college essay guy transfer

How to Write a Successful College Transfer Essay 2024

It’s hard to write a one-size-fits all approach for college transfer essays . Why? As Dan Nannini , Transfer Center Director at Santa Monica College , pointed out to me last week, “Every student is just so darn different.”

He’s right. And given the great variety of reasons for students transferring—from military deployment , moving from community college to a university , to simply not vibing with a particular school—it may seem impossible to create a method that can work for everyone.

But I’d like to try.

So below, I’m going to lay out steps for writing a strong college transfer essay, and offer some college transfer essay examples.

And, as with all my other resources, take this is not The Only Way but instead A Pretty Good Way .

As a transfer student wondering how to start a transfer essay, you’re probably dealing with some version of this prompt:

"Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve."

I happen to believe there are…

Seven Essential steps for writing a transfer essay:

Establish some of your core values.

Explain why you chose your current school (the one you’re leaving) in the first place.

Offer specific reasons why you want to leave your current school.

Show how you’ve made the best of things in your current situation.

What do you want to do/be/study? (aka: What’s your dream?)

Outline how the new school (the one you’d like to transfer to) will help you realize your dream.

Close it out short and sweet. Bonus points if it’s in a memorable way.

IMPORTANT: The key to presenting each of these qualities isn’t just in WHAT you say (your content), but in HOW you say it (your approach). What follows is a paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown of what to do and how to do it, followed by some great example personal statements—and yes, I’m suggesting you focus on establishing one quality per paragraph. Here it goes:

how to start a transfer essay- Paragraph 1:

Establish some of your core values

What you’re trying to do here: In the opening paragraph you want to make an awesome first impression. And, given that first impressions are often established in the first 30 seconds and that this impression isn’t likely to change (even when,  studies show , people are presented with facts that contradict their first impressions!) your first paragraph better be on point.

How to start a transfer essay: One efficient way to make a great first impression is to focus on establishing a few core values or, if you can, the essential part of you that is suffering in your current (school) situation.

How do you identify your core values? Do this 5 min exercise .

How do you decide which part of you is suffering in your current (school) situation? Well, just ask yourself, “Which part of me is suffering in my current (school) situation?” and, if you wanna’ get deep, ask yourself, “Which of my deeper needs isn’t being met at this school?” Click here for a list of Feelings and Needs. But here’s the key: you may not want to just come out and say it, as that can be boring.

How can I express my core values in a way that’s not super boring? Come up with an essence image that captures that value (or those values). In the sample below, for example, the student wanted to communicate her core values of connection, intimacy, family, and listening. So she chose the dinner table:

Breakfast isn’t the most important meal of the day. In my family the most sacred meal is dinner. The aroma from my mother’s authentic Persian saffron and Barberry spirals around the circular dining table as we prepare to pile each other’s plates high with current events, future plans, and questions about what we learned that day. Slowly, the notification bells and piercing ring tones are replaced by the clamor of metal utensils as my sisters try to fit the plates and silverware around our carefully crafted dinner table. Each person sits the same distance from the center as we listen to my little sister’s attempt at hopscotch from earlier that day with as much interest as my Dad’s stories about his patient with Atherosclerosis. Listening is how we take care of one another.

Another example:

Before I could even walk, my parents instilled in me a love for history. And thanks to their passion for travel, much of my early education was experiential. At eight, I could not only recite knowledge of Corrie Ten Boom, I'd visited the house where she'd hidden Jews in her home during WWII. By 10 I’d seen the Roman Ruins just outside Paris and by 11, I’d visited Rome and Florence, and begun to develop a passion for Michelangelo. By 14 I’d climbed the caverns of Mykonos and by 16 I’d walked barefoot through India and jogged along the Great Wall of China. Though moving around wasn’t always easy, travel gave me the opportunity to become more adaptable and resourceful, and I came to embrace differences as not only normal but exciting. My passion for cultural experiences and history continued in high school, and I looked forward to more experiential learning opportunities in college.

See how each example immerses us in the author’s world? And note how their descriptions awaken the senses. So much more interesting than if the authors had simply said, for example, “the values that are important to me are connection, intimacy, family, and listening.” Instead, each author shows us. And I’m not by the way just advocating for “ show, don’t tell, ” because you’ll notice that both authors show AND tell. In the first example:

First the author shows the value:

Slowly, the notification bells and piercing ring tones are replaced by the clamor of metal utensils as my sisters try to fit the plates and silverware around our carefully crafted dinner table. Each person sits the same distance from the center as we listen to my little sister’s attempt at hopscotch from earlier that day with as much interest as my Dad’s stories about his patient with Atherosclerosis.

Then, to make sure we get it, she tells us what that value is:

Listening is how we take care of one another

And in doing so, offers a bit of insight (for some specific techniques for adding insight/reflection to your writing, head there).

Now that's how to start a transfer essay. Okay, let’s move on.

Paragraph 2: Explain why you chose your current school (the one you’re leaving) in the first place.

What you’re trying to do here : Let the reader know how/why you are where you are. Because, y’know, the reader might wonder.

How to do this: Simply. Factually. Succinctly.

I originally chose Pasadena Community College because I wanted to a) stay close to home to take care of my mom, who was recovering from cancer when I graduated high school, b) save money by living at home and finishing my general ed requirements for under $50 per credit, and c) help my dad at his TV repair business.

See how simple? Just the facts, ma’am.

I was obsessed with Top Chef as a kid. While most of my friends were thinking about which expensive summer program they’d attend or whether or not they should take the SAT for the sixteenth time, my mind was on how to whip eggs to create the perfect "lift" in a soufflé and developing a long term strategy to create my own food television network. So I originally chose Drake Colonial University for its Culinary Arts program. And because it was two miles from my house.

Note the specifics. Also note how the reasons are clearly different and could be bullet pointed.

Wanted to be close to home (take care of mom)

Help dad at work

Drake’s Culinary Arts program

Two miles from me

This part doesn’t have to be flashy, but you could use a couple succinct examples to add a little something (“take the SAT for the sixteenth time” vs. “how to whip eggs to create the perfect "lift" in a soufflé”). Notice also how Example 2 above could serve as the opening paragraph, as it also establishes a couple core values (creativity, excellence, entrepreneurship, practicality). Which leads to an important point: Don’t take this as a strict by-the-numbers guide. Take what’s useful; discard the rest.

Paragraph 3: Offer specific reasons why you want to leave your current school.

Heads-up: This is probably the most important part of the essay. Why? Essentially, you’re explaining to someone (a college) with whom you’d like to be in a relationship why your last relationship (with that other college) didn’t work out. In short, you need to talk crap about your ex but still be really nice about it.

NO I’M KIDDING. You’re not talking crap about your ex.

What you’re (actually) trying to do here: You’re trying to articulate, with specifics, why you want to leave your current situation.

11 Essential Tips for Transferring Colleges

How to do this:

Three tips:

Consider describing your expectations and then letting the reader know whether or not those expectations were met (you don’t have to do this—it’s optional)

Use specific reasons (to avoid sounding like you’re just talking crap)

Consider including an a-ha moment (in which you discovered something about yourself)

Let’s address these one by one:

1. Let the reader know if your expectations were or were not met.

Some students want to transfer because they had a plan and it worked out, and some students transfer because they had a plan that did not work out.

The “My expectations were met and the plan worked out!” Example:

I originally chose Pasadena Community College because I wanted to a) stay close to home to take care of my mother, who was recovering from cancer when I graduated high school, b) save money by living at home and completing my general ed requirements for under $50 per credit, and c) help my dad at his TV repair business. Achievements unlocked! Now that my mom is cancer free, I’ve finished my general ed requirements (with straight As!) and my dad has hired my uncle (in other words: he doesn’t need me anymore), I’m ready to move on.

Notice how in this example the author seems to say, “Great! I did what I planned to do and it’s time to move on.” That’s one way to do it. Sometimes, however, things don’t work as planned—and, in this next example, it’s no one’s fault:

The “My expectations weren’t met (and it’s not the school’s fault)” Example:

I originally chose Northwestern State Tech for its renowned global health program and looked forward to studying under Prof Paula Farnham, a titan in the global health world. Soon after my arrival, however, Prof Farnham took an indefinite leave of absence when she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Notice how in this example things didn’t go according to the author’s plan, but it’s not the school’s fault; it’s just the way things turned out. But that’s not always the case, and sometimes you honestly just want out.

“My expectations were not met, this was NOT the plan (and I’m not saying it’s the school’s fault but honestly I just don’t want to be here anymore)” Example:

Initially, Drake Colonial University stood out to me for its culinary arts program and I looked forward to working side-by-side with top-rated chefs, experimenting with gastronomy and Sous-vide and finding others who shared my geeky passion for Transglutaminase. Unfortunately, my experience after arriving differed greatly from the one I’d imagined in at least three important ways: 1) the DCU culinary arts program was focused much more on the theory of cooking than actual cooking (all my finals last year, for example, took place in a classroom using pen and paper rather than in a kitchen); 2) access to supplies and facilities was extremely limited and most were off-limits to underclassmen, and 3) no one here had even heard of Transglutaminase.

Pulling this one off is a little trickier. Why? First of all, because there may be a lot more emotions wrapped up in your decision to transfer than in the two examples mentioned above. As a result, some part of you might honestly feel that it IS the school’s fault you’re so unhappy and some part of you may actually want to talk crap about the school. Here’s a tip: DON’T. It won’t make you look better or smarter—it’ll just sound like you’re complaining. Here’s your greatest ally is in this situation: concrete, specific reasons. Let me say this a little more boldly:

2. Provide specific evidence demonstrating how your expectations were or weren’t met.

If your expectations were met, great! Just outline your plan , then show how you rocked that plan—maybe even throw in something bonus that happened (and I even did it while keeping a full-time job!).

But whether your expectations were met or not, you MUST give specifics to support your points. In the sample above, for example, it wouldn’t be enough to say, “Unfortunately, DCU wasn’t all it was cracked up to be…”

Why? We need proof! Examples! Specifics! So in that example above the author first lets us know what she expected (hands on! experimentation! other food nerds!) before letting us know specifically what she found instead: theory instead of hands-on (boo) limited access to experimentation (aw) no other Transglutaminase nerds (I am sad).

Why it can be useful to clarify what your expectations were:

It kinda’ lets the school that you’re leaving off the hook, essentially saying that it’s not the school’s fault entirely, it’s just that you wanted something else, which makes no one the bad guy.

The more specific you are with exactly what you want, the easier it can be for the readers at your potential future college to imagine you on their campus (hopefully the readers will be like, “Oh! We have a great hands-on, experimental Culinary Arts program filled with food nerds!”) and maybe even start to root for you (i.e., want you to get your needs met).

Side note: Actually, I guess it is kinda’ like talking about an ex, but instead of saying “He was awful because of X,” you’re framing it in a positive way, saying in effect, “It’s not his fault, I just realized I was looking for Y.” (And, hopefully, your reader will be like, “Ooh!! We have LOTS of Y at our school!”) And sometimes, let’s be honest, we didn’t know what we were looking for until we got the opposite.

You didn’t know how important hands-on experimentation was until you ended up in a culinary arts program where all the “cooking” tests were done with pen and paper.

You’re a girl who didn’t know how important freedom to hold hands with your girlfriend in public was to you until some people at your school told you that you couldn’t do that (see example essay that follows).

Just to clarify: You don’t have to act like you had it all figured out before you got to your first school. You could:

3. Consider including an a-ha moment (one in which you discovered something about yourself)

Template for this:

It wasn’t until I experienced X that I realized Y [this core value] was so important to me.

It wasn’t until I sailed through my first semester with no homework and straight As that I realized how important intellectual challenge was to me.

Someone once said, “We don’t recognize our home until we lose it,” and the same was true for me. Not until I moved 620 miles away to X school did I realize that Y school—which had been in my backyard all along, just 20 minutes from the church I was baptized in, the grandmother who raised me, and the one I love most in this world (my dog, Max)—was home after all.

Got the idea?

And by the way: if you don’t get 100% specific here with your desires, don’t worry—you’ll have a chance in two paragraphs. You can keep your desires a little vague here.

Paragraph 4: Show how you’ve made the best of things in your current situation.

What you’re trying to do here: Show the reader you’re not the kind of person that just rolls over when confronted with adversity or goes in the corner and pouts when you don’t get what you want. Instead: how did you work to meet your needs? What did you do about it? (Note that if your expectations were met—if, in other words, this first school was all part of the plan—this is your chance to brag about all the cool stuff you’ve done!)

How to do this: By being creative. Positive. And by reframing everything you’ve been involved in since graduating high school (even the tough stuff) as preparation for your big awesome future.

Some examples of making the best of your experience at a school you’re about to leave:

There was no formal Makeup Department, so guess what. I STARTED ONE. WE’VE GOT 16 MEMBERS. BOOM.

My classes were so much bigger than I thought they’d be AND there were no formal study groups set up, so guess what. I ORGANIZED ONE. AND I EVEN BAKED BROWNIES. #glutenfree

There were no legit dance studios on campus OR in the dorms open after 7pm, so guess what. I PETITIONED TO LIVE OFF-CAMPUS AS A FRESHMAN, FOUND A TINY APARTMENT WITH A BASEMENT THAT OUR TEAM COULD REHEARSE IN, AND WE GOT TO WORK. #werrrrk

You get the idea. How did you make the best of a just-okay situation while you were waiting (or before you decided) to fill out your transfer application? If you’re thinking that the part-time job you took, the decision to quit school, or even the Netflix shows you binge-watched wasn’t ultimately preparing you for your big awesome future, you’re just not thinking creatively enough—yet. Ask yourself: could it be that I was gaining other skills and values along the way? Could it be that I was doing more than just earning money (hint: learned organizational skills, or discipline, or collaboration), more than just quitting school (hint: learned to put your health first), more than just binge-watching Netflix (hint: learned how much you value productivity by being totally unproductive for three weeks straight).

Here’s a list to get you thinking.  

And if you’re like, “Um, well, I didn’t do anything,” chances are that either a) you didn’t really think carefully or creatively enough yet, or that b) YOU DON’T DESERVE TO TRANSFER.

I’m kidding about that last one. Kinda’. Keep thinking. This part’s important.

Paragraph 5: What do you want to do/be/study? (aka: What’s your dream?)

What you’re trying to do here: Paint the Big Picture—the vision for your life, or a dream job. Don’t have one? Uh-oh. Quit now. (I’m kidding.)

How to do this: By dreaming. Ask yourself, What would a dream job be—even if it isn’t your only dream job, and even if you aren’t 100% certain that this is what you’d like to do—and use it as a placeholder, like these students did...

I’m particularly concerned about beauty waste because I am morally disturbed by the fact that my personal grooming is damaging the environment for everyone. The problem is that cosmetics are often objects of desire—we want to be pampered and we crave a luxurious experience—and packaging reflects these consumer instincts. My dream is to rally college communities nation-wide in a drive to reduce packaging waste. As a community of passionate learners and intellectuals we can spread the message to student groups in colleges that protecting the environment trumps our desire for the most wrapped-up, elaborate, expensive packaging.

My dream is to become a special effects makeup artist with a specialty in fantasy-based creature makeup. Through an extensive process that includes concept design, face, cowl, and body sculpting in clay, molding the pieces using liquid latex or silicon, applying the products to the human model, hand-painting and airbrushing, and fabricate addition components if necessary, I will create original characters that will be featured in movies and television shows.

I know, that’s pretty specific. But again, these were written by students who weren’t 100% certain that they wanted to do this—they picked something they loved and built an argument (read: essay) around it.

If it’s hard for you to think in terms of careers or dream jobs, try asking one of these questions instead:

“What’s one Big Problem I’d like to try to help solve in the world?”

“Why do I want to go to this other school anyway?” Have you ever stopped to really articulate that? Have a friend ask you this and see what you say. And it can’t be simply because it’s more prestigious, or because you like living by the beach, or because you just really (like really) want to live in a big city. You need more specifics and more specific specifics. (That’s not a typo.)

A Really Good Tip for This Paragraph: Think of this as a set-up for a “Why us” essay , in particular the part where you’re talking about YOU… your hopes, dreams, goals, etc. Because if you can pick something specific—and even if it’s a placeholder (like the examples above)—this can lead directly into the next paragraph. How? Because, once you pick a Thing you’d like to do/study/be, then you can ask yourself, “Okay, what skills/resources/classes will I need in order to do/study/become that Thing?”

For more “Why us” resources: Click here for the Why This College Essay Guide + Examples . Or click here for a Complete Guide to the “Why Us” Essay.

To recap: In Paragraph 5, you’re setting up the specifics that you’re seeking. Then...

Paragraph 6: Outline how the new school (the one you’d like to transfer to) will help you realize your dream.

What you’re trying to do here: Depends. On what? On which of these two options you choose:

Write one essay for ALL the schools you’re applying to . Why do this? Maybe you’re short on time. Or maybe you’re kinda’ lazy (sorry, efficient!) and don’t really see the value in writing a different essay for each school. That’s fine.

