common app transfer student essay

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

A User’s Guide to the Common App for Transfer Students

What’s covered:, what is the common app for transfer students.

• Steps to Completing the Common App for Transfer Students

Where to Get Feedback on Your College Essays

Looking to transfer colleges? The Common App is making it easier than ever with the new Common App for Transfer Students. All required materials are now in one place, so you don’t have to worry about staying on top of multiple applications and websites during an already stressful time in your life.

In this article, you’ll find tips and step-by-step instructions on how to fill out your transfer application and feel great about what you submit.

The Common Application, or Common App, is a platform used by many schools for the college application process. Since schools typically ask for the same data when it comes to personal information and a general essay, the Common App provides a singular place where applicants can enter their information. The platform then allows your selected schools access to your application. Some colleges may have individual supplemental essays that you’ll need to write, but your personal information and Common App essay are only entered once.

In the past, transfer students would have to fill out applications through each school’s transfer applications. However, the Common App now has a program available for students who are looking to transfer, making the application process that much easier.

Step 1: Creating and Logging into your account

When you go to the Common App website and click “Create an Account,” it will ask you whether you are a first-year or transfer student.

Choose “Transfer Student.” You will be asked to provide personal information to create your account.

Step 2: Navigating the Dashboard

Once you’ve created your account, a page will appear where you can add programs that you would like to apply to, arranged in alphabetical order.

You can either add directly from this list by clicking on the plus sign or search for a school using the search bar at the top of the page. Once you choose programs, you will be given the chance to review your choices and proceed to your application dashboard. If you click “Skip for Now,” you will be taken directly to your application dashboard. 

Step 3: Filling out the Common App for Transfers

Personal information.

Clicking on “Personal Information” will open this menu. 

To fill out each section, just click on the individual headers. You will need to provide communication preferences, demographics, and contact information for yourself and your parents/guardians. The Common App also offers options for financial support through the “Common App Fee Waiver” section.

Academic History

In this section, you will need to fill out your past academic information. This includes any high schools and colleges you attended; coursework you completed at your past colleges; your GPA(s); standardized test scores such as the SAT Subject Test, AP or IB tests, College Level Examination Program exams, or Senior Secondary Leaving Examinations; and Continuing Education Courses you’ve taken.

Supporting Information

This section is where you can take the opportunity to include anything that is specific to you that will help you stand out during the application process.

Things to list under “Experiences” include community engagement, extracurricular activities, family responsibilities, hobbies, volunteering, work, internships, research, and other meaningful experiences. “Achievements” can be both academic and professional. For “Documents,” this will differ based on the school. Typically, you can upload a resume, military transcript, or visa documentation if needed, and schools will list on their website whether they require any additional documents. Finally, the “Affirmation Statements” section is simply a list of statements affirming that the information you have provided is your own and that you will take responsibility for your own application process.

Program Materials

In this section, you will be provided with information about any individual application requirements for each college you are applying to.

Clicking on the button for a college will take you to its page in the Common App. “Home” houses contact information for the school, while “Questions” is a list of demographic questions compiled by the college itself. You will have to fill these out in addition to the “Personal Information” section of the Common App, as these questions are specific to each school. “Documents” is where you can upload any documentation, while “Recommendations” is where you can include any academic, personal, or professional letters of recommendation.

Step 4: Submitting the Common App for Transfer Students

While there are less sections for transfer students than for first-year applicants, the typical requirements are the same. In addition to personal information, students are still asked to provide essays, letters of recommendation, and information about extracurricular activities. Ensure that you leave time to thoroughly review your application. The Common App notifies you about any unfinished sections, but it’s best to look over everything yourself as well.

Registration for the 2021-2022 Common App for transfer students closes on July 29 at 5pm ET, so you must create your account before then. Deadlines for individual school applications differ, so be sure to consider deadlines that may have already passed when looking at schools.

After you’ve reviewed your application and have made sure you are ready to submit, go to “Submit Application.” 

Your progress bar should be completely filled. When you reach this point, click the “Submit” button. The following steps will only become visible to you once you’ve completed your application; if anything is missing, the button will be grayed out, like in the screenshot above.

Once you click “Submit,” you will be able to review your application for the last time, so take the time to thoroughly go over each section. After that, you will be directed to the payment portal for the college to which you are applying. If you have requested a Common App fee waiver, you will not be required to make a payment at this point.

Once your application fee is submitted, sign and date your application and click “Submit” on your Common App. 

Writing college essays is a daunting task. Sometimes it can feel like you’re not even sure where to begin . Luckily, CollegeVine provides peer and expert essay review to make sure that you feel like you’re putting your best foot forward.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Home » The Ultimate Guide for Transfer Applicants Using the Common App

The Ultimate Guide for Transfer Applicants Using the Common App

For transfer students, applying to college can be a daunting process. However, with the Common App, the application process becomes streamlined and straightforward. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about using the Common App as a transfer applicant (most of this should sound familiar to you). We’ll provide tips and strategies to help you stand out in your application and answer frequently asked questions about using the Common App as a transfer student. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the college transfer process, this guide will help ensure your success.

Benefits of Using the Common App for Transfer Applications

For transfer students seeking to apply to multiple colleges, the Common App offers a convenient solution by allowing you to submit one application . Moreover, it simplifies the process of transferring information from previous applications since all data is centralized on this platform.

Apart from simplifying the application process, the Common App also provides valuable resources and support to students. This can save you a considerable amount of time and effort, especially when navigating through the complexities of college applications. Moreover, many colleges offer fee waivers or other incentives for utilizing this platform. As a result, it comes as no surprise that so many transfer students choose to apply through the Common App.

Key Dates for Transfer Students Using the Common App

Staying on top of deadlines is crucial for transfer students using the Common App. Each school may have specific application requirements and due dates, so it’s essential to keep track of them all. The Common App has its own deadlines for transfer applicants, which may differ from regular decision deadlines. If you are considering applying for a fall transfer, the most common deadline is around March. This timeline applies to all eight Ivy League schools, as they have annual deadlines in March. It’s important to keep in mind that each school may have different requirements and application procedures, so it’s essential to do your research and plan accordingly. In addition, some schools offer rolling admissions, meaning that the earlier you apply, the better your chances of admission. Remember to submit your application as early as possible to avoid any last-minute stress.

Navigating the Common App as a Transfer Applicant

For transfer applicants using the Common App, it’s essential to stay organized and keep track of all the application requirements and deadlines. The first step is to create a Common App account and select the colleges you’re interested in applying to. Once you’ve identified your target schools, review each college’s specific application requirements, which will include transcripts, essays, letters of recommendation, and test scores. The Common App also offers a transfer credit preview tool that helps applicants understand how their previous coursework will transfer to their new college. Remember to track the status of your application and reach out to individual schools with any questions or concerns about the transfer process.

