A lot of high school students decide to attend a two-year college with the intention of continuing their education at a four-year university. A 2016 report states that 81% of first-time community-college students wished to pursue a bachelor’s degree or higher. Unfortunately, out of the 81%, only 33% ended up transferring to a four-year school of their choice within six years.

The major reason why students may be discouraged from transferring to a university is the lack of information, particularly the essential documents they need to complete the transfer process.

Essential Academic Documents

Typically, you need a high school diploma or GED when applying to a college or university. You may also be required to complete specific coursework or aptitude tests. Each college or university has unique requirements concerning the courses and scores you need. Therefore, make sure to ask a prospective four-year school whether you need a high school diploma, if there is a specific course you need to take, and what the minimum test scores you need to obtain are.

Also, keep in mind that an associate’s degree isn’t a necessity when transferring to a four-year school. This means that students can transfer to a university before or after getting an associate’s degree. In the case of the latter, you may list the fact you have an associate’s degree on your resume, which may improve your chances of being accepted.

Furthermore, colleges and universities will generally ask any transfer applicants, or even first-year college applicants, to bring these essential academic documents:

High School Transcript

A high school transcript is the complete record of your academic achievements during your high school years. Most, if not all, college applications require prospects to bring their high school transcripts. The document allows college admission officers to assess a student’s academic performance, enabling them to determine if a student is suited to the university’s culture.

Current and Past College Transcript

Similar to a high school transcript, a college transcript is also a presentation of your past schoolwork. Usually, a current and past college transcript contains the following:

• Student information: The transcript should contain your full name, birthday, and student identification number.
• A list of classes taken: Depending on your previous school, the transcript may contain the courses you enrolled in but didn’t complete. The transcript will contain the dates on which you took any classes, too. Lastly, the transcript will reflect the grades you received in a particular class in the form of a letter or number grade.
• Grade Point Average: Depending on the school, the transcript will reflect your grade point average (GPA) during your last semester or for every semester you’ve enrolled in.
• Other institutions: If you’ve enrolled in many schools, the transcript will list every school you’ve attended as well as the transfer credits you obtained from them.
• Official documentation: Lastly, a current and past college transcript should contain a seal, signature, or any other official proof that the transcript came from the school’s registrar’s office.

Letter of Recommendation

An academic letter of recommendation is a document that contains your academic goals, character, and achievements. The main purpose of the letter of recommendation is to provide the university with more insight into your school-related accomplishments.

Guidance counselors, teachers, club organizers, and coaches are some of the professionals who can write a reliable letter of recommendation for you.

School-Specific Application Essay

The majority of colleges will require transferees to create a school-specific essay, which can also be called supplements. This type of essay will allow the college to determine if you’re going to be a good fit for their culture and community.

Typically, a school-specific essay will have you answer the question: “Why do you want to attend this college?” As a tip, make sure to highlight the university’s academic and extracurricular resources when answering this question. Doing so will show the admission board that you are knowledgeable of the college and its benefits, that you plan to take advantage of their resources, and you are committed to attaining success. 

Activities Resume

An activities resume will show the admissions board the attributes you possess. These are any activities you enjoy doing in your free time, including clubs, volunteer work, hobbies, and any other structured activities. Your activities resume will contain anything that demonstrates your accomplishments, characteristics, interests, and skills –– whether athletic, academic, social, or artistic.

Here are the usual activities that an activities resume contains:

• Sports teams
• Internships
• School publications
• Visual art
• Activism
• Community service
• Entrepreneurship
• Academic clubs and competitions
• Student government
• School paper
• Religious and cultural organizations
• Band, choir, or orchestra
• Theater
• Part-time jobs

College and Mid-Year Report

The College Report is a way for your current school to express that you’re in good academic standing. On the other hand, the mid-year report is a projection of your semester grades.

Tips When Transferring to a Four-Year School

Now that you know the academic documents you need to transfer to a four-year school, part of your preparation is to know some helpful tips. By keeping these tips in mind, you may boost your odds of getting accepted to a university.

Plan in Advance by Asking Relevant Questions

Since every university has its own set of requirements, make sure to plan in advance so you can make sure the entire process runs smoothly. As a start, ask for guidance from these helpful resources:

• Your high school counselor
• College websites
• The admissions or counseling office of the four-year school you’re planning to transfer to
• Transfer advisers at the four-year school you’re considering

As soon as you get in touch with these resources, the next step is to ask important questions. If you’re currently enrolled at a two-year college, ask if there’s any special transfer relationship, or an articulation agreement, with any four-year colleges in the area. Once you are aware of the available four-year schools, continue to ask these questions:

• Will the credits I earn be accepted at the four-year colleges I’m considering?
• What grades do I need to have to get credit at the four-year colleges?
• What’s the minimum GPA I need to maintain?

Consult With Your Academic Advisor

It’s wise to speak with your academic advisor regarding your plans to transfer. More often than not, they’ve already gone through the entire process with another student, giving them experience in handling the concerns of your current school’s registrar and admission office. Also, they may know the credits you can transfer as well as provide some helpful advice and recommendations for colleges that could work well for you.

Choose the Right School

Regardless of your reason for transferring to a four-year school, it’s best to be certain that the four-year school you’re planning to transfer to will suit your academic needs and preferences. The transferring process can be lengthy and expensive, so making sure you like the transfer school beforehand will save you time and money.

To select a school that’s right for you, make sure the four-year college has the following:

• The degree program that you’re looking for
• Extracurricular activities you enjoy
• A campus culture that you can participate in
• A mission statement that aligns with your personal values

Monitor Application Deadlines

The lack of knowledge about application deadlines is a primary reason why transferring students will delay or won’t push through the entire process. Keep in mind that a university will either have one or two application deadlines. Usually, a four-year school will have its application deadline in the spring or fall. The fall deadline, which is around early November, is for transfer students who want to start the semester during the spring. The spring deadline, which is early or mid-March, is for students who want to start the following fall.

If you already have the necessary academic documents, make sure to check the deadline for the university you’re planning to attend. By knowing the deadline in advance, you can also give yourself ample time to gather any academic documents you don’t have and conduct more research about any four-year school.

Final Thoughts

Many students think that transferring to a four-year school is the best path to take. This is because changing colleges allows students like you to have a better and more fulfilling college experience. If you’re a transfer applicant, make sure to research the particular school you’re interested in and prepare the essential academic documents.

Moreover, if for some reason you lose or damage your diploma and/or transcript, it’s important to know that you can have it replaced or restored in a much more reliable way through Same Day Diplomas. This way, there’s no need to give up on your dream of going to a four-year school just because you’re missing some academic documents.

References:

https://www.sparkadmissions.com/blog/transferring-colleges-a-detailed-guide/

https://blog.collegeboard.org/whats-a-high-school-transcript

https://degrees.snu.edu/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-college-transcripts

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/write-an-academic-recommendation-letter

https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-why-us-college-essay/

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/activities-resume-for-college

http://studentcaffe.com/apply/community-college/transferring-four-year-college

https://learn.org/articles/What_are_the_Entrance_Requirements_for_a_4-Year_College.html