Write a different essay for EACH of the schools you’re applying to. Why do this? It shows each school you’re applying to that you cared enough to spend the time researching and have really, really thought this through. I also think it gives you a better chance at WOW-ing the school and demonstrating why you’re a great match.

FAQ: Can you write and submit a separate essay for each school? Yes, as of this writing (2022), Common App allows you to edit your personal statement as many times as you like. So you can write an essay for School X, then submit to School X. Then go back into your Common App, copy and paste in the essay for School Y, then submit to School Y. And so on.

WARNING: If you choose to use this method, you MUST make sure not to submit the wrong essay to the wrong school. That’s a really quick way to get you into the “no” pile.

How to write one essay for ALL the schools you’re applying to (Option A):

If you opt to do this, you’ll want to mention the kinds of classes you’d want to take the kinds of professors you’d like to study with, etc. But I don’t want to say too much more about this, as I’d actually prefer to spend more time on the other approach (Option B) because I happen to think it’s a better way. So here’s:

How to write a different essay for EACH of the schools you’re applying to (Option B):

By researching. A lot. This paragraph is basically a mini “Why us” essay, and you’ll want to include as many specifics as you can find. Click here for a list of resources. But you won’t find the content for this paragraph in your beautiful amazing brain. Why? Chances are you don’t KNOW yet what specific opportunities the school you’re hoping to transfer offers. So go find out.

Here’s a great example of what great research might yield (excerpted from the Complete Guide to the “Why Us” Essay ):

A journalist cannot reach the peak of his craft if his knowledge of literature and critical thinking skills are weak, which is why I’m excited to explore what the Department of English has to offer. I look forward to courses such as 225: Academic Argumentation and 229: Professional Writing, as I believe these will provide me with a firm basis in journalistic writing technique and improve my abilities to write analytically and develop well-supported arguments. In addition, the Professional Writing course will teach me how to write in a concise, straightforward style, a skill vital to a journalist.

See how specific he is? And how he says why he wants each course? Also, notice how his separate reasons can all be bullet pointed. We could break down the paragraph above, for example, into a What I Need/What You (the school) Have list that might look like this:

WHAT I NEED:

knowledge of literature and critical thinking skills

a firm basis in journalistic writing technique

ability to write analytically

ability to develop well-supported arguments

ability to write in a concise, straightforward style

WHAT YOU (THE SCHOOL) HAVE:

225: Academic Argumentation

229: Professional Writing

Professional Writing course

And bonus points if you can find stuff that is closer to unique to that school (or maybe even actually unique). For example:

I would also like to be able to contribute my experiences with neurotechnology to support the cutting edge research in Cornell’s brand new NeuroNex Hub. I would love to work with Dr. Chris Xu in expanding the current three-photon microscope to be applied on various animal models. I also look forward to helping Dr. Chris Schaffer, whose research on deep neural activity is not being done anywhere else in the world. I freak out at the possibility of helping him develop a tool to look at multiple brain areas at the same time. 

If the school you’re hoping to transfer to is maybe the only one that has certain opportunities that fit your goals … say so. Show them how you’re perfect for each other.

Paragraph 7: Sign off.

What you’re trying to do here: Close it out. Hopefully in a memorable way. But honestly it doesn’t need to be amazing. It needs to be short.

How to do this: Succinctly. Ask yourself: Is there anything else I need to say? Like, really need to say? Hopefully you’ve said it all already. If so, just close it out with 1-2 short lines.

Here are a few options that other students have used:

The “bringing it back full circle” ending:

My pulse will always race when I'm creating my grandmother's cacio e peppe for a party of eight. Yet cooking wasn't meant to be my career or my college experience. I learned I truly, deeply, profoundly love chemistry, and only through transferring to [insert school here] can I [name specific skills/resources you hope to gain], becoming a world renowned chemist specializing in global nutrient efficiency and bringing an end to world hunger.

The “my experiences made me who I am” ending:

Once I thought about it, I realized that if I hadn’t dropped out, I would have never [insert formative experience here], and I would have never [insert positive value here]. Looking back on this part of my life, I realized that dropping out was actually the best decision I could have ever made.

The “I have a dream (and you can help!)” ending:

I’m inspired to continue my work spreading nutritional information and resources to low-income communities like the one I was raised in and am committed to helping create not only a healthier future for my own family, but for the larger Latino community. I believe [insert school’s name] can help.

The “I’m looking for a home” ending:

Finally, the students and faculty that I met on my visit were [insert positive value here]. They made me feel that [insert college here] was a place I could call home.

Obviously don’t copy these word-for-word; let these inspire you. Or write something else altogether ( you have lots of options for endings )!

My advice: Aim for the heart. But be concise.

Ready to see how it all comes together?

Here’s an example essay—and I’ll put tiny notes in bold and italics in between the paragraphs so you can remember what to look for.

1. Core values: experiential learning, multiculturalism, embracing differences

2. Why she initially chose X school

One of the things that initially attracted me to Biola University was the Torrey Honors program. I also appreciated the welcoming attitude of its students, and, initially, its emphasis on Judeo-Christian values. But the past year and a half has given me time for introspection, and I have begun to see that Biola and I are not the best match.

3. A polite articulation of why she and the school are not the best match

I believe, for example, in the freedom to express love for whomever one chooses. But on at least one occasion at Biola I’ve been reported to my resident director for displaying physical affection toward another girl and have been told I could risk expulsion if we were “caught” in the act. I also believe that one should be free to express her spiritual beliefs in any way she chooses. At Biola, however, students are required to attend a minimum of 30 chapel events, and must pay upwards of $300 if this requirement is not met. I’m also interested in a diversity of perspective, but faculty are required to teach through a Biblical lens, and over 90% of the students in my department (Anthropology) are seeking to do missionary work following graduation. Finally, I didn’t feel the Torrey Honors Program provided the kind of experiential learning environment I was looking for.

4. How she made the best of things — and learned some great lessons and skills!

Two highlights of my time at Biola included debate, and the experience of founding BQU, a safe, but underground group for queer students. Working with the debate team has taught me how to be accountable for my own work and more humble in my losses. Working with BQU has shown me not only the necessity of being vulnerable with others, but has also taught me skills in creating a group constitution, designing a website, and advertising our cause in a non-inflammatory way.

5. What she wants to do (a.k.a.: the dream)

I’ve always been interested in psychological or environmental root of motives, and I see myself one day working in public policy. I’m seeking science and social science departments that offer both excellent research facilities and opportunities for practical application.

6. How she’ll pursue her interests at her new school: a mini “Why us” essay

I am interested in the debate team at Fordham because its Jesuit tradition inspires an intellectually rigorous environment. While my current team is very skilled, it does not fulfill my intellectual values; I want classmates who want to explore controversial topics despite their personal stances, and who want to take debate as seriously as their social lives. My desire to explore diversity is also reflected in my major (Anthropology), and draws me to the Irish Studies department. I am personally looking to revive my cultural heritage, and I am also interested in helping oppressed cultures thrive. I see a need to promote how Celtic culture shaped current American society, and want to explore the gender roles of early Celtic culture.

7. And we’re out.

Although my time at Biola has been challenging, it has given me time to discover my own values, ethics, and priorities. I am ready to find a place where I can feel at home, and Fordham is a place where I can picture myself reading Nietzsche in my dorm room or working on progressive debate resolutions with the squad. I hope to contribute my interests and values to the Fordham tradition.

For what it’s worth, here’s an alternate ending that she wrote for another school (Haverford):

Because of my childhood—learning history experientially through travel—I am hoping for a similar style of learning through my college experience. I believe that Haverford can provide this through its independent college programs, bi-college programs, and Ex-Co. My interests in criminology, environmental public policy, and gender studies are not normally included in traditional learning. I hope to take advantage of courses that exist outside of a strict department, such as Epidemiology and Global Health, which “examines the interplay of biomedical, societal and ethical concerns in global health.” This is important to me, because as a current anthropology major, I believe it is important to take into consideration all aspects that affect decision making in government and humanitarian efforts. Restorative Justice: A Path to Criminal and Social Justice is also a class that piques my desire to promote rehabilitation of the incarcerated population. Because I understand that social systems are intertwined, my interest into other topics grew. Furthermore, I am interested in advocating for the LGBTQ community in relation to the legal system. I wish to take Haverford’s bi-college program in gender and sexuality in order to view criminology from an LGBTQ lense. As a student who intertwines academics with extracurricular involvement, I am impressed by the Ex-Co’s ability to provide learning opportunities outside of class. Additionally, I am drawn to extracurriculars that can also increase my knowledge of the world, such as the Debate Team. While Haverford’ current team is out of commission, I hope to get it up and running, and give students another place to speak their opinions confidently. As a member of the LGBTQ community myself, I am looking forward to a place where I can openly express myself, not only in a social arena—through the QDG- but also in a political arena—through the SAGA. The two women’s centers also address these two important needs, one a need for activism, the other a need for a safe space, including that for male feminists. As an individual with various networks, it will be nice to continue having a religious community, but Grace Covenant Church Fellowship appears to be more inclusive than the one I have previously been involved with, as well as providing an opportunity to expand my own network to other schools in the area. Because of my focus on activism, I was impressed by Haverford’s Honor Code and the Plenary. These encourage students to acknowledge the importance of civic involvement, and inspire students to improve campus policy. This particularly appeals to me as a student who feels my voice is currently not heard at Biola University. I hope to contribute ideas on how the school can help students continue to feel part of the community and celebrated for their differences.

For those wondering, this student ultimately ended up at Reed College in Portland. She’s very happy there.

And why shouldn't she be? Nice campus, right?

What should you do next?

Before you begin writing your essay, ask yourself:

Is there a way I can visit the campus(es) of the school I’d like to attend?

Can I set up an interview with an admission officer from the school (s)—either in person or via Skype/Zoom/etc? (Call or email the school to find out.)

If yes to either, you can use the info you gather there in the “Why us” portion of the essay.

If no to both...

Copy and paste these questions somewhere and begin your essay...

What are my core values ? In particular: which ones are suffering most in my current situation? (But don’t say that they’re suffering yet—just stick to the positive in your first paragraph.)

Why did I choose my current school (the one I’m leaving)?

Why do I want to leave my current school?

What are the specific things I’ve done to make the best of things?

What do I want to do/be/study? (aka: What’s my dream? Or: What’s one big problem I’d like to solve in the world?)

What specific skills and resources will I gain at this new school that will help me in realizing my dream?

What else do I need to say before signing off?

If there’s nothing left to say, just sign off.

Bonus: Two example college transfer essays with analysis

Note: the student requested that the name of the original college be anonymized.

I will never forget being eleven years old and skiing in the countryside, away from downtown Beijing. With little air pollution, the sky was dark and the Milky Way was mesmerizing. In the endless starry sky, I saw endless possibilities. It was then that the most basic human drive started to dominate me: curiosity about the world. I have been an amateur astronomer and a science nerd ever since. 

W College offered me a substantial scholarship and an invitation to a special program, which provided me with a chance to work closely with professors and the college’s president. Looking forward to meeting more people with geeky enthusiasm for astronomy and harboring the dream of becoming a scientist, I decided to attend W College.

While at W College, a number of events altered my career goals. The loss of a family member due to severe air pollution made me see the brutal reality of the world—there are people suffering from disease, pollution, and millions of people can’t even get an education. I realized that the focus of being a scientist should be to help others and contribute to society. Moreover, my experience of being a TA helped me find a new passion—teaching and inspiring others to pursue their curiosity. Meanwhile, I also began to develop a deeper passion for astronomy and theoretical physics. Finally, I came to understand that by pursuing a Ph.D. and coming back to China to become a professor in these fields, I can help other people and contribute to education while also doing research to satisfy my own curiosity at the same time. 

Therefore, I shifted my priorities and sought teaching opportunities as well as opportunities related to studying astronomy and theoretical physics. However, at W College, there is no Astronomy department, and, by the first semester of my sophomore year, I had taken the highest level astronomy courses that are offered at W College. Looking for more opportunities, I found Prof. M who is providing me with an opportunity to study Relativity. Since many external research opportunities are not available to international students, I reached out to Professor M and began to undertake research on an asteroid, a black hole system, and several other topics in astronomy. 

Even though I made some progress, I knew that I needed to be challenged more; I needed a university that would assist me in my later pursuit of graduate studies in astronomy and physics and that would provide deeper academic offerings and more research resources. So I decided to transfer. 

After visiting Wesleyan, I knew it is an ideal place for me. Academically, Wesleyan provides deep academic offerings in astronomy and physics, including advanced courses like Mathematical Physics and Radio Astronomy. During my visit to Wesleyan, I met with Prof. William Herbst, and his research interests in star formations really inspired me to work with him on this research topic, which is possible at Wesleyan due to Wesleyan’s strong research-focused environment. Wesleyan also has some of the best research facilities in astronomy of any liberal arts college. Prof. Herbst gave me a tour of the Van Vleck Observatory, and the 24-inch research telescope amazed me. Furthermore, the graduate program at Wesleyan also makes my pursuit of graduate studies possible, perhaps even collaborating with the same professors. 

From my conversations with several students at the Astronomy department, I felt their curiosity and enthusiasm for astronomy, and being able to study with them excites me and makes me feel a sense of belonging. They emphasized how they closely collaborate together every day. This close community between students as well as the cooperative study environment would really help me, a transfer student, adjust to a new school. 

While my time at W College has helped me discover my own priorities, values, and goals, I believe that Wesleyan will best help me achieve these goals.

Tips + Analysis

Hook into your values. Above, the author uses some simple, beautiful images as a quick hook, but does so in a way that allows them to fairly quickly lead into one of their core values (curiosity) while also setting up their primary academic focus (astronomy). You have a lot of options for possible hooks , but if you’re having trouble, a quick, specific image can be your go-to move (especially in an early draft—you can always experiment later), since you can almost always find some kind of image linked to your values, and can frequently just reverse-engineer your hook this way: What values are you going to end your first paragraph with? What are some images that come to mind from your life that illustrate them?

Be clear and direct with why. In the third and fourth paragraphs, this author does a great job of condensing what some students might have taken several hundred words to write into a clear, direct structural component that helps us understand why they are transferring (realized what my values/priorities are → my goals shifted and I can’t do what I want to do where I am). As mentioned in the guide above, it’s great to write this in a way that makes clear that there’s no animosity or resentment for your current school—you simply don’t fit together. That’s ok.

Get super specific in the “why us”. This example is packed with nice “why us” details—I count at least 12 in the span of 194 words across 2 paragraphs. The author does a nice job of helping us see a) that they’ve really done their homework on Wesleyan, and have clearly thought out why they and the school fit together academically; and b) that they’ll make a great addition to the community, and have already engaged with the students whom they’ll join. Details like these make it easier for your reader to picture you on campus, engaging with professors and other students and adding to the school’s vitality.

Three countries, eight cities, 11 houses with six families, and ten schools. During my frequent moves from Korea, Canada, and the U.S., fashion has provided a consistent creative outlet. In elementary school, I painted magazine covers; in high school, I got creative with my strict dress code; in college, I built my own jewelry brand “Horizon Jewelry” for a marketing project which sparked my interest in marketing.

 I attended Chapman for its programs in communications as well as its proximity to L.A., which offered internships in fashion. However, as a full-time student who planned to work an on-campus job and lived an hour away, I was unable to apply for my desired internships that required their interns to be locally based and dedicate at least 15 hours. 

 Furthermore, my major Strategic and Corporate Communication did not incorporate my interests in fashion and film. Recognizing the incompatibility between my major and intended career path, I applied and was accepted as a PR and Advertising major at Chapman University Dodge College. However, the school did not offer any fashion courses.

 I found opportunities for development by joining a professional business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi. Through events, I learned professional interview etiquette and received feedback on my resume and elevator pitch. I developed my leadership skills as an organizer of our social events. These experiences taught me the value of constructive criticism and improved my public speaking skills. 

 I also worked for Chapman’s Disability Center. I assisted disabled students and served as a liaison between students and professors, which led me to join my  fraternity’s service committee where I volunteered at the City Net Bake Fest, serving the homeless population. 

 After discovering my interest in marketing, I began a telemarketing position for Chapman Fund. I call Chapman community members to build relationships, provide campus news, and raise money for the university. This job has allowed me to possess excellent communication and customer service skills. 

 While working on-campus, I continued to search for opportunities in fashion. In January 2019, I discovered a remote marketing internship with Relovv, a sustainable fashion marketplace. Through Relovv, I’ve learned how to create content to advertise on Relovv’s Instagram stories, recruit members, and contribute to organizing influencer collaborations. 

Now, I’m ready to move onto the next phase of my education studying Media, Culture, and Communication at NYU Steinhardt. 