Common App Essay Tips for Transfer Students

Writing a persuasive essay is an essential component of the transfer application process, and the Common App offers several prompts to choose from. Selecting the appropriate prompt is critical because it allows you to showcase your strengths and aspirations effectively. To do this, you must understand each prompt’s nuances and select one that aligns with your transfer journey. Personal anecdotes and experiences can help make your essay unique and unforgettable while highlighting how transferring will help you achieve your academic and career goals.

Highlight your reasons for transferring and how the new college fits into your academic and career goals. People don’t always do this part well. Take time to research the new college and its transfer policies before applying. The essay section is where you can truly shine by explaining any challenges or setbacks you faced during your previous year(s) in college and how you overcame them. Ultimately, a compelling transfer essay should provide insight into who you are as a person, why you wish to transfer, and how transferring will help you reach your full potential academically and professionally.

Remember to proofread and edit your essay thoroughly before submission – it can make all the difference in setting yourself apart from other applicants. A well-crafted essay that is free of grammatical errors and typos not only demonstrates your attention to detail but also reflects positively on your communication skills. Additionally, consider having someone else read your essay to provide constructive feedback and a fresh perspective.

Can I Reuse My Common App Essay For Transfer Applications?

Yes, it is possible to reuse your Common App essay for transfer applications. The Common App essay prompts remain the same each year, so if your initial essay addresses one of the prompts, you can certainly reuse it for your transfer applications. 

While you can, you probably shouldn’t. Figure out whether the essay you want to reuse still effectively represents your goals, experiences, and reasons for transferring. If your circumstances or motivations have significantly changed since you first wrote the essay, you may need to revise it to align with your current situation. Additionally, some colleges and universities may have their own essay prompts or requirements for transfer applicants, so it’s essential to review each institution’s application guidelines to ensure your essay meets their specific criteria.

Do Colleges Prefer Transfer Applicants Using the Common App?

When it comes to transfer applications, many colleges and universities accept the Common App, making the process more streamlined for applicants. One advantage of using the Common App is that it allows transfer applicants to apply to multiple schools at once with ease. However, colleges do not show preference towards transfer applicants using the Common App versus those who use their own application. Additionally, the platform allows for easy submission of supporting documents such as transcripts and letters of recommendation, simplifying the application process further.

Many prestigious universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Columbia, accept transfer applications via the Common App. Schools that don’t accept transfer applications via the common app include schools such as Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of California system. These schools have their own transfer application processes in place that are separate from the Common App. It’s important for transfer applicants to carefully review each school’s website and requirements to ensure they are using the correct application platform. Keep in mind that regardless of which platform you use to apply, it’s critical to demonstrate why you are a strong fit for the school and how transferring will benefit your academic and career goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

As a transfer applicant, it’s natural to have questions about the college application process and the platforms available to you. Below are some frequently asked questions that can help guide you:

1. What is the Common App, and how does it work for transfer applicants?

– The Common App is a college application platform used by over 900 colleges and universities in the United States. As a transfer applicant, you can use the platform to apply to multiple schools at once by filling out one main application and supplementing it with additional materials required by each school.

2. How do I know if a college accepts the Common App for transfer applications?

– You can check if a college accepts the Common App by visiting their website or searching for them on the Common App Website . The list of schools will indicate if they accept transfer applications through the platform.

3. What supporting documents do I need to submit through the Common App as a transfer applicant?

– Transfer applicants typically need to submit transcripts from all colleges attended, letters of recommendation from professors or employers, and a personal statement. Some schools may also require additional materials such as a resume or an essay specific to that school.

4. How can I ensure my transfer application stands out on the Common App platform?

– To ensure your transfer application stands out, carefully review each school’s requirements and deadlines before applying. Take time to highlight any unique qualities or experiences that make you a strong candidate for each school. Make sure to proofread and double-check all materials for accuracy and completeness before submitting. Additionally, consider reaching out to admissions counselors or attending virtual information sessions to demonstrate your interest in the school and gain more insight into their transfer process.

The Common App is an excellent tool that simplifies the transfer application process, effectively saving time and energy. Book a free consultation with us to learn more about how to ace your transfer application using the Common App or any other platform. Transfer students often face low acceptance rates at top schools, making it essential to distinguish themselves from other applicants. Our expert team can assist you in crafting a compelling one that stands out from the rest. With our guidance and support, you can increase your chances of success and secure admission to your dream school!

The Admissions Strategist

How to write an effective transfer student common app essay.

The path to a college degree is not as clear-cut as it has been in the past. Many students do not graduate from the same college in which they enroll their freshman year.

In fact, according to  data  collected by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, over one-third of college students transferred at least once over a period of six years.

If you find yourself a part of that statistic, now you know that you’re in good company.

There are a variety of reasons for transferring to a new school.

You may have decided on a major that is not offered at your current college, decided that your current college is not the right fit, or elected the increasingly popular option of starting out at a community college to acquire skills and save money.

Whatever your reason, transferring comes with the pain of having to apply for college again .

However, as a transfer student, you have the added benefit of firsthand experience on a college campus and a better idea of what you want and need out of a school.

This information is what the Common App essay for transfer students is all about.

How is the Common App Different for Transfer Students?

In case it’s been awhile, remember that the Common Application is a website which allows college applicants to fill out one application and send it to any of the 700+ schools that accept it.

Luckily, those colleges also accept applications from transfer students.

There are small variations between colleges.

For example, some schools do not require a transfer student essay , but you have the option of sending one anyway.

The Common App asks you to answer the following question in 250-650 words:

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

Finding Balance in Your Essay: Reasons and Objectives

It’s important when planning your essay to think about how you will answer both parts of the above question.

If you’re a student who has decided to transfer for academic reasons, you may spend more of your essay discussing your objectives and why the schools you are applying to have a program that will put you on the path to your career goals.

However, maybe you are transferring so that you can be closer to a sick relative and take care of them while still fulfilling your dream of graduating from college.

In this case, you may want to balance discussing why family obligations are important to you  as well as  how the new school can support you in your future success.

Your own personal situation will dictate the balance of your essay.

Therefore, it’s important to be self-reflective and use your word count wisely to give colleges a well-rounded perspective about why you are choosing to transfer.

Reasons for Transferring: What to Include and What to Avoid

It’s likely that your reasons for transferring and your objectives are closely tied.

If that’s the case, you can definitely write about them in conjunction rather than clearly separating them in your essay.

Think about your reasons for transferring.

• Did you plan this transfer ahead of time by starting at a two-year school?
• Does your current school not meet your academic needs?
• Does the school climate differ from what you were expecting as a freshman?

This last reason is definitely legitimate and, in the end, you have to make the right choices that will lead to your success and happiness in college.

To that end, be cautious in your approach when describing your reasoning. This is not the time or place to trash your current college.

Maintain a consistently respectful tone.

• After every paragraph, ask yourself whether your writing evokes positivity and vision. Why?
• Colleges don’t want to admit someone who is negative or gloomy — this would diminish their campus experience. 

