College Transfers - Deciding Whether to Transfer Colleges

Transferring colleges is a big move that requires a lot of time, effort, and expense. For most people, the costs of transferring college outweigh the benefits.

However, in some cases a college transfer is the best decision. Here are some situations in which you might consider a college transfer.

• You want to trade up. School spirit aside, you need to make the decision that's right for your future. If you think you can get into a much stronger school by transferring, and this will greatly improve your post-graduation prospects (jobs or graduate school), heading to a more prestigious program is something you should seriously think about.

• You vastly underachieved during your original admissions process. Maybe you were a slacker in high school and applied at the last minute. Maybe your test scores were awful but now your grades are great. Maybe you had a disciplinary problem that kept you out of where you wanted to go. Or maybe your counselor actually suggested a few years of community college (where you are now) before transferring to a state school.

• You're out of money. You like where you are now, but just can't afford it. You've examined all financial aid options and decided that you need to save money by going somewhere cheaper.

• Family issues. Your family needs you closer to home for financial, health, or other reasons.