 My dream is to create global campaigns for fashion or film organizations that prioritize conveying underrepresented messages, and ultimately work at Refinery29 or Kenzo. Outside class, I plan to gain more experience in the fashion industry as a fashion marketing intern at Lie Sang Bong, a brand originated in Korea. I believe NYU’s unique communications degree which incorporates fashion and marketing will provide me with the necessary tools for my career path. 

Show growth and trajectory. In the intro, this author quickly ties into their primary focus (fashion) and beautifully builds through some brief “ why major ” details, showing impressive growth (from painting magazine covers to building their own jewelry brand). This specifically and directly sets up why, sadly but clearly, they need to break up with Chapman…

It’s not you, it’s me… well, it’s kinda you, too. In the body, the author offers several clear details for why, ultimately, they need to break up with Chapman—unable to apply for internships, didn’t actually have courses that fit specific career path, etc. And the author does a nice job of demonstrating how they tried to make it work, by engaging with the opportunities they did have—joined a business fraternity, organized events, contributed to the community through the Disability Center and service committee, worked for the Chapman Fund, interned with Relovv—but that they need to find a partner (NYU!) that aligns with their interests (communications degree which incorporates fashion and marketing!).

Show what you bring to the new relationship. As mentioned just above, the author spends a good chunk of word count discussing ways they tried to make the best of the situation with Chapman. But notice that these kinds of details work a double shift—they help us see how the student will be an asset to the NYU campus and community by showing how they’ve done so at Chapman.

How to Write a College Transfer Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 4/24/24

If you’re considering switching colleges and want to learn how to write a college transfer essay, read on.

There are multiple reasons to transfer colleges: you weren’t able to get into your top choice in your first round of applications, you want to change your major , or maybe you just have the world’s worst roommate. 

Whatever your reason may be, you should know the transfer process can be lengthy and will differ from your original college applications. For instance, now that you’ve completed some postsecondary education, your undergrad grades will be considered more than your high school GPA. 

Additionally, you’ll have to write a college transfer essay to introduce yourself to the committee and explain why you’d like to join their school. This essay tends to be the hardest part of transfer applications. 

If you’re unsure of where to begin or how to write a successful college transfer essay, this guide has got you covered!

How to Write a College Transfer Essay

Here is a breakdown of how to write an impressive college transfer essay.:

How to Start the Transfer Essay

Your introduction is arguably the most important part of your essay because it’s the first paragraph the committee will read. Accordingly, it has to be intriguing enough to urge them to continue reading. 

Many students start their essays with a statement or story related to their reason for transferring. A safe way to begin your essay is to share a specific principle you have about education that is rooted in an authentic experience.

Maybe you’ve always valued hands-on learning and have a famous story about taking apart your dad’s favorite replica aircraft and putting it back together to learn how it works.

Or, maybe you had a sick relative whose experience in and out of the hospital made you appreciate scientific experimentation and discovery, leading you to pursue medicine at a research-intensive school. 

Regardless of your educational principles, ensure you use a memorable experience to share it. Immerse the readers into your narrative so they feel more connected to you and your words! Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing your introduction:

Reconsider Using Famous Quotes 

While there have been successful college transfer essays that used quotes as their opening line, you should avoid overused quotes. If you’re beginning your essay with the phrase “knowledge is power,” it’s time to revisit your list of motivational quotes. 

If you’re set on opening your essay with a quote, choose one the committee hasn’t heard before and think outside the box! You could choose a quote from your favorite book, a show, or a movie. An even better way to ensure you use a unique opening is to quote a family member or friend! 

Maybe your mother always told you to stand up for yourself and that “if someone hits you, you hit them right back!” This seemingly unrelated quote could be used to explain how you’ve always been your biggest self-advocate and fight hard to have what you want, including a high-quality education. 

Forget the Theatrics

You don’t have to choose a story with a nail-biting hook or dramatic ending. Your story doesn’t need to involve a near-death epitome, a tragic loss, or a heroic save. Keep it simple! 

By that same token, don’t use exaggerated or false stories just to prove a point. The admissions committee will see through this and will dock you points for being ingenuine. 

Explain Why You Chose Your Current School

Once you’ve written an attention-grabbing introduction, the next step is to explain why you chose your current school. Perhaps the school boasted its Socratic teaching method that allows students to take charge of their education. Or, it offered a program of specific interest to you. Maybe you chose it simply because it’s one of the top colleges to transfer to .  

Regardless of your reasons, you must include them in your essay to explain how your expectations were not met. This part should be fact-focused. Be succinct and list the reasons you chose your current school over others.

Explain the Reasons You Want to Transfer

Once you’ve recounted the reasons you chose your current school, think about the reasons you decided to leave it. A large part of learning the art of essay writing is knowing what not to say! While you want to remain honest, your answer should revolve around the education you received at your school.

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you write this part of your essay:

• Did your program/institution live up to all of your expectations?
• Did you receive the education and support you hoped for?
• Were there enough opportunities for intellectual, personal, and professional growth?
• Are you closer to achieving your career goals after attending your current school?
• What’s missing from your education? What makes you hesitant to stay at your current school?
• Have your career plans changed? Can your current school offer you the resources you need to pursue this new path?

Even if you’re transferring because your roommate never washes the dishes or you’re trying to escape a clingy ex, the admissions committee won’t be interested or amused by these reasons. 

Focus on the positives of your school but explain how they fell short. Perhaps the Socratic teaching method you hoped for fell short of equal dialogue and was more of a typical lecture. Maybe you had a eureka moment in an elective that made you want to switch to a program your current school doesn’t offer.

On the other hand, your current school may have already fulfilled the role it was meant to play. For instance, you may have chosen your current school to stay close to home and care for a sick family member or to take general courses to boost your GPA. 

Explain how these goals were fulfilled and how you’d like to move on to the next stage of your education. No matter what your reasons for transferring are, you’ll need to provide concrete examples to support your claims. Share specific experiences that led to your decision to transfer schools.

This part of your college transfer essay can be tricky. You’ll want to provide concrete examples of how your current school fails to meet your expectations without badmouthing it. To find this balance, avoid making these mistakes:

Placing Blame

Don’t blame your current school for failing to meet your expectations. 

Explaining how the professors were monotonous robots with no enthusiasm for teaching or that the class sizes were far too big to feel connected to your mentors will make you seem too critical. 

You want to phrase your issues in a way that still sheds a positive light on their curriculum and community. In essence, you want to follow a “it’s not you, it’s me” type of explanation! You should explain how your current university offers great resources but not the best ones for your personal aspirations. 

Throwing In the Towel

You should also mention the ways you tried to make the best of your situation at your current school. Even though you ultimately realized your school couldn’t offer you the education or resources you need, you should demonstrate your determination to make it work. 

If your main issue was the lack of connection between you and your professors, you could share how you attended office hours regularly to have more one-on-one conversations. Demonstrate you tried to remedy your issues before deciding to transfer. This will show maturity, perseverance, and adaptability!

Explain Your Academic and Career Goals

This next part of your essay should be tied to what you’ve said previously. Think about your academic goals and what your plans are for the future. 

Here are some questions to guide this part of your essay:

• Where do you hope your education takes you? 
• What will your education be used for? 
• What grades do you hope to receive? 
• What program will help you achieve your career goals?
• What kind of mentors do you believe will help you achieve your academic and career goals?
• What school-based extracurriculars will aid you in your aspirations?

Use these questions to figure out what your specific academic and career goals are. 

Explain Why You Want to Attend the Transfer College

Using the ideas you brainstormed from the previous sections, you want to focus your attention on explaining how your academic and career goals will be best met through your transfer college. 

Research your transfer college well and provide specific reasons explaining why you want to attend. Go deeper than simply retelling the school’s main values, and explain why you’re choosing it in detail. 

Focus on the type of education it provides, the school community and environment, and unique educational offerings, such as a particular program, teaching method, or experiential learning opportunities.

This part of your essay should be tailored specifically to your transfer college. If you can plug in any college name and use the same essay, you’ll need to add more details and continue working on it. 

Take Responsibility for Any Hiccups

Another factor to consider is taking responsibility for any shortcomings. If you’re transferring colleges and have low grades or otherwise unfavorable aspects on your application, you should hold yourself accountable in your essay.

Do not blame your current school for your low grades. Even if you had a poor experience that made it difficult to excel, your grades are ultimately your responsibility. Explain how you will improve in your transfer school and the steps you’ve taken to become a stronger student. 

Focus on Reflection

Your college transfer essay is essentially a reflection on your university experience and goals. This helps narrow things down and ensure you don’t choose a taboo essay topic . Just keep it simple and truthful by sharing your academic journey and why it’s brought you to where you are today.

As important as it is to share your next steps and eagerness to join your transfer school, it’s equally as important to reflect on the present and past. 

You should reflect on your own educational principles, your reasons for attending your current school, the ups and downs that influenced you to transfer, and finally, how your transfer school will assist you in the next stage of your educational journey.

Keep It Casual

Your transfer statement isn’t your typical structured, formal three-body paragraph essay. Keep it casual, and don’t be afraid to use contractions or more colloquial language. 

While you, of course, want to avoid using slang or distasteful language, you should let your personality shine through and give your essay a more conversational feel. 

The admissions committee should feel like they’re getting to know more about your essence and values, not just your impeccable writing skills—although those are essential to demonstrate too!

Have Clear Intentions

Admissions committees will appreciate if you can demonstrate clear direction and intention in your essay. Provide specific examples of what you need your university to provide to help you reach your goals and how these needs are not being met currently.

Demonstrate Your Growth

Your university experience should offer you more insight and perspective on education. Share this perspective in your essay and prove you are a mature and insightful student. 

A good indicator of maturity is speaking positively about your current school despite its limitations. You should portray both an eagerness to pursue other options and an appreciation for your current university. In other words, you should prove that while your current school isn’t the best fit for you, it’s still an excellent school!

Make it Personal

We’ve said it multiple times, and we’re saying it one last time in hopes you won’t forget. Use as many concrete examples as you can throughout your essay. Do not rely on any vague aspirations or reasons for transferring. 

Go deeper than simply wanting a higher quality education! What made your current school’s education unsatisfactory? What experiences led to the conclusion that you needed more? How can your transfer school fill in this gap? 

Keep in mind that this advice also applies to a transfer applicant’s personal statement. The overall goal is to be as genuine as possible while staying true to your goal - communicating your desire to attend the college. 

Edit Multiple Times

You may have great ideas and an excellent story to tell in your essay, but having poor grammar or spelling errors will reduce your essay’s effectiveness.

Ensure you edit your essay multiple times before submitting it. Take time between your editing sessions so you can look at it with fresh eyes each time. You’re more likely to catch errors this way!

How to Conclude the Transfer Essay

Overlooking the conclusion of your essay can make what would be an amazing essay a good essay. Considering schools are highly selective with transfer applications , especially Ivy League schools , a good essay is unlikely to win you any points with the admissions committee. 

Imagine your essay as a circle. To complete the circle, your final paragraph should reiterate the themes and principles mentioned in your introduction. Revisit the story you shared and reflect on the educational principle that guided your essay. 

Briefly reiterate what type of education you could receive at your current school—a great but ultimately unsuitable one—and mention the better-suited education you’d receive at your transfer school. 

The final conclusion in an essay for transfer students should be short, sweet, and straightforward. It should not:

Leave the Readers Wanting More

There should be no cliffhangers in your essay. You aren’t writing a novel with a sequel; this essay is all the admissions committee will receive, so you want it to paint a comprehensive and complete picture of yourself.

Introduce New Information

Don’t use your conclusion to throw in any afterthoughts you had while revising your essay. You’ll have a lot of ideas for what to include in your essay, but you shouldn’t try to fit all of them into such a limited space. 

Make Promises

Don’t try to convince the admissions committee to accept you into their programs by making bogus promises. You don’t need to promise them you’ll be a stellar student at the top of your classes or that you’ll make great contributions to their school community. 

There should be no ultimatums in your essay! If you find yourself writing a sentence along the lines of “If you accept me into your school, I promise to…”, dial it back and refocus your conclusion. 

Mistakes to Avoid in Your College Transfer Essay

When crafting your college transfer essay, it's essential to steer clear of common pitfalls that can hinder your chances of acceptance. This is especially important in writing effective transfer essays for Ivy League schools that are looking for the best of the best.

Clarity Is Key

Make sure your essay is crystal clear in explaining your reasons for transferring and what you hope to achieve at your prospective new college. Avoid vague or overly broad statements that might leave the admissions committee perplexed about your motivations.

Emphasize Positivity

Another crucial mistake to avoid is adopting a negative tone throughout your essay. While acknowledging your reasons for transferring is important, dwelling solely on the negative aspects of your current college experience can be off-putting. Instead, emphasize your desire for fresh opportunities and personal growth.

Tailor Your Essay

One-size-fits-all essays are also to be avoided. When you look at an 

sample of a transfer statement or an essay that’s been successful, you’ll notice that it’s not generic. So, do your best to tailor your essay to the specific college you're applying to, highlighting what makes that institution the right fit for your educational goals. 

Focus on Aspirations

Additionally, resist the urge to place blame on your current college, professors, or classmates for your decision to transfer. Focus on your aspirations and what you hope to achieve at the new college.

Stay Realistic

Be realistic in your expectations; avoid making it sound like the new college is a magical solution to all your academic or personal challenges. Keep your essay concise and within the prescribed word limit, as admissions officers have many essays to review.

Thorough Research Matters

Thoroughly research the new college and mention specific programs, professors, or resources that align with your goals. Grammatical errors and spelling mistakes can detract from your essay's impact, so proofread it carefully.

Highlight Personal Growth

Lastly, don't forget to showcase personal growth and the lessons you've learned from your current college experience. Admissions officers appreciate applicants who demonstrate self-awareness and a commitment to growth.

Hopefully this breakdown has inspired you to write your own memorable essay.

College Transfer Essay Example

Understanding the steps to write a college transfer essay and what to avoid is a great place to start, but you might still be struggling to visualize what an excellent transfer essay looks like. Take a look at these examples of transfer essays to get started.  

Essay Example #1

Here is a successful college transfer essay example that got a student into Duke University—a school with a transfer acceptance rate ranging from 3% to 7% in the past five years.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish, and I don't consider myself to be a wishful thinker, but a person of practical approach. And so, when I began my freshman year of college, Louisiana State University was strategically the best available option. 

LSU offered the scholarships I needed, including the statewide TOPS program which, at the time, guaranteed the price of tuition for anyone with an ACT score of twenty-seven or above. 

Additionally, LSU had no cap on early credit, which allowed me to put to use the seventy-four hours I had amassed in high school towards pursuing majors in political science, economics, and French with an Arabic minor.

However, I didn't know the hindrances I would face at LSU in pursuit of my chosen career path until I was plugging into the campus community, at which point I found a number of pragmatic reasons that LSU is no longer appropriate for the goals towards which I am working.

The obstacles began to arise when I finally honed my interests. I distinctly remember change brewing as I sat in my biweekly social contract seminar listening to my professor discuss the paper he was working on, in which he aimed to tie human prosociality to neuroplasticity, all of which, he argued, would undermine Hobbes’ social contract theory.

That’s what I wanted – not the subject matter, but the principle. I wanted the attempt; I wanted to learn and to theorize and even to be wrong sometimes. I wanted to translate my interdisciplinary interests in political and economic theory into applicable policy.

Given my passion for writing and discussion, sharing theories and findings with colleagues and inspiring students, too, was ideal. And so, I finally knew I wanted to be a professor of public policy.

Sadly, LSU did not have a public policy program, and so I defaulted to political science. However, the political science department is inherently theory-based rather than policy-oriented. From studying the public policy curricula of other universities, I know that a public policy program is more suited to my own interest in applications of governance.

Undeterred by this initial setback and eager to begin my journey in the world of academia, I immediately sought research opportunities, but I quickly learned that they weren’t easily accessible.

Upon meeting with counsellors, I was told I would have to find professors to work with on my own, as there was no designated undergraduate research database or protocol. 

This in itself was another stark concern as I need a university in which conducting research is an integral part of the collegiate experience as it is a necessity in my education and preparation for the future. 

Though I have contacted professors, happy to take any experience I can get, I have found that most positions are reserved for upperclassmen and are primarily data entry oriented. 

Also, the lack of a public policy program has meant that the available work I have found does not meet the particular needs of the future policy-oriented research in which I hope to engage.

Though I know I could do well at LSU and receive an amazing education, staying at the university would mean, at best, having to overcome serious curricular deficits in achieving my goals or, at worst, having to change my plans altogether. 

And so, I have resolved to transfer in an effort to give myself the best possible opportunity to prepare for and succeed in my future.” 

Why This Essay Works

Like the Duke admissions committee, you were likely impressed by this essay! To ensure you know exactly what to include in your own essay, here are the aspects that make this Duke-approved essay successful:

Its Interesting Opening

This student uses their own quote to open their essay. As simple as their introduction is, it gets the point across and intrigues the reader to learn more. 