If you find yourself turning the “reasons for transferring” into the likes of a Facebook rant, then you should consider shortening that section and focusing on your career objectives. 

Think of the future. Think of your dreams and ambitions.

Bring the Transfer Essay to Life

When discussing your reasons, be very specific.

Instead of writing that the college “didn’t offer the classes I needed to graduate,” you might write, “I decided at the end of my sophomore year that my true passion was education, and I would like to teach elementary school. However, my current college only offers master’s degrees in education, and I would not be able to obtain a license as an undergraduate.”

One strategy for uplifting your essay is to focus on what the new college has rather than to dwell on what your current one doesn’t.

Do your research.

If you’re having a tough time thinking of perks of the new college, go to their website.

Also, visit the website of the school newspaper and academic program in which you want to be a part. 

By doing this, you can select elements that appeal to you and fit in with your dreams.

• Are there professors and other faculty members you’d like to study with?
• Does the building in which the program resides have resources you’d like to utilize?
• Are there alumni whose work you’d like to draw on add to?
• Is the university in a location that provides resources for curious minds? Are there monuments, memorials, and libraries nearby? If you choose to write about this, make sure to frame these elements within your interests. Don’t simply write about what the surrounding environment has to offer.

Rather than writing that “campus life is boring and there is nothing to do,” you may say “There are limited choices for extracurricular activities at my school. Part of my reason for transferring is because I want to become more ingrained in the campus community by participating in activities such as…”

Not only does this strategy keep you from sounding gloomy, but it also demonstrates your dedication and excitement for joining a new campus. You want colleges to think that you’re going to contribute to their campus.

This strategy converts an essay with a negative tone to one that is positive and includes more information about you as a student.

• Using details to paint a portrait of your future will also exhibit your ambitions.

Colleges love ambitious students because ambitious students become successful professionals. And successful professionals become generous donors. 

How to Sell Your Objectives by Sharing Your Passion

Obtaining a college education and deciding on a major is an extremely personal and complex decision.

When you discuss the “objectives you hope to achieve,” the enthusiasm and thought behind your choices should be evident.

Colleges want to know that you are passionate and excited about your future (as well as how they factor into your dreams).

Describe your goals in college and how accomplishing those will help you achieve your long-term career/life goals.

Add detail about the reasons why you are attracted to a new school, and why you chose this particular career path.

You might also consider questions such as:

• How will you benefit the campus community?
• How do you plan to help or improve your community or the world as a member of your field?  

While writing, don’t forget your audience. Admissions officers want to read about how you’ll benefit from and give back to campus.

Be an active player in your future. Show that you’re thinking about campus life in a larger context. 

If you are sending the Common App to only one college, it’s okay to use specific detail about that college in your essay.

However, if you are using the one essay to apply to multiple colleges, be careful. You do not want to send an email describing how you have always wanted to attend College A to College B. 

Conclusion: The Finish Line, Any Last Words

As with any college application, the essay is an opportunity to discuss anything about you that may not be apparent in the rest of the application.

After you have finished writing a draft essay, carefully go through your entire application to see if you have left out any important pieces of information.

If you follow the advice above, you will surely write a Common App transfer student essay that will wow and woo the college admissions readers. Happy writing!

Learn how we can help you with college and career guidance! Check out our YouTube channel!

Click Here to Schedule a Free Consult!

Stay on track and ease your anxiety with our second-to-none college application assistance.

• Ethics & Honesty
• Privacy Policy
• Join Our Team

(732) 339-3835

[email protected]

Common App Transfer Guide – 2024

December 8, 2023

A college diploma features the name of just one institution. Yet, for many, this hardly tells the true story of their unique college journey, which is often an amalgam of experiences across two or more postsecondary settings. In fact, at some point, approximately one-third of all U.S. college students temporarily transform into “transfer applicants,” a role that they are often thrust into with little preparation or support. This time, the transfer Common App looms before you, and too often, little guidance is available.

Transfer students come in different shapes and sizes and the particular contours of a given applicant can dictate what type of process awaits. There are those who, for financial or academic reasons, began at a community college, performed well, and are now jumping up the big leagues of a four-year university. On the other end of the spectrum, there are transfer applicants already attending a reputable four-year establishment who have their hearts set on swapping out their present location for the highly selective college of their dreams.

One common denominator is that no matter what type of transfer applicant you happen to be, you will likely be tasked with filling out the Common App for Transfer, a variation of the traditional Common App that you may have used when you originally applied to college. To assist you, the following article will address:

• Do I qualify as a transfer applicant?
• When are the transfer deadlines for colleges?
• How do I complete each section of the Common App Transfer application?
• Do I need SAT/ACT scores to transfer colleges?
• How do I approach the Common App Transfer application essay?
• What are the chances of getting accepted as a transfer applicant?

Let’s begin by exploring who qualifies as a transfer applicant.

Am I a transfer or freshman applicant?

School policies vary here. At many schools, just taking one two or four-year college course post-high school is enough to make you a transfer applicant. At other schools, you’ll need 24-30 credits under your belt before transferring is even an option. You’ll want to investigate this thoroughly before beginning the Common App transfer application. Fortunately, our Dataverse has an institution-by-institution breakdown. Check out our sortable chart  for more information.

When are transfer deadlines?

Each college sets its own transfer deadline or deadlines; some schools only have one application deadline each year while others have two. The most common time to apply as a fall transfer (for the following year) is around March. In fact, all eight Ivy League schools have annual deadlines between March 1st and March 15 th :

Many universities also offer a deadline for those wishing to start at a new school in the spring semester; these applications are typically due between October 1st and December 1st (although there are outliers). For a complete and up-to-date list of transfer deadlines for the current transfer admissions cycle visit our chart of transfer admission deadlines .

How to complete the Common App Transfer Application – A section-by-section breakdown

There are four sections to the Common App transfer application: 1) Personal Information, 2) Academic History, 3) Supporting Information, and 4) Program Materials.

Before you begin, select the schools that you plan to apply to. You can do this by navigating to “Add Program.” The schools you select will then populate in the “Program Materials” section.

Need a visual? Here’s a step-by-step tutorial:

Personal information.

This includes your basic demographic info including ethnicity, physical address, gender identity, and information about your parents/guardians. Nothing here should be too challenging.

Academic History

Here, you will enter information about your high school and college(s) as well as courses you completed in college, if required. If applicable, you’ll also self-report any standardized tests you previously took, including SAT/ACT and AP/IB exams.

There is also a space for you to input continuing education courses. These can include Coursera , edX , or LinkedIn Learning courses as well as any other type of in-person or online course/workshop.

Common App Transfer Guide (Continued)

Supporting information.

The first subcategory within this section is labeled as “Experiences.” Applicants should feel free to include any experience that helps paint a picture of how they presently spend their time, including extracurricular clubs, internships, volunteer or paid work experiences, summer programs, hobbies, or family responsibilities. The greatest emphasis should be placed on experiences that have occurred since exiting high school, so we’d suggest placing those at the top of your list.

