The majority of our school specific blog posts focus on schools with an acceptance rate of less than 30%, but we decided to flip the script and put together a list of the top 100 liberal arts schools that had an acceptance rate of 35% and above for the class of 2022.

The transfer essay prompt is going to be “why do you want to transfer.” There are a few important key points you are going to want hit. In many of our past blog posts, we have stressed the need to use the essay to expand upon a personality characteristic that is not expressed elsewhere in your application.  

Scripps College is a women’s liberal arts college and one of the five Claremont Colleges. With a student body hovering just around 1,000, Scripps boasts small class sizes.  The campus is widely-regarded as one of the most beautiful in the nation. The acceptance rate is under 30 percent.

Located in Houston, TX, Rice University is a private research university known for its small student-teacher ratio and its science programs. In 2017, Rice accepted 16 percent of applicants.  

Lafayette is a private liberal arts school in Easton, Pennsylvania. The school has a close-knit community vibe and an undergraduate class of approximately 2,500 students. The acceptance rate for the class of 2022 was 29.5%. There is only one writing supplement this year.

The good thing about writing a common app transfer essay is that you’re already familiar with the process. You’ve already made a common app account, filled out all of the logistical sections, and hit submit. The even better news is that this time around you’re asked a much more direct question. You have 650 words to explain why you want to transfer and what you hope to achieve. The objective is incredibly clear and the question leaves a lot less room for interpretation.

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely a parent of a student that just got deferred and we are here to tell you that it’s going to be okay. You have questions, and we have answers below.

When it comes to picking classes for junior year (and all years, really) it’s important to keep in mind that you’re positioning yourself to apply to college. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for an admissions counselor to discern what you want to major in and what your academic interests are. You’re painting a picture of who you are, and your class list is one of the ways to showcase your talents and interests.

Early Decision II is an application option offered only by some schools. It’s binding, so students must attend the school if granted application but most deadlines fall on or around January 1st (the same time as regular decision). ED II applicants usually receive a decision in mid-February.  

Let’s start by saying that if you’re reading this right now and you’re a junior, you should have started yesterday. But to be fair, this is a question we often get from everyone from parents of students in 8th grade to high school seniors, so we’re going to expand on this.