Right off the bat it also proves this student has a sense of direction; they have plans that they are determined to fulfill. This not only shows ambition but proves to the admission committee this student has actually put thought into their choice to transfer.

Its Use of Concrete Examples

The student recounts the exact moment they realized their current school did not offer the resources they needed to succeed. This personal story makes the essay more authentic and immerses the readers into their life and thought process.

Its Positive Outlook

While the student lists all the reasons for their transfer, namely that their current school does not offer the right program and that it has limited research opportunities, they remain positive throughout.

They still praise their current school for its excellent scholarship program, early credit approval, and thought-provoking lectures, but contend they require more to reach their goals.

This student also demonstrates their willingness to persevere and make the best of their situation by searching for research opportunities and joining the next best program available. Yet, despite their efforts, they decided a transfer was in their best interests. These traits, perseverance and self-awareness, are key to a great transfer essay!

Its Effective Conclusion

This essay proves your conclusion doesn’t have to be elaborate to work. This student’s conclusion reiterates their opinions on their current school, that it is great but not perfect, and states their opinions on their transfer school, that it can offer them the most opportunity. It is simple yet highly effective!

Essay Example #2

Take a look at this second transfer essay example . It was provided by Miami Dade College, which also has a collection of successful examples of personal statements for transfer applicants to refer to. 

Though the school this particular essay example was written for is unknown, it was indeed a successful essay and has much to offer. 

“On a dark and breezy night after a hurricane sped through town, a tall little girl sat on her great-aunt’s porch in Santa Clara and stared at the stars she had never before seen. They’re so bright, she thought in awe. 

They seemed so near, she might be able to reach out to the ashy vastness and grab one, maybe put it under her pillow to brighten her dreams. With eyes wide open, she listened to her momma tell stories of men with belts, and twin sisters, and brother bears, such fantastical worlds that made more sense than her own.

 A crooked smile adorned her chubby face as she sat on her momma’s lap amidst the laziness of a late summer weeknight. Her warm, mud pie eyes seemed to be too big for her little face every time they opened with wonder or grew with curiosity. The light that would shine from within them was something to behold. 

The way she would perk up at the mention of an adventure or a possible journey was almost comical. She was such an expressive child it felt almost as if you were watching a miniaturized adult. Sometimes, she would place her awkwardly big hands on her little hips and furrow her dark eyebrows as she reprimanded her dog for chewing apart her favorite Reptar quilt. 

A brave little thing she was, that charcoal-haired girl. She walked across the river before the others, making up a little trail on the rocks as she went so they weren’t scared. She challenged the fastest runner in third grade to a race; even though she lost, all the girls in fifth grade suddenly wanted to become her best friend. 

She wasn’t popular, but people knew her as the one who they could talk to. She wasn’t wise or all-knowing, but she always had something to say. She was an odd child, if not strange. 

She was quite tranquil, she never really cried when she fell from her bicycle. Instead of playing house, she played librarian. Instead of drawing pink flowers and blue skies, she would write her momma letters. 

Defining her was as difficult of a task as separating the different flavors of a melted Napolitano ice cream on a sticky Sunday afternoon. Yes, she was simple, but she had these moments where she would take the ordinary out of the world and make you forget there was something rather bland about everyday life. 

As that little girl grew older, she reminded herself of who she was, and promised never to forget. She vowed to remember how she grew up and reaffirm her belief in herself. She grew quickly, almost skipping through the teenage years like a child would through a hopscotch game. 

It happened so fast, it was almost impossible to distinguish at one point she was a little girl with a big dream, and when she turned into a woman with great hopes for her future.”

It’s clear why this essay was a success. Keep reading to learn why it resonated with the admissions committee. 

Compelling Storytelling

This essay begins with a captivating story set against the backdrop of a hurricane. It describes a young girl sitting on her great-aunt's porch, gazing at the stars with awe. This vivid imagery immediately draws the reader into the narrative, making it easy to picture the scene and the girl's sense of wonder.

Emotional Connection 

As the story unfolds, the reader is not just told about the girl's experiences but is made to feel them. We witness her curiosity, her bold challenges (like racing the fastest runner in her class), and her unique quirks (such as playing librarian and writing letters instead of drawing). This emotional connection helps us relate to the girl and understand her character.

Smooth Transition and Reflection

The essay smoothly transitions from describing the girl's childhood to her growth into a young woman. It skillfully highlights her commitment to maintaining her sense of self and personal growth. This transition bridges her past experiences with her future aspirations, making her transfer to a new college a natural and logical step in her journey.

Symbolism and Metaphor

The use of symbolism and metaphor enhances the essay's impact. The comparison of the girl's personality to "melted Napolitano ice cream on a sticky Sunday afternoon" vividly conveys her complexity. It suggests that she can transform ordinary situations into something extraordinary, hinting at her potential contributions to a new academic environment.

Resonance and Promise

The essay closes on a reflective note, emphasizing the girl's promise to remember her roots and her rapid transformation into adulthood. 

This conclusion creates a sense of resonance with the reader, leaving a lasting impression of her character and determination. It implies that she is ready for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in her college journey.

Hopefully, these samples of transfer essays have inspired you. To learn more, check out these other transfer essay examples .  

FAQs: Writing a College Transfer Essay

We’ve provided an in-depth tutorial on writing a college transfer essay that’ll impress the admissions committee and get you into your dream school. For any remaining questions, read on to find your answers.

1. How Do You Start a College Transfer Essay?

The best way to start a college transfer essay is by sharing a memorable experience that either influenced your decision to change schools or is integral to your perspective on education. 

2. How Long Should My Transfer Essay Be?

The exact length of your transfer essay will depend on the university you are applying to. However, these essays are typically around one to two pages long. 

3. How Do You Write a Short Transfer Essay?

Some universities will ask that your transfer essays do not exceed one page or around 250 words. In this case, it’s essential you still include all the necessary information listed in this guide but do so in a succinct way. Here are some general tips to make sure your short transfer essay still packs a punch:

• During the brainstorming process, separate all the great ideas from the excellent ones; only use the excellent ideas
• Share only one concrete experience that influenced you to transfer colleges
• Keep your introduction and conclusion short, preferably only a few sentences each
• Use simple, straightforward language and avoid overly flowery language that takes up valuable space 
• Focus on the big reasons you want to attend your transfer college, leave smaller perks out

While it may seem counterproductive, you should write your first rough draft without paying attention to the word count. If you worry too much about staying within the limits, you may leave out important ideas or overthink your narrative.

Once you’ve written out a good rough draft, spend time revising and cutting down to meet the requirements. This way, you’ll have all of your ideas written out and can pick the best ones.

4. What Should You Not Write in a Transfer Essay?

You should avoid the following in your college transfer essay:

• Overused or generic quotes
• Badmouthing your current school
• Blaming your current school for its inability to meet your expectations
• Exaggerated stories
• Vague reasons for your transfer
• Generic reasons to join your transfer school
• A conclusion that leaves the readers with more questions 

You should avoid making any grammatical, syntax, or spelling errors in your essay, as doing so will make it less effective. Also, keep in mind that using the same college essay for your transfer application is not a good idea. It may make you appear insincere and not fully engaged in your new academic path.

5. How Important Are Transfer Essays?

Your transfer essay isn’t the only application material the admissions committee will consider. However, it can play a large role in their selection process. In a recent survey, it was found that almost half of all participating colleges stated the transfer essay has considerable or moderate importance.

Hence, it’s essential you spend an adequate amount of time perfecting your essay to ensure it helps rather than harms your chances of acceptance. 

6. How Do You End a College Transfer Essay?

You should end your college transfer essay by revisiting the principle, experience, or statement you used in your introduction. Reiterate this sentiment and expand on it after sharing your experience with your current university and the experience you hope to have at your desired school.

Keep your conclusion brief and avoid making any promises to the admissions committee or including new information that would require further explanation. 

7. Are College Transfer Essays the Same as Personal Statements?

No, you’ll write personal statements during your first round of applications. These statements are more open-ended and broad than college transfer essays. They simply give the admissions committee more insight into who you are. 

Students may choose to write more about their academics, extracurriculars, or life experiences that influenced them to pursue a certain career path. The main purpose of your transfer essay is to explain why you’re switching schools. 

Final Thoughts

Don’t underestimate the power of your words! Understanding how to write a college transfer essay can be a game changer. A strong college transfer essay can convince the admissions committee you’re a mature, determined, and ambitious student who would make a great addition to their university.

Follow the tips and strategies shared in this guide to ensure you write a memorable and winning college transfer essay! 

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How to Write a College Transfer Essay

How to write a college transfer essay in 2024.

Bonus Material: PrepMaven’s Transfer Application Statistics for Top Schools

For most students, making the final decision about which college to attend is the end of a long, stressful process. But what if you go through all that and aren’t happy at your current school? Or perhaps you’re finishing up your Associate’s degree at community college and plan to transfer to a four-year school. Either way, you’re not alone–and you’re not stuck. 

Many students decide to transfer from university to another at some point in their academic careers. While this isn’t uncommon, it can be hard to find good guidance about transferring schools. How is a transfer application different from your regular Common Application? How important are transfer essays? How are transfer essays different from your college application essays?

In this post, we’ll use our decades of experience guiding students through the admissions process to help break down how to write your college transfer essay to maximize your chances of acceptance. 

Download PrepMaven’s Transfer Application Statistics for Top Schools

Jump to section: What Is the Common App Transfer Essay? Transfer Essays Dos and Don’ts Transfer Essay Writing Tips How Is the Transfer Essay Different from the Regular College Essay? Next steps

What Is the Common App Transfer Essay?

Most universities that accept the Common App for high school applicants will also ask you to submit transfer applications through the Common App. 

When applying as a transfer student, however, you’ll generally have to answer one or more school-specific essays targeted at transfer students. In general, you’ll be asked to write about 500 words in response to a question about why you feel you’d benefit from continuing your education at a different university. 

Some schools, especially more prestigious ones, will also ask additional transfer essay questions–such as what about their offerings attracts you, or what you were missing at your previous university. 

These prompts will vary slightly from school to school and year to year, but you can always find this information on the Common App page for the school you’re applying to, as well as on that school’s website. 

Princeton, for example, will expect you to answer all of the essay prompts that high school applicants answer, as well as two additional ones: 

Have you had any interruptions or gaps in your education since high school or college, or have you left any school voluntarily for a significant time frame? If so, please explain the timeline of your postsecondary career. (Please respond in about 150 words.) What are your plans during and after your higher education experience? (Please respond in about 150 words.)

Harvard also asks you to answer additional questions for a transfer application: 

Briefly, please indicate the most influential factors in your decision to attend your present college (for example, location, cost, size of student body, only option, special program offered, Early Decision plan, etc.) What alternatives to transferring to Harvard are you considering? Please indicate your field of specialization and briefly outline your academic plans at Harvard College. What are your current postgraduate/career plans? Briefly discuss one book that has strongly influenced you.

These are generally fairly short essay prompts, but the key difference from your original college application is that there isn’t one “main” Common App essay for transfer applications. Instead, your “transfer essay” will be determined by what school you’re applying to. 

When you create a Common App transfer application account, you’ll be asked to add the school’s you plan to transfer to. In addition to the general information you’ll fill out in the Common Application portal (academics, demographics, activities), each school will have a separate application for you to fill out, and this is where you’ll find the transfer essay prompt . 

So, instead of having one “personal essay,” you’ll likely have several personal statements, one for each transfer school you’re applying to. 

These transfer essay prompts can vary. Generally, though, you can expect to be asked to discuss your reasons for leaving your current school, your career goals, and why you want to attend this transfer college. 

Below, we’ve collected some statistics on transfer acceptance rates to top schools. We’ll be honest: transferring to a top school can be just as hard–or harder!–than applying there out of high school. These statistics can help you get a sense of your chances, aiding in your transfer application planning. Download them for free now!

Transfer Essays Dos and Don’ts

If you’re looking to scan over your transfer essay and make some quick changes that can instantly boost your chances, check out our quick-fix guide to college essays , then read on for specific Dos and Don’ts. 

Things to do:

• Do be clear about what you’re missing at your current university. It’s a fine line to walk, but it’s important to be up front about this: if your current school were perfect, then why would you be transferring? Perhaps the academic program doesn’t align with your educational goals. Or perhaps they’re missing resources to launch you into your chosen career path. In any case, be clear!
• Do touch on what you’ve been able to gain from your current college so far. What skills/perspective/knowledge do you have now that you didn’t in high school? If you’re the kind of student who was rejected by the kinds of schools you’re now trying to transfer to, you especially need to show how you’ve developed and grown since high school. 
• Do identify specific elements that draw you to the transfer school. We touched on this above, but you want to be really clear about why you’d benefit from a transfer. 
• Do show what you bring to the table. In other words, why should this school accept you? You might want to connect this to your collegiate academic accomplishments, research experience, or community involvement. 

Things to avoid:

• Don’t be overly negative about your current school. It’s a tough line to walk, but the key is conveying that there’s something missing, or that there’s some disconnect between the college experience and what you need. It’s not to complain about your current school or to give the impression that you’re “better than” the school. 
• Don’t (!!) complain about other students. This is a huge red flag: even if you’ve had problems getting along with other students, you need to keep this to yourself. Otherwise, you’ll come off as someone who’ll cause problems or who is antisocial. 
• Don’t dwell on high school accomplishments. You want to come off mature and self-aware, and there’s nothing less mature or self-aware than someone in college who can’t stop talking about high school. 
• Don’t offer generic or shallow reasons for your transfer. Improved job prospects, academic rankings, or the intelligence of the student body are not good reasons to apply to a transfer school. They’ll make it seem like you haven’t really done the research, or that you just want to go to a school with a more prestigious name. 

Transfer Essay Writing Tips

In general, the same advice we give for how to write your college essay holds true for writing strong transfer essays! To summarize, a good college essay, whether a transfer essay or not, consists of two key elements: 

• Reflection 

To break it down further, the “story” element of your transfer essay will be the stuff that makes it personal, the stuff that makes it you . Think about it this way: admissions officers at Harvard and Princeton have to read countless application essays. Eventually, all these essays are going to start sounding pretty much the same. 

Even if you’re smart and a great writer, there are only so many ways that you can answer the prompt if you’re being general. Plus, most of the other transfer applicants are themselves smart and great writers too. So, how do you create personal statements that stand out?

Make it personal . In other words, incorporate a story from your life that nobody else could write about for the simple fact that nobody else has lived it. We’re not saying you need to turn this into a creative writing exercise, necessarily. If the prompt is direct and doesn’t leave you much room to elaborate, then you can’t afford to launch into a full literary narrative. 

But you can still include a brief glimpse into your life or describe a particular moment. For example, you might start by briefly describing the moment you realized you wanted to transfer from your current school. What happened? Where were you? What were you thinking in that moment?

Even something as simple as starting the essay with a short anecdote like that will immediately make your transfer essay more memorable to college admissions officers! You can check out our post here for specific examples of college essay openings that you can use to get ideas for your own transfer application essay. 

“Reflection” refers to what you make of your story. If you read our materials on structuring your college essays , you’ll already know how crucial it is to connect the personal details you provide to your values. 

Ultimately, your “story” is there to make your essay personable and memorable. But it’s your “reflection” and the values you’re able to convey that really show admissions committees that you’re a good fit for their school. 

Most importantly, you need to convey how your values both make you a valuable addition to the community and align with the values of your transfer school. 

If you take a look at the transfer statistics we’ve collected for your use here you’ll see just how selective transfer applications can be. It’s why we recommend working with an expert college essay tutor to craft strong transfer essays. Because there are so many different college essay services out there, we’ve done the research to rank the top 14 college essay services for this year– you can check out our post there. 

Of course, if you’re ready to work with us directly, you can reach out any time : our tutors come from Ivy League universities, and many have years-long track records of placing applicants into the most selective schools in the country. 

How Is the Transfer Essay Different from the Regular College Essay?

Much of the advice for the transfer essay is the same, because ultimately this essay is a very similar piece of writing to the standard college application essay, with the same goal (getting you into college). So, when it comes to the nuts and bolts of the process, you can confidently rely on our guides to brainstorm , revise , and end your college essays here. 

You should also especially read about how to write the “Why us?” supplemental essay (and look at our free sample essays that got students into Ivies). You probably remember writing these for your initial applications, but many transfer applications logically require a version of this essay as well!

But, despite these similarities, there are a few things that make the transfer essay unique. 

First, transfer essays should be slightly more direct and to the point than your other college application essays. You’ll notice that you’ll generally have less space for these essays, which means you need to make every word count. You’ll also notice that some of these prompts are more direct, asking you to specifically identify, for example, what aspects of your current university don’t work for you. 

This doesn’t mean you should ditch the personal or storytelling elements of your essays! It just means these elements should be incorporated quickly and efficiently, without as much detail as you might have used in your Common App essay in high school. 