Relevant high school activities can be included, but only when they directly connect to present pursuits (i.e. a current business major was President of his Future Business Leaders of America chapter in high school). Ideally, any high school activities that you include will have occurred during your junior and/or senior years of high school.

When you’re ready to add an experience, you’ll first choose an “Experience Type,” which includes Employment, Research, Extracurricular Activities, Volunteer, and Internship.

After selecting the appropriate category, you’ll have the ability to add more information about the organization you are (or were) a part of, your supervisor’s information, and the dates of the experience. You’ll also be able to note whether the experience was part-time, full-time, or temporary. Finally, the “Experience Details” area will require the following:

• Title of the Experience (60 characters). This should be the role you held within the organization, ex. “President” or “Software Intern.”
• Type of Recognition . You can choose from Compensated, Received Academic Credit, or Volunteer.
• Description/Key Responsibilities (600 characters). Similar to the Activities section of the freshman Common App , focus on offering specific details about your level of involvement and leadership along with relevant accomplishments and measurable impact.

The second subcategory within this section is labeled as “Achievements.” You can add athletic awards, academic awards/honors such as Dean’s List or membership in an honor society, publications, and professional achievements/recognition, among others. Collegiate achievements are preferred, but significant high school achievements (i.e., those at the national or international level, such as AP Scholar with Distinction or National Merit Semifinalist) can be added.

To add an achievement, you’ll first select an “Achievement Type.” These include Publications, Honors, or Awards. You’ll then complete the following sections:

• Achievement Details (60 characters). This should be the name of the award you won or recognition received, such as “Dean’s List.”
• Name of Presenting Organization (60 characters). In this section, you’ll insert the name of the organization or school through which you received recognition.
• Issued Date.  For recognition you’ve received more than once, such as being named to your college’s Dean’s List, you’ll want to choose the earliest date that you received recognition.
• Brief description (600 characters). Here, you can provide several sentences of context and/or note the award criteria, such as the minimum GPA required to earn Dean’s List recognition.

Finally, in the third subcategory, “Documents,” you’ll have the opportunity to upload supporting documentation such as a resume, visa documentation, or military transcript.

Program Materials

This area is akin to the supplemental applications that you filled out during the freshman application cycle. In this section, you must address school-specific essays and questions that require a short response. It’s important to always check the “Questions” tab within the Program Materials section as some schools only list their essay(s) here. Other schools will list the main essay in the “Documents” section, which can be a source of confusion. Some schools list essays in both places. Within the “Documents” tab, you will also find a list of documentation required by each prospective transfer institution, which may include items such as college transcripts, a mid-term report, or a resume. You can very easily upload directly into the form.

On the Common App transfer application, the “Recommendations” tab is where you’ll add recommenders.

Need a quick breakdown of how that works? Watch here:

Do i have to submit standardized test scores.

Ever since the arrival of COVID in 2020, the majority of American colleges have introduced  test-optional policies . These policies often extend to transfer students as well. Some schools, like the UC and CSU systems, have even gone test-blind. This means that they will not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admissions process. To see which type of policy your prospective institution(s) have adopted, view our complete list of test-blind and test-optional colleges.

Overall, 99% of colleges in 2024 will not require transfer students to submit test scores. However, at highly selective schools, submitting strong test scores may greatly improve your chances. For example, elite SAT scores will help you if transferring to Ivy League or Ivy-equivalent institutions.

The Common App Transfer Essay

Not every college requires an essay as part of their transfer application; however, plenty of selective institutions do. Many present applicants with a prompt that asks them, in essence, to explain why they want to transfer. For example:

 “The personal statement helps colleges get to know you better as a person and a student. Please provide a statement discussing your educational path. How does continuing your education at a new institution help you achieve your future goals?” 

In the words of Kierkegaard, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Briefly tell them where you have been and then move the conversation toward the future. As you discuss your educational journey so far and reasons for transferring, it’s important to avoid bashing your current school. Instead, focus on the opportunities your current school has provided you with and how you’ve taken advantage of them. Then, share why you’ll be better served at a different institution.

The best reasons for transferring are grounded in academics; any social or environmental factors are secondary considerations.  After taking several data science courses, perhaps you’ve decided you’d like to pursue a major in data science…but that option isn’t available at your current college. Alternatively, perhaps you’ve discovered that you’d like to attend a university with a more robust and supportive undergraduate research environment. Finally, after you explain how your past experience has brought you to this moment, make sure that you are crystal clear about your vision for the great things that lie ahead.

It’s important to note that Common App transfer essay requirements vary significantly depending on the school. Some schools will only require a version of the above essay prompt; others will ask students to also write a traditional personal statement and/or answer supplemental essay questions on topics that range from “Why Us?” to community-focused or extracurricular activity essays. Therefore, it’s essential to look at the various prompts you’ll need to write before getting started in order to figure out the balance of information across the application. Moreover, if you’re reapplying to a school that you applied to as a freshman, it should go without saying that you’ll need to write new essays.

What are my chances of getting accepted?

Of course, the answer to this question depends on whether you are applying to Columbia University (11% transfer acceptance rate) or the University of Missouri-Columbia (68% transfer acceptance rate). Last year, schools such as Bowdoin, Bates, Pomona, and Amherst all accepted fewer than 10% of applicants. Meanwhile, other stellar schools like George Mason, the University of Georgia, Indiana University, Elon, Clemson, and the University at Buffalo accepted the majority of those who applied.

Note: All of the previously mentioned schools are featured in College Transitions’ book— Colleges Worth Your Money: What America’s Top Schools Can Do for You  (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023).

It is also important to understand that transfer rates can be extremely volatile from year to year. Figures can be swayed by institutional needs and the number of open slots. For example, Dartmouth’s transfer acceptance rate has hovered between 0.5% and 10% in recent years.

Common App Transfer Guide – Final Thoughts

As a transfer applicant, you’ll be required to do things that you were not asked to do as a freshman applicant. For example, you may be required to complete a  mid-term report or  college report , and provide transcripts from both your high school and current college. You also need to approach your essays differently and may need to line up recommendation letters. Although navigating the transfer application process takes a solid amount of time and energy, you’ll be successful as long you stay highly organized, motivated, and focused on your future goals.

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.

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High School Success
• High Schools
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Private High School Spotlight
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

I am a... Student Student Parent Counselor Educator Other First Name Last Name Email Address Zip Code Area of Interest Business Computer Science Engineering Fine/Performing Arts Humanities Mathematics STEM Pre-Med Psychology Social Studies/Sciences Submit

Common App for transfer Program Materials

• Last updated
• Save as PDF

The Program Materials section includes additional information and requirements for the programs you selected in the Add Program tab. Each program's requirements may vary, so it's important you review this section in detail.

Your selected programs appear on the left side of this page; click each program's name to begin your review. Note that depending on your program's requirements, you'll see one or more of the tabs outlined below.

