Webinar overview
Deciding to transfer often comes with real uncertainty about whether it’s the right move, where to apply, and whether your record is strong enough. This webinar is designed for college students and families weighing a transfer to a selective college. You’ll learn:
- How admissions officers read a transfer application and which parts of your college record carry the most weight
- Which courses and grades this academic year matter most to selective colleges reviewing transfer applicants
- Whether SAT or ACT scores and AP credits still matter when you apply as a transfer student
- How campus involvement, leadership roles, and work experience in college strengthen a transfer application
- How to research fit and write a transfer essay that connects your goals to a specific school
- Live answers to your specific questions during an interactive Q&A with James
Meet your webinar host: James Crawley
James is a former Admissions Officer at Purdue University, where he reviewed thousands of transfer applications, and currently serves as Prepory’s Program Manager with over a decade of admissions experience. His transfer students have been admitted to some of the country’s most selective institutions, including Cornell University, Georgetown University, and the University of Chicago, among others.
Meet your webinar host:
James is a former Admissions Officer at Purdue University, where he reviewed thousands of transfer applications, and currently serves as Prepory’s Program Manager with over a decade of admissions experience. His transfer students have been admitted to some of the country’s most selective institutions, including Cornell University, Georgetown University, and the University of Chicago, among others.
Frequently asked questions about transfer admissions
Admissions officers look first at your college grades and course rigor, since your transcript shows how you perform in a real college environment. They're checking whether you've challenged yourself academically and whether your performance trends upward. Beyond grades, they look at why you want to transfer and whether that reason is specific to their school, not just a general desire for change. Campus involvement, leadership, and work experience round out the picture, showing how you've used your time in college so far. Your essay ties it together by connecting your academic goals to what that particular school offers.
It depends on the school and how many college credits you've completed. Many colleges weigh test scores less heavily for transfer applicants than they do for freshman applicants, especially once you have a semester or two of college grades to show instead. Some schools still request scores if you're applying with fewer credits, and AP credit can matter for meeting course prerequisites or general education requirements. The honest answer is that your college transcript becomes the primary evidence of your readiness, with test scores and AP credit playing a smaller, supporting role depending on the institution.
A transfer essay has to explain a specific reason for leaving your current school and arriving at a new one, which freshman essays don't need to do. Admissions officers are reading for fit: can you name specific programs, professors, or opportunities at their school that connect to your academic goals? A vague essay about wanting a change or a better reputation won't convince anyone. The strongest transfer essays show genuine research into the new school and a clear throughline from what you've learned about yourself in college so far to what you want to pursue next.
Yes, and it may be even more useful before a final decision is made. James walks through exactly what admissions officers weigh when reading a transfer file, which helps your student figure out whether their current grades, involvement, and goals already make a strong case or whether they need another semester to build one. Understanding the process now means your student can make intentional choices about course selection, campus involvement, and timing instead of scrambling later. Attending early gives you more room to plan, whether that means applying this cycle or waiting a year.