Second, essays for college transfer applications need to focus more on your time in college rather than on what you did in high school. This becomes increasingly true the further into your college career you are: if you’re a college sophomore, then most of your anecdotes should refer to your college experience. 

If you’re still only writing about things you did in high school, you’ll seem immature! Be sure to focus on what you’ve gained, lost, and experienced in your first years of college life. 

Finally, you’ll be expected to have a more concrete sense of what you want out of a college experience. When you were writing in high school, it might have been fine to be a little general, or just to talk about multiple avenues that you might be interested in. 

Transfer applicants, however, will really be expected to concretely articulate their career goals and interests, as well as what specific resources you plan to take advantage of at your new campus community and what resources were missing at your old one. 

These transfer essays are high stakes: for schools like Princeton and Harvard, transfer acceptance rates can be even lower than regular acceptance rates! If you want to make sure you’re writing these essays correctly, get connected with one of our expert college essay coaches here .

Choosing to transfer colleges can be a difficult decision. For many students, it can be the right one–but actually getting into your dream school as a transfer student may be even harder than getting in from high school!

If you’re serious about transferring to a selective university, then you’ll need to put a lot of work into your transfer essays. But you don’t want that hard work going to waste: work with one of our expert college essay tutors to ensure that your essay will impress the admissions committee and boost your chances of acceptance. 

Want to know exactly what your chances are? We’ve put together a resource of the most recent statistics on transfer applications for top schools. Download it for free below to get a sense of what it’ll take to get admitted!

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How to Write the Best College Transfer Essay

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over  1.2 million students  are enrolled in college as a transfer student. Students transfer schools for many reasons: It could be because they have completed an associate’s degree at a community college and want to pursue further education or because the university they initially chose didn’t meet their expectations.

Writing a successful college transfer essay can significantly increase your chances of being admitted to the transfer college of your choice. 

In this article, we will help you write a winning college transfer essay that highlights your growth, showcases your unique experiences, and convinces the college admissions committee that you are the perfect fit for your new institution. If you wish to transfer colleges and want to learn how to navigate the transfer process, read on.

Understanding the Significance of Transfer Essays

What is a college transfer essay.

If you’re considering transferring schools, you’ll have to write a college transfer essay.

A transfer essay is a personal statement that addresses your reasons for transferring from your original college to a new college you want to attend. It provides an opportunity to explain why you are seeking a transfer and what objectives you hope to achieve at your future college.

The transfer essay plays a vital role in the admissions process. It gives admission officers a deeper understanding of your motivations, achievements, and potential contributions to their community. A winning transfer essay not only highlights your academic and personal achievements but also demonstrates your fit for the new school.

The Difference between Transfer Essays and Regular Application Essays

Writing a transfer essay is different from writing a first-year college application essay. As a transfer student, you already have academic experience to draw from. Instead of relying solely on general ideas and vague statements, use your genuine college experiences to illustrate how you will thrive in your new campus community.

Additionally, instead of writing one transfer essay that you’ll send to every college on your list, each transfer essay should be school-specific.

Your Mission Remains Unchanged

Even though you are applying to college as a transfer student, your main mission remains the same: creating a compelling and outstanding essay.

To achieve this, you should carefully select an intriguing and relevant story that highlights your growth and showcases why you are a perfect fit for the college you’re transferring to. Support your claims with detailed examples and articulate your unique qualities to make a lasting impression.

The Transfer Essay Prompt

The Common App granted colleges the option of allowing their  transfer applicants to select one of the seven current essay prompts (that are also available to freshman applicants).

Before you start writing your transfer essay, it is essential to carefully read the prompts provided by the college or university you are applying to. The prompts will typically be a combination of questions that will ask you to explain:

• Why you chose your current school (don’t be too creative; the reason can be simply that you wanted to stay close to home)
• The ways you tried to make the best of your situation at your current school. 
• How were your educational goals and expectations not met at your current institution (this could be a major or class your school did not offer)?
• Other reasons behind your decision to transfer.

Key Components of an Effective Transfer Essay

To ensure your transfer essay stands out from the competition, it is crucial to pay attention to these key components:

• Addressing the “Why” : One of the most important aspects of a transfer essay is explaining why you want to transfer to a new institution. Is it because of a specific program they offer? Or perhaps you’re seeking a better academic fit? Clearly articulate your reasons to transfer colleges and demonstrate your commitment to the institution you are applying to.
• Highlighting Personal Growth : Admissions officers are interested in understanding how you have grown since your initial college experience. Write an essay that reflects your experiences at your current institution, both inside and outside the classroom, and discuss how these experiences have shaped you. Mention specific examples of challenges you’ve overcome and how they have contributed to your personal and academic development.
• Demonstrating Academic Success : Your transfer essay is an opportunity to showcase your academic achievements and future goals. Highlight any notable accomplishments, such as excellent grades, research projects, or internships. Additionally, explain how the programs and opportunities at your desired transfer institution align with your academic and career aspirations.

To gain a better understanding of what a strong transfer essay looks like, it’s helpful to examine examples. Look for essays from successful transfer students who were accepted into their desired institutions. Analyze their writing style, structure, and the way they effectively convey their motivations and aspirations.

The Common App and Transfer Applications

Navigating the transfer application process can be complex, especially when using platforms like the CommonApp. Here are some tips to help you tackle the application process efficiently:

• Researching and Shortlisting : Take the time to research different colleges and universities that you are considering for your transfer. Pay attention to their transfer requirements, academic programs, and campus culture to ensure a good fit. Create a shortlist of institutions that align with your goals and priorities.
• Addressing Challenges and Misconceptions : Many students face challenges and misconceptions when completing their transfer applications. Common concerns include credit transfers, financial aid, and deadlines. Seek guidance from your academic advisor or the transfer admissions office to clarify any doubts and ensure a smooth application process.

Although most colleges will use the Common App, some (MIT, Columbia, Canadian Universities…) use the Coalition App (Scoir) or their own application portals.

Dos and Don’ts of Writing a College Transfer Essay

When crafting a transfer essay, it is crucial to approach it with careful consideration and strategic planning. To ensure that your essay stands out from the competition and effectively communicates your unique qualities, take note of the following guidelines:

• Highlight the positive impact of your current school:  Emphasize how your current institution has contributed to your personal growth and academic progress. It is essential to convey gratitude while showcasing how another college can further enhance your interests and aspirations.
• Exhibit thorough research:  Demonstrate your familiarity with the prospective college by illustrating your knowledge of their programs, professors, values, and opportunities. This will impress admissions officers and reinforce why the institution aligns perfectly with your educational and personal goals.
• Adhere to the correct essay format:  Each college might present different transfer essay prompts. Therefore, carefully read and analyze the question to ensure that you provide a precise response while maintaining the appropriate essay structure.
• Dwell on negative aspects:  Avoid using valuable word count to list negative aspects of your current institution. Instead, focus on how your current school has helped you grow, while explaining how the school you’re hoping to transfer would allow you to further develop your passions and interests.
• Include irrelevant or inappropriate personal details:  Stay focused on relevant experiences and personal growth that are directly related to your intended goal. Refrain from oversharing personal information that may detract from your main argument.
• Provide unnecessary information or digress:  Admissions officers appreciate concise and well-structured essays that effectively communicate your motivations and objectives for transferring. Avoid tangents and unnecessary details that could potentially dilute the impact of your essay.
• List random classes or opportunities at the new school:  Instead of merely listing opportunities, emphasize your genuine interest in specific programs or opportunities that directly relate to your goals and passions. Remember to weave a compelling narrative throughout your essay.
• Reuse your previous admissions essay:  Since you have undoubtedly undergone significant personal and academic growth during your time in college, it is crucial to write a fresh essay specifically tailored to your application.

How to Write a Successful College Transfer Essay

Explain your reasons for transferring from your current college.

One of the key components of a successful transfer essay is clearly articulating your reasons for wanting to leave your current college. When discussing your reasons, consider both academic and personal factors. Are there specific academic programs or extracurricular activities at the new school that align with your interests and goals?

Did your current college lack opportunities for growth and development? Reflect on these questions and provide specific examples to support why you decided to transfer and why you will make a great addition to their student body.

Highlight Your Academic and Career Aspirations

In addition to explaining your reasons for transferring, it is crucial to outline what objectives you hope to achieve at your future college. Are there specific majors, research opportunities, or internship programs that align with your career aspirations? Discuss how the new college’s resources and environment can contribute to your personal and academic growth. Remember to be specific and demonstrate your knowledge of the specific institution.

Avoid Trash Talking your Current School

Students may be baited into talking negatively about why they want to transfer from their schools. Honesty is good, but you need to avoid trashing your school and rather focus on presenting a positive image of yourself and showing how you can thrive in a new environment. Colleges don’t want to admit someone else’s problem student.

If all you do is talk about how horrible your current situation is, you won’t really convince them that  you   are the type of person who has a lot to offer and a brilliant trajectory in front of them. Stay positive and talk about how the new university fits you better, how you will fit there, and what you have to offer.

Showcase Your Growth

You’re older, smarter, and better than the guy or girl who wrote that first-year application essay. You’ve grown and learned and have so many more relevant stories and thoughts to share. Write a personal essay to show them the current you, not who you were two or more years ago. It’s usually pretty transparent when students do this and it rarely works as planned.

Seek Inspiration from First-Year Admission Articles

To navigate your transfer app journey effectively, consider exploring articles related to first-year admissions as well. Although the application process may differ, these resources can provide valuable insights and guidance in crafting your transfer essay. By learning from the best practices utilized in first-year admissions, you can better position yourself as a strong candidate for admission.

See more in our Essays category

Frequently Asked Questions About Writing College Transfer Essays

What is a college transfer essay, and why is it important.

A college transfer essay is a written statement that explains why a student wants to transfer from their current college to another. It is crucial because it offers applicants an opportunity to showcase their reasons, aspirations, and how the new college aligns with their academic and career goals.

What should I include in my transfer essay?

Your transfer essay should include reasons for transferring, educational and professional goals, and a genuine interest in the prospective college. Reflect on the experience at your current school and discuss challenges you’ve faced, lessons learned, and how the new institution can fulfill your aspirations.

Can I use the same transfer essay for multiple colleges?

While you can reuse certain elements, it’s crucial to tailor each essay to the specific college. Mention unique aspects of the prospective college that appeal to you and explain how it aligns with your goals.

How long should my transfer essay be?

Follow the guidelines provided by the prospective college. Typically, transfer essays range from 500 to 1,000 words. Be concise, focusing on impactful storytelling and key points.

Should I mention academic setbacks in my transfer essay?

Yes, but frame them positively. Discuss challenges you’ve faced and emphasize how you’ve grown and learned from them. Highlight your resilience and determination.

Can I reuse my old college essays for a transfer?

Reusing your old college essays verbatim for transfer applications is not recommended. Instead of copying them directly, you can use them as inspiration and a solid foundation. Remember to update and adapt these essays based on your new experiences and circumstances. Additionally, your writing skills may have improved since your initial applications, so take advantage of that and improve your essays.

In conclusion, writing an outstanding transfer essay requires careful consideration and thoughtful storytelling. As you navigate the transfer admissions process, we hope this guide helped you learn how to write a strong college transfer essay. Craft a compelling narrative by emphasizing your growth, focusing on the positive, and showcasing your unique experiences.

The admission landscape is super competitive (especially if you’re an international student), and college students transfer for various reasons. By following these tips, you’ll write a fantastic transfer essay that can increase your chances of successfully transferring to your dream college or university. 

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How to Write a Winning College Transfer Essay

December 27, 2021

Much like snowflakes, DNA profiles, or interpretations of a David Lynch film, no two college transfer applicants are alike. Even if two prospective transfers to Boston University are both named Fred and each hail from Farmington, CT, their paths, and the contours of their academic journeys are probably quite different from one another. Perhaps Fred #1 is a first-generation college student who, for financial reasons, had to complete his freshman year at the local community college. Perhaps Fred #2 underachieved a touch in high school, gained admission into a less-selective state school where he excelled freshman year and is now highly-motivated to study at top school. Each Fred possesses an equally valid story to tell the BU admissions office, and doing so adeptly may well be the key to their acceptance. After all, 42% of all U.S. colleges—and close to 100% of highly-selective schools—cite the essay as being “important” to their transfer application decisions.

To cite another relevant statistic, 37% of all college students transfer at some point in their academic career and each has a worthwhile pathway to chronicle. Whether you’re Fred #1, Fred #2, or someone not even named Fred (imagine that!), you need your transfer essay to be so strong that it leaps right off the page and captures the attention (or, even better, heart) of an admissions officer. In the following article, the College Transitions team will explain precisely how to master this essential component of the transfer application.

Which Transfer essay prompt should I pick?

Starting in 2020-21, the Common App granted its member institutions the option of allowing their transfer applicants to select one of the seven current Common App essay prompts (that are available to freshman applicants).

Some schools will offer you this option, while others will simply ask you the equivalent of “Why are you applying to our university?” If you are given the choice between prompts, it is generally best to select the one that is most broad (note: a broad prompt is good, a broad essay is not) and allows you to compose an essay containing the following essential elements:

• 1) Why your prospective transfer school is a perfect fit for you.
• 2) Why your journey has led you away from your current institution.
• 3) What unique attributes and talents you will bring to campus.
• 4) How your past achievements and efforts can bolster your case.
• 5) Share your academic and career ambitions.

Let’s dive in and take a more thorough look at each component, beginning with #1.

1) Why this college is the perfect fit for you

Share with your prospective new academic home exactly what makes them attractive to you. Smaller class size, a particular academic program, a more diverse environment, or the opportunity to for hands-on learning/research opportunities are just a sampling of the legitimate selling points you can cite. Mention specific courses that you are eager to take at their institution, certain distinguished professors who you desire to study under, and unique clubs, activities, or campus traditions in which you are excited to partake. Take advantage of this chance to impress admissions officers with you expansive knowledge of their institution as well as a highly-specific accounting of how you will take advantage of your 2-3 years there. Doing so will separate you from the pack of similarly-qualified transfer applicants.

2) Why you want to leave your current college

Make sure that the reasons that you communicate for wanting to transfer do not end up sounding like a nasty Yelp review of your present school. While you may want to leave College X because the professors are all centenarian windbags and your roommate is breeding capybaras to sell on Craigslist (is there really a market for that?), remember that the school to which you are applying wants to feel wanted. Think about it—would you rather listen to your girlfriend/boyfriend rant about their ex or hear them tell you what makes you awesome? Admissions officers considering a transfer student feel the same way.

3) What unique attributes you will bring to campus

Even in the transfer admissions process, admissions officers are tasked with enhancing the diversity of their undergraduate student body and adding individuals who are likely to be contributing members of the campus community. Is there a particular club that you are eager to join or do wish to start your own? Do you desire to assist a professor in conducting research? Are you an a cappella star or club volleyball diehard? What books do you read for pleasure? Do you have a hidden talent or area of expertise? Are you an introvert or extrovert (both can be selling points)? What ideas, activities, or dreams keep you up in the middle of the night? Give the admissions reader a full picture of what your life will look at their school and how you will make more of an impact (in any form) than many of your fellow applicants.

4) Talk about your academic and extracurricular record

This is also a perfect opportunity to demonstrate your record of involvement on your current campus. It is far easier to sell yourself as someone who will be a contributing member of the campus community if you displayed these qualities at your previous college. Students with an eye on transferring are sometimes so focused on escaping their first institution that they fail to become involved in anything outside of the classroom and thus miss out on valuable opportunities to demonstrate leadership and passion—the very traits needed to transfer to a prestigious school. Write about what you are most proud of—a challenging physics exam you mastered, a philosophy paper you wrote arguing the compatibility of science and religion, or how you started a campus chapter of an organization dedicated to fighting pancreatic cancer.

5) Share your academic and career ambitions

The more you can use your essay to communicate your genuine passions and what makes you tick, the better. Doing so gives your essay broader context and deeper meaning, as it explains the true significance of all of the info shared in steps #1-4. If you want to major in biology, where do you see that taking you down the road? Are you considering graduate or medical school? Do you want to work in research in a specific area? You don’t have to be 100% sure of your career and future academic path at 19 or 20 years old, but as a transfer student, you should share where your experiences and interests may someday take you.

College Transfer Essay – Do’s and Don’ts

• Make a coherent and well-researched case for why the school to which you are applying would be a perfect fit for you.
• Explain how you spend your time outside of school whether it’s participation in a club or sport, paid work, or a hobby to which you are extremely dedicated.
• Paint a picture of the reasons why this new university is the right place to pursue your academic interests.
• Give the committee a sense of your talents and character/personal qualities. If your school does not offer interviews, this essay will be primary vehicle through which you can forge a personal connection to a fellow human being.
• Bash your current school or overly-focus on the negative.
• Make excuses for past academic performance of lack of outside the classroom involvement.
• Say that you want to attend a new school for the prestige, the pretty campus, or for a personal reason (close to home, girl/boyfriend attends, etc.).
• Forget to do adequate research on your prospective academic home. Details matter!
• Application Strategies
• College Essay

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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College Reality Check

How to Write Best College Transfer Essay: Secrets, Tips and Tricks

If the college you wish to transfer to is asking for a transfer essay, you can rest assured that it’s something that can have a considerable impact on the admissions decision.