The Home tab contains the Program Details provided by each program at the start of the application cycle. It includes deadlines, required offline forms, and other information specific to the program. Be sure to review this page carefully for any additional instructions, information, and/or requirements.

The Questions tab contains the questions specific to each program. Questions may be multiple-choice or open-ended text boxes. Some programs require additional essays. Contact each program directly if you have questions.

Select your answers for each question and then click Save . If copying a response into a text box, check for possible formatting changes. We suggest using simple formatting, as tabs, italics, multiple spaces, etc., will not be saved. To delineate paragraphs, type a double return between each paragraph.

The Documents tab is only available for certain programs. Uploaded documents will only be visible to that specific program. Documents that do not have a red asterisk are optional and do not need to be uploaded for you to submit your application.

Contact the program directly if you have any questions about their specific requirements.

If your program provides a PDF form to fill out and upload in this section, you must save and upload it as an image. Depending on your computer's operating system, there may be multiple ways to do this; a Google search can point you in the right direction.

Once your application is submitted, you cannot re-upload, update, or edit the documents in any way; however, you can upload new documents.

Offline Documents

Some colleges may need you to send additional forms outside of the Common App for transfer application. To determine if your college requires "offline forms," select a program in the Program Materials section and review their Program Details section. 

Colleges commonly ask for the following forms offline:

• College Report : This report shares more information on your standing at your current college. A college official must complete this form. 
• Mid-Term Report : This report includes information on your current courses. You can complete this reporting using details from your transcript or student information portal. 

Carefully review each program's instructions for how to complete and send these offline documents. Some programs may want you to send the completed forms by mail or by specific dates.

Common App Personal Essay

Students can select one of seven Common App prompts to guide their writing for the personal essay.

Some programs may ask for a personal essay in the Documents or Questions sections. If a program asks for a personal essay in the Documents section as a document upload, you do not need to specify the prompt you have selected. If a program asks for a personal essay within the Questions section, you will select a prompt and enter your response as text.

The 2023-2024 Common App Personal Essay prompts are:

The personal essay helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want admissions readers to know about you that is not reflected elsewhere in your application? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay using the prompt to inspire and structure your response (1,250 - 3,250 characters, approx. 250 - 650 words).

Please select a prompt below to help you write your personal essay:

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Some things to consider as you write your personal essay:

• What are your academic and career aspirations?
• Are there personal experiences, obstacles you have overcome, or other aspects of your background that you want to share?
• How have your life experiences since high school affected your educational goals? What have you learned about yourself?
• What are your reasons for transferring or returning to college? Are you continuing your education after military service or time away from school, transitioning from a two-year college, or moving from one four-year college to another?
• What problems do you want to research or solve with your intended major and degree?
• What new opportunities are you hoping to explore, academic or otherwise?

Keep in mind that some programs may require additional essays. These can be in addition to, or in place of, the personal essay. Before you begin writing, review all of the writing requirements for each program you are applying to.

Recommendations

The Recommendations tab is only available for certain programs that require you to submit letters of recommendation.

Before You Begin

Recommendations (sometimes called Letters of Evaluation, Letters of Reference, or Letters of Recommendation) are submitted by the recommenders themselves; they cannot be completed or submitted by the applicant or another party on behalf of the recommender. We are not responsible for verifying recommenders' identities. If a discrepancy is found, we reserve the right to contact the appropriate individuals to investigate and to share the discrepancy with all programs.

Before getting started, consider the following:

• All recommendations are submitted electronically by recommenders using Liaison Letters , our Recommender Portal. Common App for transfer will use your legal name for recommendations.
• Research each program's requirements. You should determine whether your programs have specific requirements before listing recommenders on your application. Many programs have strict guidelines and submitted recommendations cannot be removed or replaced.
• Prepare your recommenders. Once you choose your recommenders, let them know they will be completing the recommendation electronically. We recommend getting their preferred email address and asking that they monitor that inbox for your recommendation request (which will come from [email protected] ), including any junk or spam folders.

The Recommendation Process

When you request recommendations, your recommender receives an email request with a link to Liaison Letters. Recommenders review your requests, and then accept, complete, or deny them. Recommenders may complete assessments such as writing essays, completing Likert scales, and/or uploading letters.

Once your recommender completes your recommendation, you'll be notified via email. You can check the status of your recommendation requests in the Check Status tab of your application at any time.

Common App for transfer also saves your recommender information. After you add recommender information once, you can select those recommenders from your list and add them for other programs.

Submit a Request

• Navigate to the Program Materials section. On the Recommendations tab, click Add Recommendation .
• If you have requested recommenders before, choose a previous recommender from the list or select Request New Recommendation .
• Enter the recommender's full name and email address, if necessary.
• Select the date when you would like this recommendation completed. This date should be before your program(s) deadline.
• Enter a brief message or note for the recommender.
• Select whether you want to waive your right of access to the recommendation. See Waiver below.
• Click the checkboxes to indicate your permission for programs (and us) to contact your recommenders.
• Click Save This Recommendation Request to submit it. Once you do so, an email is immediately sent to the recommender.
• Confirm with your recommenders that they received the email notification.
• Use the Check Status tab to monitor the status of your recommendations. Completed recommendations are marked as "Complete" and have a Complete Date listed. Follow up with your recommenders if their recommendations are still marked as "Requested" or "Accepted." It is your responsibility to ensure that recommendation requests are received and completed on time. We will not notify applicants about missing recommendations.

Resend the Recommendation Request

If you need to resend a request:

• On the Recommendations tab, locate the request you wish to resend.
• Click the pencil icon to edit the request.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Resend This Recommendation Request .

Change the Recommender's Email Address

If you entered an incorrect email address for any recommenders (or if any recommender asks that you send the request to a different email address), you must delete these requests and then re-add them with the correct email.

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) gives you the right to access recommendations unless you choose to waive your right of inspection and review. Prior to requesting any recommendations, you are required to indicate whether you wish to waive your rights. Common App for transfer will release your decision to waive or not waive access to your recommenders and designated programs. Your waiver decision serves the same purpose as a legal signature and is binding.

Selecting Yes indicates to programs that your recommender completed their recommendation with the understanding that you would not be able to view it. This means you will not be able to see the content of the recommendation. Programs may view this type of recommendation as a more accurate representation of an applicant's qualifications.

Selecting No indicates to programs that your recommender completed their recommendation with the understanding that you may choose to view it in the future. Selecting this option does not allow you to view your recommendation via the application. If you do not waive your right to view the recommendation, you may ask your recommender for a copy of the recommendation. Programs may view this type of recommendation as a less accurate representation of an applicant's qualifications.

Once you make a selection, you can't change it, so consider the choices carefully.

Prerequisites

The Prerequisites tab is only available for certain programs. In it, you can assign courses you took (or plan to take) to fulfill the program's required prerequisites. You must complete Transcript Entry and Transcript Review in order to complete this section. You should only add additional courses if necessary to reach the minimum credit requirement. Do not exceed the listed requirements by matching extra courses.

