Deciding When to Transfer

If your goal is to transfer to a four-year college or university, it’s never too early to start planning. Here are some suggestions to get ready for transfer:

Transfer after Two Years at MC

This is often the best way to assure a smooth transfer to four-year schools. Students should complete an Associate’s degree (60 credits). The cost savings of finishing the first two years at a community college is considerable, and the majority of transfer scholarships are granted to students who have completed a degree. An Associate’s degree helps assure you admission to most Maryland schools; however, you still need to line up your courses to fit specific majors. See any counselor or departmental advisor for assistance in choosing courses and planning for transfer. Consider General Studies as the most flexible transfer degree; or, if you have a specific major in mind, such as Engineering or Business, discuss your degree options with a departmental advisor.

WHEN TO APPLY: See the Deadlines section below; you should start your application months before the actual final deadline which is usually Oct. 1 to be admitted for Spring and from Feb. 15 to March 1 for Fall admission to most schools.

Transfer after One Year at MC

Students with this goal need to earn 30 credits, or roughly two- to three-semester’s worth of credit courses. Most schools want to see completion of 12 credits (four courses) completed after high school graduation and an overall grade point average of a 3.0 or higher by the end of the Fall to be considered a true “transfer” student.

WHEN TO APPLY: If you were admissible as a high school senior (that is, if your grade point average [GPA] and SAT scores met the school's freshman admission requirements), you can apply from October 2011 onward for a Fall 2012 transfer admission. Watch each school's Transfer Admissions webpage to find out when the transfer application becomes available. If your high school grades & SAT’s did not match the freshman admissions profile, then most schools will want to see two semester's worth of grades completed at Montgomery College (grades from Fall 2011 & Spring 2012) to admit you. You'll still need to submit your high school record and SAT's, but your grades from Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 will be THE most important factor. You will need to send a second copy of your transcript at the end of Spring 2012 before they can make a final decision to admit you. UMCP specifically will not consider you as a transfer
student until you complete 30 credits including EN 102 and MA 110 or higher.

Transfer after One Semester at MC

Most students with this goal have been admitted to another school during their high school senior year, receiving a “Spring Admission” to the Freshman Class. Spring Admits to Univ. of Maryland, College Park should stay in close touch with UMCP this Fall if on-campus housing is desired. UMCP guarantees admission to Spring Admits regardless of how many credits are taken at MC. Schools like UMBC and Salisbury will make a decision on Spring admission after you complete the recommended number of credits at MC this Fall. For UMBC, 14 credits are required; for Salisbury, it’s 12 credits; note that DS courses do not count in the 12 or 14 credits at those schools. In all cases, be sure to request that a final copy of your transcript be sent to your destination school at the end of December.

Beware of Transfer Myths!

"I can earn an Associate's degree and all of my credits will transfer to any Maryland school."

This myth is based on the fact that completion of an Associate's degree guarantees students admission to a Maryland public school, but not necessarily admission to their first choice of a school. Many schools are experiencing increases in transfer applications and admit Associate's holders on a space-available basis. The dangerous part of this myth is that "all credits will transfer" - not true! Students must choose classes that meet the requirements of a specific major or majors at the school they would like to attend. Work with an MC adviser to find the right courses for your future transfer, and use tools like the MC Transfer Page, www.montgomerycollege.edu/transfer and ARTSYS - the Maryland State Transfer Information site, http://artweb.usmd.edu/

"I can apply to the University of Maryland - College Park as an Undecided Major and then try to get into the Business or Engineering major after I get there."

UMCP has very specific rules about the timing of your entrance into their competitive majors, called Limited Enrollment Programs. LEP's at UMCP are: You should examine the LEP Advising pages carefully to time your admission into any LEP. Work with an MC adviser to plan your transfer! These MC Pages have specific info for Business and Engineering, see UMCP links below for other LEP Majors:

> Architecture> Business> Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Chemistry and Environmental Sciencesand Policy-Biodiversity and Conservation> Communication
> Criminology and Criminal Justice> Engineering> Government and Politics > Journalism > Landscape Architecture> Psychology

The following guidelines pertain to all (LEP's) Limited Enrollment Programs:

• Only one 'gateway' or performance review course may be repeated to earn the required grade and that course may only be repeated once.
  


• Students may apply only once to an LEP. Students who were directly admitted and fail to meet the performance review criteria will be dismissed from the major and may not reapply.

Ready to Transfer Next Spring 2012 or Fall 2012? Apply NOW!

The link below shows application deadlines at some local schools. In general, students should have applications for most schools finished by October 1 for a Spring 2012 transfer and by February 1 to March 1 for maximum consideration for Fall 2012 admission, scholarships and financial aid. Be sure to look for transfer application deadlines rather than freshman deadlines. Complete applications on-line rather than by paper for faster processing; start applications as early as possible - most applications are available now for a Spring 2012 or Fall 2012 transfer.

http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/EDU/Plain.aspx?id=32274

Steps to Applying for Transfer Admission

1. Complete the application for transfer admission - for best consideration for admission and for scholarships & financial aid, apply well before suggested deadlines. Aim for February 1st (or earlier!) for most schools.
   


2. Apply on-line when possible. This is a faster method and allows you to track your application's progress.
   


3. Request that an official copy of your MC transcript be sent to the school(s) of interest. There is a $5 fee per MC transcript. If you request a transcript to be sent to a Maryland public four-year institution, your transcript will be sent electronically. Maryland schools prefer this way to receive your transcript - do NOT hand-carry transcripts to Maryland state schools - this will slow up your application process.


4. If you have fewer than 30 credits showing on your transcript at the time of application, you will probably be asked to submit your high school record and SAT scores as well. Don't worry over this - your college performance is the deciding factor in most cases, not your high school information. Go to your former high school guidance office to request a transcript to send with your admissions application. Request SAT scores from www.collegeboard.org/.
   


5. Most schools will not begin to consider transfer applications until March 1. You should, however, get a reply that acknowledges receipt of your application. If you don't hear anything from the school 4 weeks after submitting the application, contact them to verify that it arrived.
   


6. The essay - don't agonize over it, get it done! YES, it's important, but it is not THE determining factor (your grades in college classes are the most important point for admissions). Ask for help at the MC Writing Center, or from a professor or counselor - and be sure to proofread your final draft. If the essay is optional , then impress the school by completing it.
   


7. If you have any telephone conversations with an admissions office representative about your application, be sure to write down the name of the person who spoke with you.
   


8. Recommendations from college instructors - submit these ONLY IF they are required. Some schools may not request recommendations - they will admit you on the basis of your college record. When requesting recommendations from professors, allow a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the deadline. Provide the professor with a brief resume of your experience and academic goals (here's a link to an information questionnaire you can fill in for instructors) - this gives the professor the ability to elaborate on your good points and interests. If you're going to apply to multiple schools, give the instructor all the forms at once, or warn them that more are coming - most will save the letters that they write in case additional letters are needed.