As a matter of fact, you should consider submitting one even if it’s optional — it can work to your advantage should admissions officers compare you with another applicant with similar qualifications.

Since it’s not uncommon for the acceptance rates for transfer applicants to be lower than the acceptance rates for freshmen applicants, writing a winning one can help you win an acceptance letter.

How to Start a College Transfer Essay

Because it’s the very first thing that admissions officers will read, the introduction of a college transfer essay is an opportunity for the transfer applicant to stand out from other applicants.

While there are many ways to start a college essay, only a few of them can deliver each time.

Let’s take a look at some of the most commonly used opening techniques that never fail to engage admissions officers, thus making the task of getting to know you through your college transfer essay an enjoyable endeavor:

Open with an attention-grabbing sentence

The goal is to make admissions officers want to read the entirety of your transfer essay from the get-go. And that is why you should start yours with something that can get them hooked and curious enough right away.

Here are some examples of successful good openings from winning college essays submitted to Stanford:

• I have old hands.
• When I was in the eighth grade I couldn’t read.
• I change my name each time I place an order at Starbucks.

Describe a moment without revealing much

Opening with an image-based description of a particular moment without explaining much gives the audience, the admissions officers, a sense that something important is happening, the full significance of which is yet to be revealed, which is why it can keep them from wanting to grab another college essay to check out.

The following is an example of a great college transfer essay that takes advantage of this effective opening technique:

Bowing down to the porcelain god, I emptied the contents of my stomach. Foaming at the mouth, I was ready to pass out. My body couldn’t stop shaking as I gasped for air, and the room started spinning.

Create an expectation and then give a twist

Nothing can surprise admissions officers more than reading a bunch of sequential sentences establishing things that create a certain expectation by the readers only to take them in a different direction entirely.

Check out this college essay’s opening that leverages the twist approach to its full advantage:

I am on Oxford Academy’s Speech and Debate Team, in both the Parliamentary Debate division and the Lincoln-Douglas debate division. I write screenplays, short stories and opinionated blogs and am a regular contributor to my school’s literary magazine, The Glue Stick. I have accumulated over 300 community service hours that include work at homeless shelters, libraries and special education youth camps. I have been evaluated by the College Board and have placed within the top percentile. But I am not any of these things. I am not a test score, nor a debater, nor a writer. I am an anti-nihilist punk rock philosopher.

What to Write About in the Transfer Essay

The things to talk about in one’s college transfer essay depend on the prompt chosen. But generally speaking, it’s a good idea for transfer applicants to focus more on their postsecondary experience thus far.

And because the essay is for transfer admissions purposes, it’s also recommended to discuss future goals at the target institution.

It’s the body that’s the longest part of a college essay. As a result of this, as the word limit permits, the transfer applicant has plenty of room to demonstrate his or her creativity and writing skills as well as reasons for switching colleges.

However, it’s a must that the right matter is discussed in the main part of the transfer essay.

There’s something transfer applicants have that first-time, first-year applicants don’t: a higher education experience.

As such, it’s just suitable and necessary for them to talk about theirs in their college transfer essay.

After all, when reviewing transfer applications, admissions officers want to get to know how much applicants have grown since high school.

Generally speaking, the following are some of the most fitting things to write about when asked to submit a transfer essay — most college essay prompts, anyway, ask transfer applicants to discuss them:

• How you have grown from attending your current school
• What your specific goals are at your new school

How to Conclude Your Writing

Depending on the approach or method of choice, a college transfer essay can be concluded in a number of ways. For instance, the students may return to the beginning or look forward.

Ending on an action or revealing the main point, if not disclosed in the introduction and main body as a part of the preferred style, are also options for closing one’s college transfer essay.

In some instances, it’s a much better idea to know the things to avoid at all costs as far as putting your transfer essay to an end. The general consensus is that the following are some bad ones:

• Summarizing the essay
• Stating the point of the essay even if it’s obvious
• Opening the ending with cliché transitions
• Extending the desire to get accepted to the college

Tips for Writing the Best Transfer Essay

It’s important for admissions officers to know you beyond your GPA from your current college and test scores, which are required by many colleges and universities for transfer applicants to submit.

And that is why a transfer application essay is commonly a required material to include in one’s application other than the Common App or Coalition App essay.

Here’s a rundown of some dos and don’ts when it comes to writing a transfer essay so that you will find it even easier to remember the things to do to strengthen it and the things to avoid that can lower your admissions chances:

• Do focus on what you have learned. Talk about what you have discovered about yourself and what you want in life as a result of your experience at your current college. Needless to say, you should consider discussing the changes in your academic and professional goals that your college experience thus far has caused.
• Do point out the reasons for wanting to continue at another school. Of course, admissions officers at the college you are applying to would like to know why you want to switch schools. Remember to provide clear objectives and plans so that the school can have an idea of whether or not it could serve your needs better than your current institution.
• Do mention the things you like about the new college. Demonstrated interest is not considered in the admissions process at many institutions. Still, a college would be interested to know what about it that you like. Is it the academic program? How about the research opportunities available? Or is it the summer internships offered?

Don’ts

• Don’t bad mouth your current school. Avoid using your transfer essay as a platform for whining, enumerating everything you hate about the institution you are attending currently. However, there is nothing wrong in pointing out the obvious, as you will later find out in a couple of examples of successful transfer essays — so keep reading!
• Don’t use your current school as an excuse for having bad grades. While it’s true that a terrible program, campus culture or roommate can affect your academic performance negatively, there’s always a workaround for a determined and hardworking student. You don’t want the college you are eyeing to suspect that you are lazy.
• Don’t waste precious word count. Always keep in mind that it’s not just your transfer essay that the admissions officer at the college you are applying to will check out — they will, of course, also take a look at the rest of your application. To let them know you more, consider talking about things that are nowhere to be found in your Common App.

What Colleges are Looking for in Transfer Essays

According to the associate dean of admission at Hamilton College in New York colleges and universities are looking for the reasons why transfer applicants want to transfer .

She added that transfer essays are nothing like first-year essays that are more open-ended for the lack of the students’ postsecondary education experience.

True enough, a retired dean of admission and financial aid at Amherst College said that — still as a part of the same report — transferees should be more reflective about their educational goals due to their experience after high school.

Of course, different institutions have different prompts for transfer essays.

Most of them, however, want to see the very same things. And spearheading the short list is the transfer applicant’s future goals, both academically and professionally, and how transferring to the school can help in the achievement of those.

It goes without saying that the transfer applicant should be certain that the new school is a better fit for him or her than the current school. Being able to provide specific examples of why he or she deserves to be a part of the campus is also expected.

Otherwise, it’s not unlikely for the admissions officers to give any available spot to a more deserving transferee.

And to conclude this part of the post, here’s a 6-minute video of a college admissions reader talking about everything that any transfer applicant needs to include in his or her college transfer essay.

Two Transfer Essay Examples

It’s one thing to know how to write a good college transfer essay. But it’s another thing to know what a good college transfer essay looks like. And that is why in this part of this post I will give you a couple of examples of successful transfer essays, the kinds that won transfer applicants a much-coveted acceptance letter from their top-choice schools.

This first example is a transfer essay submitted to the University of Pennsylvania, in response to a prompt asking the applicant to state the reasons for transferring and the objectives he or she hopes to achieve using a minimum of 250 words:

My reasons for transferring are two-fold and equally important. Academics and campus life are arguably the most vital components of the college experience and these two areas at [current school] have been unsatisfying for me. My unhappiness at [current school] is rooted in the difference between my academic philosophy and [current school’s]. Based on my experience in class I feel like the educational emphasis at [current school] is on knowing and not learning. An example of this comes from my philosophy class in which one of the teacher’s most common responses to a question is, “let’s bracket that for now,” when the inquiry is not about something printed on the syllabus for that day. To me, this sort of teaching discourages curiosity and in a philosophy class, especially, a deeper discussion that strays from the lesson plan is what gives the class its significant and educational value. The process of learning is pared down to its most straightforward and austere so that the state of knowing can be achieved as soon as possible.

What I hope to get out of transferring is to find a school that fits my academic philosophy and believes that learning for the sake of learning is vital to a healthy education. My favorite part about classes is taking a long, winding, side-note-packed path on the way to knowing, and if we never get there it doesn’t matter because knowing isn’t the point of learning — learning is the point of learning.

As for campus life, the prevailing campus social culture has been disappointing to me. No one ever seems to tire of doing the same thing week after week and the students admit that none of the events they attend would be fun without alcohol. I prefer an environment where the sober experiences trump the drunken ones. The ongoing joke about extracurricular life is that all of the clubs and organizations are “drinking club with debate” or “drinking club with community service” and so in this manner. The students do their work so they can go out at night as opposed to doing their homework to learn something. The prevailing culture sets the tone for the whole school and creates an uninspired environment. I’d like to go to a school where the spirit is less unimaginative and more intellectually ambitious.

Both my academic and cultural concerns center on differing philosophies. The academic approach at [current school] is too pragmatic, especially given that I am a classics major, and the social life is too alcohol-centered for my liking. I’m aware that all college campuses have drinking and it is a part of college life, but I’m looking to transfer to a school where drinking is more a means to an end of socializing than an end in itself.

And now, this second example of a transfer essay submitted to the University of Texas at Austin was a response to a long prompt that basically ask applicants to talk about their current studies and future academic and professional goals:

I stood still, lost amidst a sea of towering figures. I felt the familiarity of being alone. Each time I change environments, it doesn’t come any easier. A broad-shouldered girl in a blue shirt asked accusingly me where I needed to be. Despite intimidating me at first, she turned out to be sweet and concerned for my well-being.

She took me to my classroom and introduced me to the other girls. They all seemed so different from me. My family left the United States when I was young, and during my ten years spent in India, I switched between three very different schools.

Accustomed to American schools that are relatively orderly and organized, it took time to adjust to India’s disorderly schools. Just as I started feeling comfortable with the unusual teaching methods of my new school, my parents transferred me to a more “cultural” school. With a total of seven students in the entire school, we learned in literal shacks.

My classmates were behind in their education and far below my grade level, so the teachers focused most of their time on them. I suffered greatly when I switched back into mainstream schooling. Now, it was my classmates who raced through their work. I was thrown, unprepared, into India’s rigorous education system. I struggled with constructing angles and balancing chemical equations. I had to work especially hard to make up for the time lost at my cultural school.

I made it through Tenth grade with extensive additional coaching. Despite my setback, I knew that I could do better. Through my classes, I began to develop an interest with the mathematical functions that power finance and accounting. My accounting teacher became my biggest inspiration. The way she related accounting procedures to current business crises convinced me to learn more. I started keeping up with companies’ corporate strategies and their effect on the economy.

Before my board exams, I completed additional work on my own and solved about 70 papers in preparation. The work ethic I acquired under her guidance is something that has stuck to me through the challenging times at community college. I continue to self-study with online courses offered on Khan Academy to further exceed expectations.

Additionally, my internship at the Pratham International School in the summer of 2016 gave me real-world experience with auditing and organizing financials. I applied my classroom and self-studying knowledge to help with vendor payment methods and profitable tuition pricing.

I also pursued an internship in the accounting department of The Home Depot. For the first time, I saw theoretical concepts come to life as I helped facilitate vendor payment methods and profitable product pricing. The chance to interact with higher-level financial managers gave me exposure to strategic decision-making and contingency planning.

I look forward to pursuing another internship and taking advantage of the connections provided by the McCombs School of Business. I hope the university will help connect me with fruitful opportunities to develop my business competencies. By participating in the Texas Stock Team and The University Finance Association, I can explore different interests and develop my network. I don’t have these opportunities at Houston Community College, and I don’t think any Texas university offers the unparalleled opportunities of UT. Doing research under award-winning professors like Laura Starks and Robert Parrino will give me a head start in the industry.

Like The University of Texas, I also want to transform myself and change the world. The past few months at Houston Community College have helped me realize that I need an environment with a limitless ceiling for growth. Since I have experienced many different educational environments, I have a good idea for what I seek while avoiding opportunities that may not be in my best interest. I bring a different perspective that will contribute to classroom discussions and be a valued addition to the McCombs community.

College Transfer FAQs

Before this post comes to an end, let’s answer some pressing questions many transfer applicants who are in the process of brainstorming for their college essay feel too embarrassed to ask:

Do all colleges require a transfer essay?

Not all institutions of higher education make a transfer essay a part of the admissions process for transfer applicants. However, many colleges do, including some of the most selective ones.

Some require transfer applicants to answer just a single prompt, while others oblige them to answer multiple prompts. Most prompts call for an explanation for wanting to attend the school.

Can you use a common topic for your transfer essay?

Admissions officers do not expect all transfer applicants to talk about never-before-seen topics in their college transfer essays.

Even a common topic can become fresh and exciting if the student discusses it from a unique perspective or gives it a surprising story arc. Needless to say, using an advanced or creative writing style can make any everyday topic new and exciting.

How do you cite sources in a transfer essay?

Compared to research and academic writing, a college essay, whether by a first-year applicant or a transferee applicant, is less formal. As such, using an established style of citing sources and providing a reference list is unnecessary.

The transfer applicant may instead cite sources casually in the essay, in practically any part where it will not disrupt the flow of thoughts.

How do you meet the word count limit?

Going past the word limit necessitates going over the transfer essay to eliminate any irrelevant details. Since brevity is an important component of a written piece, unnecessary words that clutter the submission should be removed, too.

On the other hand, sharing stories, feelings and insight by vividly describing them is a solution when struggling to reach the minimum word count.

What is a diversity essay?

A diversity essay is a supplementary essay some institutions of higher education or scholarships require that is focused on the unique identity, background, culture, beliefs or characteristics of the college applicant.

In most instances, a diversity essay is asked to be submitted as part of the admissions process where diversity is believed to be enriching for the campus community.

Recap: How to Write a Winning College Transfer Essay

In most instances, transfer applicants need to include a transfer essay in their application. There are recommended ways to open and close a transfer essay, such as the ones we talked about in this post, which can help increase one’s admissions chances — since transfer acceptance rates are generally lower, they need to ace every part of their application.

Transfer students, typically, have to talk about their experiences with their current school and their goals at the new school, which are things that admissions officers look for other than writing skill and creativity.

Take your time when writing your transfer essay because it’s an important component of your application.

Independent Education Consultant, Editor-in-chief. I have a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering and training in College Counseling. Member of American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

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How to Write a College Transfer Essay (With Examples)

Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.

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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 1.2 million students are enrolled in college as a transfer student. Students may transfer for a variety of reasons ranging from academics to athletics to geography.

If you are in the process of transferring colleges it’s likely that you will have to write a personal essay as part of your transfer admissions process. Ultimately, there’s no one way to write a college transfer essay. Everyone is unique, and this individuality should shine through in your essays.

However, there are some recommended things to include, and even a real example essay that was used to successfully transfer college! In this post, we’ll help you write a powerful transfer essay so you can tell your story to the admissions committee.

Jump ahead to…

• Do’s and don’ts
• Why did you choose your current school?

What are your main reasons for transferring out of your current school?

Why do you want to attend the transfer school.

• Example essay

Additional resources

• Key takeaways
• Frequently asked questions

College transfer essays: The do’s and don’ts

Before we start, we want to cover a few basics do’s and don’ts about what your transfer essays should be about.

• Elaborate on how your current school has helped you progress towards your goals. Positivity is always a good thing!
• Research your prospective school (e.g. specific classes, organizations, opportunities) for why you want to go there.
• Make sure to follow the standard/correct essay format! Transfer essay prompts may vary from college to college so you should make sure that you’re answering the exact question.
• Use up your limited word count by listing negative aspects about your current school. Instead, focus on how it has helped you grow, but how another school could further help you develop your interests/passions 
• List a group of random classes or opportunities available at your new school. Mention opportunities you’re (genuinely) interested in that relate to your goals and passions – make sure you’re telling a story through your essay.
• Copy your initial admissions essay (the one that you used when applying to colleges in high school) – you’ve changed a lot during your time in college so you will want to write a brand new essay.

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What is the goal of the transfer essay.

Potential transfer students should know that not all colleges and universities require transfer essays, so when in doubt definitely check-in with the college in question for clarification. For the purposes of this article and the sample transfer essay, we’ll be using this prompt:

Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve. 

Most colleges will be interested in learning why you want to transfer and how transferring will help you achieve your goals. However, specific prompts will vary from college to college, so you should definitely pay attention to the specific prompt you are asked to respond to.

Some of the common questions you’ll come across include:

• How will your transfer school help you accomplish your goals?