Note that assigning these courses does not necessarily mean you meet the program's prerequisite requirements ; the program wants you to self-identify these courses for their review. Contact each program directly if you have questions about these prerequisites.

Assign a Prerequisite

• Click Assign Course .
• Click the plus sign next to the course(s) that you believe fulfills the prerequisite. You can match multiple courses to one prerequisite, if applicable. If you do not have a prerequisite course to add, click I Am Not Matching Any Courses to this Prerequisite .
• Click Save and Exit .

Some programs may request or require that you complete a SlideRoom application, which is separate from your Common App for transfer application. In SlideRoom, you can create and submit a custom portfolio for each program. The SlideRoom tab is only available for certain programs. Contact each program directly if you have questions.

To submit a SlideRoom application:

• Click Click here to start your SlideRoom portfolio .
• You will then be redirected to SlideRoom, where you can log in with an existing account or create a new account.

Once you complete the SlideRoom application, return to your Common App for transfer application to verify that the section is marked complete. If it's not, click Update .

Note: if your program's SlideRoom application is optional, you can choose not to submit one by clicking Opt out of SlideRoom portfolio .

The Common App for Transfer Students Guide

Common App for Transfer Students Guide

If you’re looking to transfer colleges, odds are you’ve probably already used the Common App . Since the Common App makes applying to multiple schools easy, you’ll be pleased to hear that there’s a just as useful Common App transfer application. As long as schools accept the Common App transfer application, you can use one handy tool for all of your schools. 

When considering how to transfer colleges, you may feel overwhelmed by the process. However, there are ways to stay organized and prepared in order to streamline your transfer. The Common App transfer option is an excellent way to stay on top of all of your required materials, essays, and deadlines. 

In this Common App transfer guide, we’ll cover the following topics: 

• Understanding the Common App as a transfer student
• Required materials and how to complete them
• Planning your transfer application and meeting academic requirements
• Obtaining your Common App transfer forms: transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.
• Writing the best Common App transfer essay
• Avoiding common mistakes as a Common App transfer applicant
• Tracking your application status after meeting the Common App transfer application deadline

Before discussing how to transfer colleges using the Common App college application, let’s start with the basics: understanding the Common Application. 

What is the Common Application?

The Common Application offers a streamlined process for students in their college application journeys. Before the creation of the Common App 40 years ago, students had to fill out individual applications for each school. The Common Application revolutionized the application process by allowing students to use one platform to apply to multiple schools.

Now with the Common App, students can compile standard application information and a Common App essay to send anywhere. Of course, schools often have their own supplemental essay requirements. Today, more than 1,000 higher education institutions make up the network of Common App colleges.

Common App for Transfers

When looking to transfer colleges, the Common App works in the same way as when applying for the first time. Over 600 institutions allow students to complete their transfer application via the Common App . Whether you’re a community college or 4-year institution transfer applicant, the Common App can work for you! You’ll find plenty of Common App colleges to apply to in one place. 

Applicants will be able to organize their Common App transfer forms after creating their Common App transfer login. The process is simple, but you need to gather some important materials prior to creating your Common App transfer login. From there, you can search Common App colleges based on program, transfer application deadline, start date, and more. 

Moreover, this platform offers a comprehensive way to stay organized throughout the application process. You can stay on track with your Common App transfer forms, Common App transfer essay, and transfer application deadlines.

If you’re still curious about the difference between the Common App transfer and first-year Common App processes, then check out this page . You might also want to check out this article from U.S. News that covers the Common App in general. Up next, we’ll turn our attention to the all-important Common App transfer essays.

Is there a Common App Essay for Transfers?

Logically, you might be asking yourself if there is a Common App essay for transferring. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that there is no general Common App transfer essay. However, this doesn’t mean that as a transfer student, you’re off the hook with essays.

Instead of a general Common App transfer essay, students will respond to school-specific essay prompts accessed via the Common App. In this way, Common App transfer essays are more similar to supplemental essays than a personal statement . However, some schools may ask students for a personal essay as their Common App transfer essay. If this is the case, students will respond to the personal essay prompts found in the Common App. 

Ultimately, the essay requirements will vary based on your schools of interest. You will likely highlight your academic experiences in college rather than high school when applying as a transfer. In addition to your essays, you will need to submit Common App transfer forms. You’ll need to submit a transcript from your current college or university, alongside other materials. We’ll learn more about Common App transfer forms in later sections.

How does the Common App Transfer process work?

Once you have your Common App transfer login, applying to Common App colleges is simple. In fact, the Common App transfer application makes it relatively easy to complete all the necessary application steps. However, it’s certainly important to pay close attention when applying to ensure you don’t miss anything. Let’s look at the Common App transfer process broken down into 5 steps: 

5-Step Common App Transfer Process

1. gather materials.

The materials you’ll likely need to include as a transfer applicant are not too different from first-year requirements. In general, you’ll need your transcripts and educational coursework, standardized test scores, employment experience, extracurriculars, and other achievements to complete your application. Of course, required Common App transfer forms may vary depending on the school. 

2. Create an account

You won’t be able to do much without first creating your Common App transfer login. After gathering the Common App transfer forms above, create your Common App transfer login. Once you’ve done so, you’ll be able to take advantage of the app and start the application process. 

3. Add programs

Now you can search for schools and programs that suit your needs and preferences. Once you enter using your Common App transfer login, simply go to the “Add programs” tab to get started. You can search based on several criteria: program availability, state, college, start term, deadline, application fee, and country. Once you’ve filtered programs based on your criteria, you can add the schools that interest you to your “selected programs.” 

4. Request letters of recommendation

Similar to a Common App transfer essay, letters of recommendation play an important role in the admissions process. You can use the Common App transfer to request these letters of recommendation. All you need is the recommender’s name, email, and due date for the recommendation. To get strong recommendation letters , however, you should personally reach out to your recommender to request their support. 

5. Transcript collection

Again, the requirements for your transcripts will depend on your program of interest. Some may request official transcripts, others unofficial, and some may require none at all. You can request Common App transfer forms like official transcripts within the Common App.

These are the general steps you’ll need to follow as you begin the application process. Now, let’s take a closer look at the application itself.

The Common App Transfer Application

The Common App transfer application has four sections:

• Personal information
• Academic history
• Supporting information
• Program materials (including school-specific transfer essays or questions)

While this may seem like a lot of information, once you create your Common App transfer login, the process is quite simple. Upon entering your Common Application login details, you’ll be taken to your dashboard. The Common App dashboard has plenty of useful information to help you with your Common App transfer applications.

Past the Common Application login screen, you’ll have access to various college application reference materials and resources . These include a transfer application guide, an application dictionary, and even a library of FAQs and video tutorials. Furthermore, Santa Monica College has provided a useful and informative presentation on the Common App transfer process.

