. We help students like you defy transfer statistics to find their dream school.