Below I’ll break down how to respond to each of these questions and include an example from a successful transfer essay.

Also see: Can you transfer into an ivy league school?

Why did you choose your current school? 

To answer this question, you’ll have to go back in time when you were in 12th grade and selecting your college. Did you choose the college because it had a program you liked? Maybe you really wanted to take classes with a specific professor? Maybe you thought you wanted to attend college in a specific part of the world? Whatever the reason you should lay it out in the most factual way possible.

Here’s how I responded to this question:

Just like Jeopardy, Criminal Minds is also a show that I have watched from a very young age, and one that I continue to watch quite regularly. Being exposed to this interesting world of FBI profilers for so long inspired me to want to dive into the world of psychology myself. Due to this, I originally chose the University of Wisconsin, Madison for its amazing psychology program, and because I wanted to try something new. Being from California, this “something new” came in the form of watching snow fall from the sky, seeing cheese curds being sold in all the grocery stores, and simply living somewhere far away from home.

Also see: How to write a 250 word essay

This is always an important question for transfer admissions officers: why did your current college not work out? We recommend that students be as honest as possible and stick to the facts (as opposed to simply complaining about your current school).

Students have very different reasons for changing schools, which often depend on what type of school you’re transferring from (a 2-year or 4-year). While many community college students transfer because their plans did work out and they’ve accomplished what they wanted to at their school, those transferring from four-year universities often do so for less positive reasons (which was my experience).

If the situation at your college didn’t exactly pan out as you thought it would, you should also try to talk about some of the ways you are making the most of the situation. This shows the admissions officers that despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, you have continued to learn, grow, and contribute to your community.

Here’s how I accomplished this:

Arriving in Wisconsin, I got exactly what I wanted: an amazing psychology program and the experience of being somewhere quite different from the place I called home. My classes were interesting, my professors were helpful and caring, and experiencing the first snow was quite exciting. However, as winter progressed, walking back from class everyday under the progressively gloomier sky seemed to be a cruel reminder that I was no longer in sunny Southern California. While eating dinner in our many dining halls, I always viewed the wide array of food available: quesadillas, Chinese food, burgers, even pecan pie. The food was all delicious, but going day after day without even seeing Korean food once made me miss those fun dinners with my family. Back at my dorm, my “home away from home”, it started to feel like anything but being at home. To feel more comfortable where I was, I decided to pursue things I liked, and that I was familiar with. My passion for psychology led me to join the university’s Psychology Club, where I was able to learn about recent revelations within the field of psychology, furthering my interest in the subject. 

Going through the admissions process as a transfer student is interesting, because you have learned a lot about yourself and your preferences at your first college. This should provide you with a great perspective on what you are looking for next.

The two major things you’ll want to accomplish when answering this question are why the transfer college in question is a good fit for you and how it can help you accomplish your goals as a student.

Specificity is always more ideal here so you can show that you have spent some time thinking about what you want and also how the new college fits.

Here’s how I did this:

I plan on using the knowledge I gain in psychology, either from organizations or classes, to help people. I want to one day apply this knowledge to research, to discover possible methods to help the people suffering from the psychological problems I study. Alternatively, I hope to use this knowledge as a criminal profiler, using my understanding of psychology to narrow down pools of suspects.  To be able to accomplish either of these, I need to develop a much deeper understanding of both people’s motivations for the things they do as well as of the many psychological issues people face. For these reasons, I am very excited at the prospect of exploring and enrolling in the classes offered by USC’s Department of Psychology. In particular, Psych 360: Abnormal Psychology would be an amazing introduction to psychological disorders and their causes. Psych 314L: Research Methods would then help me put this knowledge about disorders to good use by teaching me how to properly conduct research and find possible solutions for people’s problems.

College transfer essays: an example

Here we go! Throughout this article, I’ve shown you my college essay divided into sections, and now’s time for the full thing. I can honestly say that this essay had a 100% success rate! Without further ado, here is my full college transfer essay (and prompt):

Prompt: Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve. 

I wake up from my daily after-school nap to realize that it is already dinner time. As I walk downstairs, I smell the delicious fragrance coming from my mom’s samgyetang (Korean ginseng chicken soup), one of my favorite meals. Soon enough, everyone sits down to watch the newest episode of Jeopardy , a tradition we’ve had going on for as long as I can remember. As I take that first sip of samgyetang, and miss yet another geography question on Jeopardy – and wait for my family to inevitably tease me about it – I feel at home, like I am somewhere that I belong. Wherever I go, I hope I can encounter that same warm feeling. Just like Jeopardy , Criminal Minds is also a show that I have watched from a very young age, and one that I continue to watch quite regularly. Being exposed to this interesting world of FBI profilers for so long inspired me to want to dive into the world of psychology myself. Due to this, I originally chose the University of Wisconsin, Madison for its amazing psychology program, and because I wanted to try something new. Being from California, this “something new” came in the form of watching snow fall from the sky, seeing cheese curds being sold in all the grocery stores, and simply living somewhere far away from home. Arriving in Wisconsin, I got exactly what I wanted: an amazing psychology program and the experience of being somewhere quite different from the place I called home. My classes were interesting, my professors were helpful and caring, and experiencing the first snow was quite exciting. However, as winter progressed, walking back from class everyday under the progressively gloomier sky seemed to be a cruel reminder that I was no longer in sunny Southern California. While eating dinner in our many dining halls, I always viewed the wide array of food available: quesadillas, Chinese food, burgers, even pecan pie. The food was all delicious, but going day after day without even seeing Korean food once, it made me miss those fun dinners with my family. Back at my dorm, my “home away from home,” it started to feel like anything but being at home. To feel more comfortable where I was, I decided to pursue things I liked, and that I was familiar with. My passion for psychology led me to join the university’s Psychology Club, where I was able to learn about recent revelations within the field of psychology, furthering my interest in the subject. I plan on using the knowledge I gain in psychology, either from organizations or classes, to help people. I want to one day apply this knowledge to research, to discover possible methods to help the people suffering from the psychological problems I study. Alternatively, I hope to use this knowledge as a criminal profiler, using my understanding of psychology to narrow down pools of suspects.  To be able to accomplish either of these, I need to develop a much deeper understanding of both people’s motivations for the things they do as well as of the many psychological issues people face. For these reasons, I am very excited at the prospect of exploring and enrolling in the classes offered by USC’s Department of Psychology. In particular, Psych 360: Abnormal Psychology would be an amazing introduction to psychological disorders and their causes. Psych 314L: Research Methods would then help me put this knowledge about disorders to good use by teaching me how to properly conduct research and find possible solutions for people’s problems. With so many opportunities available at USC, I hope to not only help others feel more comfortable, but to find a second home for myself after all.

And that’s it! This essay touches on all of the tips listed above, and should serve as helpful inspiration as you begin your writing. Hopefully, it gives you an idea of how to integrate everything you should mention in a cohesive essay. With that, I wish you good luck with your college transfer essays (and applications)!

Don’t miss: What looks good on a college application?

If you finish your essay and still have questions about the transfer process, consider checking out these Scholarships360 resources:

• How to transfer colleges
• How to transfer from a community college
• Top scholarships for transfer students
• How to choose a college
• What’s the difference between a private and public university?

Key Takeaways

• Explain why you want to transfer, what you need that you are not getting at your current school, and why you chose your current school to begin with
• Always present things in a positive light
• Share how the transfer school will help you achieve your goals and why you are a good fit for the school

Frequently asked questions about writing college transfer essays 

How are college transfer essays different from regular application essays, do all schools require transfer essays, can i reuse my old college essays for a transfer, what should you not say in a transfer essay, scholarships360 recommended.

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Articles & Advice > Transfer Students > Articles

What You Need to Know About Writing a Good College Transfer Essay

Need inspiration for writing your transfer admission essay? Tell your story and showcase your best self with these tips, plus an example essay!

by CollegeXpress

Last Updated: Sep 25, 2023

Originally Posted: Jun 20, 2011

Your first college wasn’t a mistake—it was just your first step to your final academic home. And Your transfer application essays won’t differ much from when you wrote your college applications for first-year admission. But there are a few tips and tricks to help you write your best essay to find your dream institution the second time around.

What makes a good transfer essay?

You need to grab transfer admission counselors' attention right away. Try starting with a bold statement or some interesting dialogue to draw your readers in. Remember: admission staff read hundreds and sometimes thousands of essays, so yours needs to stand out even if you’re a transfer student and your pool of competition is smaller. Give transfer counselors a glimpse at what you are unique with just the right amount of detail. Often schools will give you a 500-word limit, so you need to learn to be succinct and tell the most important story you can. Also be sure to end your application essay with a strong statement that ties into earlier themes, bringing the essay full circle to a satisfying conclusion.

The story of your transfer experience

Often transfer students are asked to discuss what led them to change schools. You should address your reasons for transferring straightforwardly, without being defensive or negative. You should address why you want to transfer into your college(s) of interest specifically. Talk about your goals and aspirations, what your current college wasn’t meeting, and why you think the college you’re applying to could be the right place to provide that support you’re lacking.

Error-free essays

A good essay is also made of everything that’s not there: It's free of misspellings, an appropriate length, and there are no run-on sentences. And you can bet it was submitted well before the deadline! Meeting deadlines is crucial in the college application process, whether it’s the first time around or as a transfer. Even if your intended college has a rolling admission policy for transfer students, the earlier you submit your materials, the better. 

Related: How to Write a Transfer Essay That Will Impress Admission Officers

Transfer example essay

It’s easy to read about essay-writing tips, but that doesn’t necessarily make them easy to implement. The best way to learn is to see all these tips in action with a real transfer admission essay example that got a student admitted to his school of interest. Check it out below!

Dad Says…

“But Dad, I can do both!” I pleaded, doing my best not to raise my voice. He’d always been sure to remind me of the importance of not making a scene.

“I’m sorry, bud. We just signed you up for baseball. The answer is no. No.”

“Dad, you don’t understand. I need to take painting lessons.” I tried to look as defeated as possible, hoping his heart would break just enough for him to agree.

“Yeah, well you said that about skiing and guitar too. Baseball is your top priority right now, and it’s going to stay that way. Besides, sports teach you how to work in a team. Painting teaches you...how to mix colors.” He turned back to the television and cranked up the volume, and I knew I’d lost this one. I retreated to the kitchen table to finish the jigsaw puzzle I’d abandoned moments before.

I couldn’t really argue with my dad. As a kid, I frequently bounced from activity to activity, often hurrying from one to the next. It wasn’t that I got bored with what I was doing—I just couldn’t wait to try something new. Everything was interesting and everything was fun.

In high school, I became involved in as many extracurricular activities as I could, getting elected to student council and playing varsity baseball, joining groups like the school improvement team, and yes, even the art club. I was intrigued by nearly every class I took, eager to dissect things in physiology or pick apart the ideas of Faulkner in American literature. I’ve wanted to be everything from an engineer to a chef to a professional baseball player. A friend once described me as a guidance counselor’s worst nightmare.

Years of searching, experimenting, and learning have brought me here.

When my classmates crossed the stage at graduation, it felt like nearly everyone knew which direction they were headed. Friends were moving across the country to pursue their dreams, and I couldn’t even figure mine out. I had a strong academic record and plenty of experiences to shape my application, but watching my friends leave for four-year schools with such determination reminded me of how lost I actually was. It was time to figure things out for myself.

Enrolling at a two-year community college gave me the opportunity to sift through different areas of study and find what worked for me. General education courses and a varied curriculum offered a wide lens through which I could see what different fields had to offer and find a true fit. It wasn’t easy. I took classes ranging from applied sciences to ceramics, and—of course—I liked almost everything I tried! Then I took an anatomy and physiology course during the spring of my first year at ABC Community College, and it hit me. I realized that the medical field would allow me to help people while constantly learning and exploring different facets of the work.

After two years of studying, researching, and homework, I received an associate degree in pre-physical therapy, and I believe XYZ University is the next stop on my journey to achieve my dream.

It may have taken me longer to get here, and my path probably had a few more twists and turns in it than most, but every activity I begged my dad to let me do and every extracurricular club I joined complemented my coursework and shaped who I am. XYZ University’s physical therapy program will lead me to the necessary bachelor’s and doctoral degrees I need to succeed in a profession I know will leave me fulfilled—and hold my interest—throughout my professional life.

Related: How to Make Transferring Colleges as Seamless as Possible

Don’t stress too much about your transfer admission essay! It’s not that different from the first time around, and transfer students are often looked at separately from first-year students, as they usually take enrollment spots in higher grades. Show them who you are and why it’s important to you to find your new academic home, and you’re sure to gain admission to a great new school.

If you’re worried about overcoming the struggles of going to a new college, check out our article on  4 Potential Obstacles for Transfer Students and How to Conquer Them .

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Recent posts, subscribe here, more expert advice, how to write a college transfer essay.

Students applying to transfer to a different college usually don’t have to worry about taking the SATs or balancing AP classes like you did in your high school days. But you’ll probably still need to write essays as part of your applications. That’s actually good news.

Transferring schools is a significant decision, and you probably have very good reasons for making it. The fact that colleges want you to tell them more is your opportunity to help them understand what led you to make this choice, and to explain it in a way that your transcript alone cannot. Whatever the prompt for your specific transfer applications, look for opportunities to share one or more of these five insights. You don’t necessarily have to jam all of them into one essay unless the prompt makes it easy to do so. But the more you can shed light on what led to this change, and what you envision happening next, the better you’ll be able to help colleges know more about the applicant behind the application. 

1. Why did you choose your current college?

Maybe you chose your current college based on reasons that made sense at the time. Maybe you made assumptions that you’d love that school as much as everyone else seemed to. Maybe you didn’t consider factors that you should have. Whatever the reason, you don’t have defend it—just explain it. It’s an interesting part of your story. It gives readers insight into who you were before to compare with who you are now, and who you’re likely to be if you end up on their campus. 

Related: How to Start a Personal Statement Essay

2. Why are you seeking a change now?

You’re seeking to transfer for a reason, probably a very good one. Why are you and this school no longer a good fit together? Where is the mismatch? What didn’t work that you hoped would have? The tricky part here is that you need to do this without sounding overly critical or resentful of your school. The best way to do that is to focus on yourself. Take a posture acknowledging that many other students are happy and successful here, and that it’s not an inherently bad place—it’s just not the right place for you . This is especially effective if you can demonstrate any efforts you’ve made to improve your situation along the way. There’s nothing wrong with you deciding that you’d like to be someplace else. Just make sure you don’t sound like you’re going through a bad break up and claiming it was entirely the fault of your ex.

3. What draws you to this new school?

What is it about this college that makes you believe it’s a good fit for you? Unlike a high school senior who’s yet to really experience college, you’ve taken a long test drive at another school. So try to get specific about what’s drawing you to this one. Is it a major or program that interests you? Is this school a more affordable option for your family? Have you reimagined what you want from college and decided you can find it here? Show the reader that this decision is about more than wanting to leave where you are—give them a sense of what’s drawing you to where they are.

4. What will be different about you?

No matter what a college offers, it’s up to the student to take advantage of it. How do you plan to do that as a transfer student? If you say you want more personal attention, or a different major, or a particular program that matches a new interest, you’ve shown what you’re interested in, but not yet how you’ll take advantage of it. Many students treat college like a roller coaster ride where they are a passenger with no control over the experience. But successful college students drive their own education. Make sure you explain how you plan to drive yours as a successful transfer student.

Related: Looking for a Personal Statement Outline?

5. What are your future plans?

Some transfer students have identified the path they want to pursue after graduation, maybe even as a compelling reason they are transferring. If that’s the case for you, describe those future plans. Do you have a new career in mind? Do you want to attend graduate school? Are you hoping to develop a new skill or interest that you plan to apply in the future? It’s OK if you still have some exploring to do before you can answer these questions. But graduation is presumably closer for you now than it was when you applied to college before. And it’s helpful to show a transfer admissions reader that you’ve begun thinking about your future and the role your new college will play in helping you get there. 

About Us:  With more than twenty years of experience, Collegewise counselors and tutors are at the forefront of the ever-evolving admissions landscape. Our work has always centered on you: the student. And just like we’ve always done, we look for ways for you to be your best self - whether it’s in the classroom, in your applications or in the right-fit college environment. Our range of tools include  counseling ,  test prep ,  academic tutoring , and essay management, all with the support of our proprietary platform , leading to a 4x higher than average admissions rates. 

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7 Secrets to Writing a Successful College Transfer Essay

You kicked butt during four years of high school, survived a crazy intense senior year, and matriculated at your dream school! But what happens if the dream turns out to be sort of a nightmare? Transferring schools is more common than you think, especially if you’re applying from a community college (whose enrollment rose by 2.6%, according to CNN ). Because your chances of getting accepted as a transfer student are still relatively hard, however, make sure your “why transfer” personal essay avoids these common transfer essay mistakes. Consider that for 2021-2022, the median rate of acceptance for transfers to Ivy League schools was less than 5% . That said, you have a greater chance of getting admitted as a transfer than a regular applicant, says Forbes , especially with in-demand schools like Northeastern, Columbia, and Cornell. As most transfer deadlines start February 15, start drafting your essay now to make sure you have time to fix these transfer essay issues I see all the time.