So, if you’re wondering “Should I transfer colleges?”, don’t let the process of transferring be the deciding factor. Simply create your Common App transfer login and start exploring! There are plenty of resources out there to teach you how to transfer colleges seamlessly. 

How much does the Common App Transfer cost?

When asking yourself “Should I transfer colleges?”, money may be on your mind. Applying to many schools can be costly, even as a Common App transfer applicant. In fact, the costs are usually the same for transfers as first-time applicants. That being said, application costs and fees vary by school.

Typically, costs are $70-80 per application. However, some schools may have application costs as low as $15 while others as high as $125. Alternatively, some transfer applications are free or have fee waiver options. An advantage of having a Common App transfer login is the ability to see the application fee when searching for programs.

If paying application costs presents a barrier for you, then look into a fee waiver. To counteract recent trends of lower diversity among Common App transfer students, fee waivers are on the rise. There is a Common App fee waiver for qualifying students, so be sure to check the requirements to see if you qualify. Remember, if you’re wondering “Should I transfer colleges?” and are concerned about application fees, don’t let that stop you. There are options out there to make it more affordable.

Determining If the Common App Is Right for Your Transfer

Maybe you’re no longer asking yourself, “Should I transfer colleges?”, but are now asking yourself if you should use the Common App. Well, while the Common App partners with over 600 transfer colleges, not every school uses the Common App. Other schools may use a different application platform or have their own transfer application. Therefore, the schools you’re interested in will play the largest role in which applications you’ll use. 

Common vs Coalition Application

Alongside the Common App, the Coalition App is another application platform transfer students can use. However, it is uncommon for a school to accept only the Coalition App and not the Common App; typically, both are accepted. For example, Harvard University accepts either the Coalition Application or the Common Application. In this case, you may choose to use Coalition on Scoir, especially if you did so as a first-year applicant. Of course, similar to the Common App transfer forms, the Coalition App will have different requirements for transfer applications. 

School-specific transfer applications

Alternatively, some schools may have their own platform for transfer students. In that case, you won’t be making a Common App transfer login but one for that individual school. For example, the University of California schools have their own application platform for first-years and transfers. Similarly, the University of Texas at Austin accepts applications via Apply Texas, which many Texas universities use. MIT is another school that has its own application portal for transfer students. 

Why Common App?

Some students may find that they are leading hectic lives. Transfer students are often in school or may even be working part- or full-time with families to support. Therefore, if you are in a similar position and wondering, “Should I transfer colleges?”, then the Common App transfer can certainly streamline the process.

Among the resources that the Common App offers, the Common App map is an important one. Students can look at a map of American schools that accept the Common Application. As such, you won’t have to create a myriad of logins to complete your application, you’ll simply use the Common Application login. It makes the process quicker and often less stressful. 

Preparing Your Documents

If asking how to transfer colleges, then obtaining the required materials is a large part of the answer. Once you create a Common Application login, you’ll see the list of Common App transfer forms and other required materials. Remember that you can also see transfer application deadlines for all Common App colleges. So, when organizing your transfer application timeline, keep those important dates in mind. 

Here are some of the materials you’ll need to prepare for your application:

Materials for Transfer Application

Transcripts.

Transcripts are important because they show your courses and grades. Schools may ask for an official or unofficial transcript. You can request an official transcript from your school through the Common App platform. Note that you likely won’t need to submit a high school transcript unless you have fewer than 12 college credits. If you’re unsure how many credits you have, your college registrar’s office can probably help. 

College reports

An official at your current institution of learning must fill out your college report. It will contain your GPA and information on your current academic standing. 

Mid-term reports

Some schools may also ask for a mid-year report. It will have your grades from the previous semester, the ones you were completing while also doing your applications. Note that while this is a common requirement, not all schools ask for it.

A CV or resume will include not only prominent academic achievements, but also extracurriculars, volunteer experiences, hobbies, and any other accolades. As a transfer student, you may also have ample work and leadership experience. You should include it here. Most college career services offices provide resume writing support, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Additionally, if you’re a foreign resident in the U.S., you will need proper documentation to continue further education in the country. As a transfer student, this means providing proof of your valid green card or student visa.

Recommendations

One of the Common App transfer forms that ranks similarly in importance to the Common App transfer essay is the recommendations. Choose your recommenders carefully, as these letters provide admissions officers with a deeper insight into you as a person and student. And of course, give your recommenders plenty of time to meet the deadline and a hearty thank you! 

Once you have a Common App login, however, requesting and submitting these documents to your transfer colleges is quite simple. Now, let’s turn our attention back to your transfer essays.

Crafting a Compelling Common App Transfer Essay

Remember, there is technically no general Common App transfer essay like the Common App personal statement. Rather, each school will likely have their own supplemental essays for transfer students. However, you may be asked to write a Common App personal essay as a transfer student.

Essays are extremely important whether a first-year or transfer applicant. A compelling Common App transfer essay will make a case for your acceptance as a transfer student. Here are some questions that a successful Common App transfer essay will answer: 

Questions to Answer in Common App Transfer Essay

“why do you want to leave your current institution”.

Address what your previous institution was lacking. Why wasn’t it a good fit? Be careful not to be overly negative or critical of your school in this essay. Focus on yourself and why you want to seek greener pastures.

“Why do you want to transfer to a new institution?”

Articulate why you want to attend this particular school. What attracts you to it? Why is it a better fit? Be specific in writing about the new school and how transferring will help you achieve your goals.

“What makes you a strong candidate?”

Think about what makes you unique. What are your goals, strengths, and interests? How will you contribute to your new community? Use strong, concrete examples, preferably of achievements at your current institution.

Common App Transfer Essay Tips

The Common App transfer essay also provides the following topics for students to engage with in their essays. Here are some of the points that the Common App recommends transfer students touch on in their Common App personal essay:

• Academic and career aspirations
• Personal experiences, overcoming obstacles, other pertinent background information
• Growth and personal development from life experiences since high school—what have you learned about yourself and how have these experiences affected your educational goals?
• Reasons for transferring or returning to college
• Major-specific interests—what type of research would you want to conduct? Are there specific problems you’d like to investigate?
• Opportunities you’re hoping to find at your new institution

The Common App transfer essay and/or school-specific essays are a vital part of your transfer application. When considering how to transfer colleges, writing impressive essays should play a role in your plan to get into your dream school . Check out our guide on the Common App transfer essay to see some examples of successful transfer essays. 

Does the Common App have supplemental essays for transfer students?

Put simply, yes, the Common App has supplemental essays. These are often different from the first-year Common App essay and will vary based on the program you’re applying to. To find these essays, use your Common Application login to enter the site. Then, go to your dashboard, then navigate to Program Materials. Select your school and then look at the Questions section. Here, you will find the school-specific essay prompts you’ll need to complete. 