1) Don’t Sound Negative or Dismiss Your Current College

Even though you’re leaving your current school for obviously negative reasons, you have to be strategic in how you explain your reasoning to the admissions team so you don’t sound like you’re complaining. It’s a difficult balance to strike, for sure, but you have to be very concrete in what change you’re looking for so it doesn’t sound like you’re bad-mouthing your current situation (or worse, not appreciating it for superficial reasons like rankings).

You don’t want to sound like you're making excuses and not taking the initiative to make your current college work for you. You want it to seem like you've exhausted every resource and really belong somewhere else. Listing specific examples of what is missing will help with this, in addition to listing what kinds of resources, classes, research, opportunities, and/or professors you hope to have at your next college.

If, for example, you find your current curriculum constraining, explain in concrete detail how it limits your ability to take additional classes outside of your major. Maybe giving an example of the type of liberal arts curriculum you prefer is more effective.

Or if you feel that your current school is not academically challenging, that alone feels very negative. Instead, name specific types of challenging classes that are missing or specific types of classes that you hope to take in your next school. Not sounding negative is the #1 key to transfer essay success.

No: “UW created an intellectually demanding environment but lacked in learning to advance outside the classroom that had a mission to change the world.”

Yes : “UW has offered me a fantastic education, but with huge lecture courses and an undergraduate enrollment of over 31,000 versus Stanford’s 7,060, I feel starved for engaging seminar discussions.”

2) Add Specific Examples of What’s Missing In Your Current School

For example, if you’re looking for a better Silicon Valley connection, instead of saying your current school doesn’t have a strong entrepreneurial focus, it would be more effective to explain how there are no resources for future entrepreneurs and you've exhausted all the options in finding them.

Are there no entrepreneur clubs or business-oriented classes? Is there no tech hub in your current school? By naming specific facts like these, you're making your case objectively instead of sounding subjective.

You don't want to sound way holier-than-thou, like you’re better than your current school. The more specific your examples are, the less negative this comes across.

No : “I haven’t felt as challenged in class as I hoped I would be. While I have been enjoying some classes, I don’t feel as academically stimulated as I want to be.”

Yes : "While stimulating and exciting, the liberal arts curriculum does not focus on career-oriented classes for entrepreneurship, which is the key to success in my future field."

3) Focus on Your Transfer College’s Advantages

Another solution to not sounding negative in your transfer essay is to flip the perspective to say what type of environment you're hoping for so you don't come across as complaining. For example, are there any professors you’re interested in working with at the new school? Does your new school have a unique internship program or research opportunity that most undergraduate schools don’t offer? Flipping the perspective and focusing on what you’re hoping to find next is a great way to avoid the negative trap. Remember to be super specific and avoid the “ why this college essay ” common mistakes of being generic enough that your description can apply to any college.

No: “Cornell provides its students with an academic experience that is second to none. Cornell is a community of students who are smart, ambitious, and committed to making the world a better place.”

Yes : “Beyond the utopian surroundings, Cornell’s ‘any person, any study’ mission spoke to me. Cornell Engineering’s collaborative and hands-on culture is the perfect place to design world-changing products.”

4) Show How You’ve Changed Since High School

Perhaps you’ve had a revelation freshman year about your new career path—and unfortunately, your current school doesn’t have a strong program for this new major. You have to be really clear about this sudden change. What changed since you first applied senior year of high school? What changed in the past year that you've been at your current college?

No: “Cornell had been always my dream school. The only college I want to transfer to is Cornell because of its prestige and rigor in academia.”

Yes: “With Cornell’s unique interdisciplinary major, I hope to be a part of the new class of innovation. Beyond these few classes, however, BU does not have an ORIE major.”

Another crucial thing here is to answer the deeper “why” of the career or major change; otherwise, it will sound hollow and superficial. If you decided you want to focus on social impact, for instance, tell us what made you realize you wanted to make a difference. Why all of a sudden did you care about how many people you could impact? That's a pretty major paradigm shift - major decisions like these don't happen lightly every day.

It’s harder to be invested in your growth without that necessary self-reflection. Remember that admissions officers expect a higher level of maturity in a transfer essay, so diving deeper into your past motivations is crucial in showing that. Those self-aware details make all the difference in which types of stories leave an impression on the admissions officers and which types of stories get skimmed and forgotten.

5) Add Clear Objectives For Your Transfer Essay

If you’re transferring colleges to pursue a different major or career, be really specific about your future goals. Let’s say you decided to change your major from literature to gender studies. Give the admissions officers a sense of how you will pursue this new academic passion.

How do you hope to develop this topic and educate others? Do you want to pursue a master’s or Ph.D. in the topic, for example? There’s no pressure to stick to this plan of course, but it would be good to reference some kind of path, if possible, so you seem forward-thinking. Knowing that would also help you explain your reasons for transferring more effectively since the new school might have a better path and resources for a Ph.D., for example.

No : “It’s through these opportunities that I hope to develop a deeper understanding of Asian American topics.”

Yes : “With these opportunities, I hope to eventually pursue a Ph.D. researching the Korean American population of my hometown in Los Angeles.”

6) Don’t Waste Any Of Your Precious 650-Word Count 

Instead of listing extracurriculars they will see in your Activities List or classes they will see in your transcript, dive deeper into one of the activities that relate to your reason for transferring. Your transfer essay should present or develop new information they can’t find anywhere else in your application.

For example, did you pursue your new passions by enrolling in summer school or reading books outside of class for your own curiosity? Definitely make that clear since that shows initiative.

Any recent accomplishment should be added to your application. You want to impress the admissions officers and not taking credit for your wins seems like a missed opportunity.

No : “Having taken Principles of Financial Accounting and currently taking Management & Organization, Strategic Analysis, and Managerial Accounting, I have learned so much financial knowledge.”

Yes : “Foundations of Finance and finance electives will arm me with in-depth and well-rounded financial knowledge, while the Management Consulting track’s Dealing with Data and Competitive Analysis will train me to think like a professional consultant.”

7) Own Your Mistakes in High School

When explaining your reasons for transferring, aim to sound less negative and more proactive. Everything is about tone and you want to sound like you take accountability for any past mistakes in addition to doing everything you could to make the most of your current situation. Anything else will read like a red flag to admissions officers.

If you have poor grades in high school, be specific about why. If you were busy with other projects, take accountability by owning your mistakes.

No : “Unfortunately, my time spent doing projects had an effect on my high school performance.”

Yes : "My grades suffered as I spent most of my time building and running three apps and two websites."

Details like these are important to show that you weren't just delinquent in high school, but a passionate and talented inventor who had trouble balancing finals on top of being your own CEO. Quantifiable details like these really make a difference.

And whatever you do, make sure you take accountability. Instead of saying you were pressured into attending a lower-tiered school, rephrase that loaded language a tad more sensitively. What kind of high school did you go to? Was it a large public school with few guidance resources? Why were you discouraged from applying to other schools? Who specifically discouraged you? Why and how exactly were you pressured to choose this school? Saying you were pressured to go deprives you of agency, and does not make you look good because you are blaming people and finding excuses instead of taking responsibility, which is a major red flag to admissions officers. How honestly you phrase this situation is key to your transfer success.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on February 2019 and has been updated with new relevant information.

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From College Essay Guy : As a transfer student wondering how to start a transfer essay, you’re probably dealing with some version of this prompt:

“Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve.”

College Essay Guy is here to provide SEVEN ESSENTIAL STEPS FOR WRITING A TRANSFER ESSAY!

3 Do’s and Don’ts for Writing Your Transfer Admissions Essay [+ Suggested Outline]

No matter what year you’re in, for all college students, this time of the semester is stressful to say the least. If you’re considering transferring to another undergraduate institution, take a look at everything you need to know before deciding to transfer. 

Then, once you’ve decided you want to start the process, it’s time to start thinking about your transfer admissions essay. Just like when you’re applying to undergraduate programs your first time around, your essay is an essential piece of the application. Since many colleges approach admissions from a holistic perspective , it’s important to demonstrate who you are, what you’re interested in, and what makes you unique. 

Take a look at our list of dos and don'ts for the Transfer admissions essay. 

# Dos and Don’ts for Writing Your Transfer Essay 

1. Writing about your experience at your current college: 

Focus on how your current school has benefited you. What have you learned about yourself or what you want to do in your future as a result of this university? The key to an effective essay is focusing on your growth. 

Don’ t 

Bad mouth your current school. Think of this as the same as a job interview - you wouldn’t say you left your last job because you didn’t like the manager. Just like you shouldn’t provide a list of everything you hate about your current school in your admissions essay. Your essay is not place for complaining. Admissions wants to know how you’ve grown, not how much you disliked your current school. “Don’t trash-talk your old university, or sound bitter about your experiences there,” encourages Carnegie Mellon. 

Explain what your current college taught you about your study habits, your motivation for going to college, why you want to continue at another school.  

Don’t 

Use your essay as an opportunity to complain about your professor’s pop quizzes or your inconsiderate roommate. Carnegie Mellon urges students not to make excuses about their poor grades -- “Focus instead on the future.”  

2. Writing about your prospective college:

Choose specific parts about the college you’re interested in. Are you drawn to their psychology research department? Mention that. Do you want to participate in their Big Brothers Big Sisters collaboration? Explain why. The more specific you get, the better. Think about your personal experiences and how they relate to what you’re interested in. Admissions wants to know how you’re the right fit. 

List a whole bunch of organizations, courses, and opportunities just to prove you’ve done some research. Make sure you’re telling a story throughout your application that makes sense and aligns with your interests and goals. 

3. Remembering your first college admissions essay: 

Make sure you’re following the standard essay format, including an introduction and a conclusion. Recall the process of including stories, anecdotes, and examples to draw your readers in. 

Copy from your first admissions essay. Plagiarism is a no go, even when it’s from your own words. 

Basic Outline 

Take a look at the College Essay Guy’ s examples of strong transfer essays. They’ll help you get a feel for the level of reflection you’ll want to aim for. 

Introduction - Who are you? 

The introduction is your chance to hook the reader. Don’t start with “Psychology is an area of study that interests me.” Hook your reader to keep reading by telling a story. Write about the time you built an unlikely connection with a patient at the local senior center. Explain how you taught a kindergartner how to play tennis.  Better yet, once you write out the story, start in the middle. Can you start with a quote, something difficult that your friend shared with you? Can you start in the middle of the action, or set the scene to build anticipation?  

What piece of your story can you share that shows who you are and why you’re ready for your next challenge? 

Body Paragraph(s)

Body Paragraph 1 - What brought you here? 

Start to tell the story of how you ended up here. What did you like most about your school when you were applying ? Then, expand on how you came to your decision to leave your current school. 

Body Paragraph 2-3 - What did you learn from this situation? 

Whatever your reason for leaving your current school, use this paragraph to describe what you’ve learned about yourself or the world around you. What perspective have you gained? 

Body Paragraph 4-5 - What about this new college makes you want to apply? 

This is your chance to demonstrate your genuine interest. Spend some time researching your transfer college and get to know its programs, student life, and professional development opportunities. Mention exactly what you’re hoping to get involved in and why the opportunities will pave the path to your future. 

Conclusion 

Try to tie everything together in your conclusion. If you can, bring it back to the first paragraph by referencing your initial story. 

Start Brainstorming Now 

If you haven’t already, it’s time to start outlining and brainstorming your transfer essay. We know you’re busy with classes, so we’ve put together a basic guide to getting started . 

Transfer Essays That Worked

The essays are a place to show us who you are and who you’ll be in our community.

As a transfer applicant, your essay is a chance to tell the admissions committee more about your background or goals and how you would pursue them at Hopkins. Below you’ll find selected examples of transfer applicant essays that “worked,” as nominated by our admissions committee.

These selections represent just a few essays we found impressive and helpful during the past admissions cycle. We hope these examples inspire you as you prepare to compose your own essay. The most important thing to remember is to be original as you share your own story, thoughts, and ideas with us.

Read essays that worked from first-year applicants .

Essays that worked.

Bedtime Stories

Summer Mai Li connects the personal stories of her loved ones to global civil and human rights issues that she intends to study during her time at Hopkins.

Becoming a Better Mathematician

Jorge’s essay provides the admissions committee with a detailed narrative about his lifelong interest in mathematics: how he discovered it, cultivated it, and pursued it to the highest level available.

Pursuing My Passion in Research

Through her transfer essay, Klaire showcases her deep interest in advancing scientific research through her experiences at her community college and her future at Hopkins.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what are your strategies for answering 'why do you want to transfer' in college essays.

Looking for some advice here, peeps! If you’ve written a transfer essay, what are the main points you hit to explain your decision to transfer? Any suggestions would be super helpful. Thanks!

The 'Why do you want to transfer' question is a great opportunity to reflect on your academic and personal growth. Start by being honest about your reasons for transferring; maybe it's the need for a more challenging curriculum, access to specific resources, or a change in your academic interests. Be positive in your approach—focus on what you're moving towards rather than what you're leaving behind.

For example, rather than saying you're unhappy with your current school's social scene, explain how the new school's community aligns more closely with your aspirations. It's also important to do thorough research on the school you want to transfer to, pointing out specific programs, courses, faculty, or extracurriculars unique to the institution that will help you achieve your goals.

Always remember, this essay should provide a narrative that combines your past experiences with future ambitions, illustrating a clear connection between your goals and what the new college can offer. If possible, highlighting how you want to engage with a particular resource that is unavailable at your current institution can help admissions understand your academic commitment and focus.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Student Academic Success Center

Transfer application essays, download pdf handout:   writing a transfer essay.

Since universities receive many fewer transfer applicants than freshman applicants, admissions officers often have more time to devote to each application. This is why it is very important for your transfer essay to convey thoughtful reasons for transfer and to pay close attention to detail.

This handout offers some helpful strategies to writing a persuasive transfer essay – and offers some common pitfalls to avoid.

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Miami Defensive Tackle Transfer Thomas Gore Will Reportedly Visit Georgia Tech

Jackson caudell | may 11, 2024.

While the transfer portal is closed for any new entries, players that were already in the portal can still find a new place to play. One guy that is still in the portal is Miami defensive tackle Thomas Gore, a player who I thought would be a fit for the Yellow Jackets once he entered the portal. Today, On3 Sports Pete Nakos reported that Georgia Tech would be getting a visit from Gore. Tulane was another school mentioned for Gore.

Miami defensive lineman Thomas Gore has visits scheduled with Tulane and Georgia Tech, his agent @YesImMarcus tells @On3sports . Played in all 13 games for Miami last season. Former Georgia State standout has 101 career tackles and 26 TFL. Read: https://t.co/23Wc3OHkTF pic.twitter.com/KBDt3JatGi — Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) May 11, 2024

Georgia Tech could use another defensive lineman and while Gore was not a huge standout at Miami this past season, he was a good player at Georgia State before he left. He brings plenty of experience and at 6'0 280 LBS, he would be another body for the Yellow Jackets inside and could form a nice rotation with Zeek Biggers, Horace Lockett, and the rest of the Georgia Tech interior defensive line.

Georgia Tech has been busy adding players to the defense in the spring transfer portal window. The Yellow Jackets have added Penn State defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg, Cincinnati safety Jayden Davis, Illinois cornerback Zachary Tobe, and USC defensive end Romello Height. Georgia Tech will hope these new additions can help improve the defense, which was one of the worst in the country last season.

Let's see where this recruitment goes.

More info on Gore courtesy of  miamihurricanes.com :

2023 (Fifth-Year Redshirt Junior):  Saw action in all 13 games in first season with Hurricanes…Finished with eight total tackles, including four tackles for loss…Added two sacks…Finished with three tackles against Bethune-Cookman (Sept. 14), including two tackles for loss…Had two sacks at Temple (Sept. 23)…Had one tackle against North Carolina (Oct. 14)…Credited with one stop against Louisville (Nov. 18)…Credited with one stop in Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers (Dec. 28).

Before Miami:  Spent first four seasons of career at Georgia State…Finished time with Panthers with 93 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 11 sacks…Enjoyed breakout 2021 season, earning All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention recognition with 45 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks…Had 38 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five sacks with two forced fumbles in final years at Georgia State.

High School:  Helped Brentwood Academy in Nashville, Tenn., win its fourth straight state title in 2018…First-team all-state (Division II-AAA) by Tennessee Sportswriters Association……Had three tackles for loss, including two sacks, in Brentwood’s win over Montgomery Bell in the state semifinals…State champion heavyweight wrestler, also threw shot put.

JACKSON CAUDELL

Jackson Caudell covers Georgia Tech Athletics and the Atlanta Hawks for FanNation

Follow @jacksoncaudell