As a transfer student, you will need to complete either the Common App essay or school-specific supplemental essays. Every school is different, so your essay requirements will depend on the schools you plan to apply to. For example, Case Western Reserve asks students to submit a personal statement essay, choosing from the Common App essay prompts. However, Claremont McKenna asks applicants to submit three supplemental essays, responding to school-specific prompts. 

Highlighting Your College Experience in the Common App

While the application process as a transfer student appears quite similar to a first-year applicant, there are subtle differences. Namely, the main difference between a transfer and a first-year college application is that transfer applicants need to highlight college experiences. Admissions will want to see that you’ve made the most of your education at your current institution. And, if for some reason you haven’t, they’ll want to know the circumstances behind that. 

So, when considering how to transfer colleges, you’ll want to think about highlighting important experiences within your application. Here are some different areas within the application that will give you an opportunity to show off what you’ve done: 

Sections to Highlight Your Experience

Academic history section.

In this section, you’ll mention the colleges you’ve attended as well as your college coursework. This will show admissions if you’ve completed the required courses and if you’re up for taking challenging courses later on. It may also be important when applying to certain majors. For example, as a biology major, admissions would want to see you’ve taken the basic requisites. 

Supporting Information section

Now is the time to add all the information that admissions can’t see by simply looking at your academics. You’ll add your experiences and achievements, like extracurricular activities, leadership positions, and awards. You can also attach a CV or resume where you can show off your work, life, academic, and personal experiences. 

Without a doubt, your essays are your best opportunity to discuss your college experience in your own words. You might discuss highs and lows, both in and out of the classroom. It’s also an opportunity to expand on your future goals and why you need to transfer in order to achieve them. Well-written transfer essays will touch on the past as well as the future. And, of course, they need to be personal and school-specific. 

Now that we’ve covered the basics of the Common App transfer application and the Common App essay, let’s discuss your transcripts. Later on, we’ll do a deep dive into your letters of recommendation.

High School Transcripts and Transfer Applications

Transcripts are a critical part of the admissions review process at most every college. Typically, traditional first-year applicants are required to submit their high school transcripts. Similarly, Common App transfer applicants are required to submit their college transcripts. However, in some instances, schools may want to see both.

Transcript requirements

Typically, students with less than 12-semester college credits will need to submit a high school transcript. This is because a low number of college credits doesn’t provide sufficient academic context to the admissions committee. In this case, a college’s admissions requirement will likely include your high school transcript and maybe even your standardized test scores, like the SAT or the ACT.

However, certain colleges require all transfer applicants, regardless of completed college credits, to submit both their high school and college transcripts. Common App transfer requirements can vary by college and even by major. So, it is important to research which transcripts are required to complete your application based on your individual circumstances.

For instance, if you are a transfer student who has attended more than one college, you will be required to submit all transcripts when completing your Common App transfer application. Failure to submit all required transcripts may lead to your application being rendered incomplete. Using your Common App transfer login to continuously check your requirements can help you stay organized and informed.

Recommendation Letters: Tips for Transfer Students

Alongside your Common App transfer essay, your recommendation letters are one of the most valuable components of your transfer application. Common App transfer recommendations must be submitted directly by recommenders via a portal called Liaison Letters .

The Liaison Letters portal is separate from your Common App transfer login information. In fact, only your recommenders will be able to access Liaison Letters. However, students will need to request recommendations via the Program Materials section of their college application for each school they are applying to.

Who to ask for recommendation letters

The art of a successful Common App transfer recommendation is knowing who to ask for a recommendation. You should start by making a list of multiple people that you have a real relationship with or who showed a real interest in you. This can include professors, administrators, advisors of a club or organization, coaches, or supervisors.

Ultimately, you’ll want to choose someone who knows you in an academic, professional, or extracurricular capacity. While personal recommendations from family and friends can often speak to your character, these recommendations are not particularly helpful for an admissions committee evaluating Common App transfer applications. It is also important that you focus on college recommenders and not those from high school.

Depending on how long you have been at your current institution, you may find that you have fewer long-standing relationships with your instructors compared to what you had in high school. Some transfer students at larger schools may even feel like they have no one who knows them well enough to write a recommendation letter. If this sounds like you, do your best to forge meaningful relationships with faculty, even if it’s only your first year in college. You can do this organically by visiting professors during office hours and participating in clubs and organizations.  

When to ask for recommendation letters 

Like when you applied as a first-year applicant, applying as a transfer student takes a great deal of organization and deadline management. It can often be difficult to manage deadlines for yourself. However, it’s important to remember that you are also managing deadlines for the professors who will ultimately write your letters of recommendation.

To give your recommenders ample time, it is important to request recommendations no later than six weeks prior to your application date. This will give your recommenders plenty of time to consider your request, write the recommendation, and submit the recommendation letter through the preferred platform.

How to submit recommendation letters 

Common App transfer applicants should instruct their professors to submit recommendation letters through Liaison Letters. Once you’ve requested them in your Common App portal, your recommender will receive an email invitation that grants them personalized access to the platform.

However, as part of your request for a letter of recommendation, you should also make sure that your recommenders have access to the platform and any other necessary Common App transfer forms. That means checking in with them and ensuring you have the correct name, email address, and any other contact information needed to request your recommendations.

At any time, you can use your Common Application login to check the status of your recommendation letters. The status area of the webpage will show exactly where your recommendations are in the process.

If your Common App transfer recommendation has not moved past the requested, you should follow up with your recommender immediately to prompt them to complete the Common App transfer forms. This may be a sign that your Common App transfer recommendation invitation did not reach your recommender. The status of your Common App transfer recommendations should complete all three steps:

Requested→Accepted→Complete

Once your Common App transfer recommendation letter reaches the Complete step, your recommendation has been successfully completed.

The Transfer Academic Evaluation

Now that we’ve discussed the required Common App transfer forms, let’s discuss how your academic performance is evaluated.

Minimum GPA requirements

It is common for schools to have a minimum GPA requirement for transfer applicants. After all, your future institution is looking for evidence that you will be successful on their campus should you transfer colleges. Consequently, your academic transcript is one of the most important documents in determining whether you will be an academic fit for the institution.

However, don’t mistake meeting the minimum GPA requirement for guaranteed admissions. While Common App transfer schools often publish their minimum GPA requirements, you may find that accepted transfer students tend to have even higher GPAs than the published averages. If you want to see how your GPA compares, reach out to your admissions counselor or look online to learn more about the admitted student profile for transfer students.

Academic success

Transfer colleges are looking for students who have done well in their college coursework. This demonstrates dedication to studies and readiness to tackle the rigorous challenges of college-level courses. However, the academic evaluation for transfer students will vary from school to school. The selectivity of a school or your specific major of interest can both influence how transcripts are reviewed.

For one, you may be asking yourself, “Should I transfer colleges?” because you’re doing so well in your courses and you need more of a challenge. In this case, your grades will positively reflect your academic success! However, not getting As in your most challenging courses shouldn’t deter you from submitting a transfer application to more selective universities. If you’re applying yourself, and provide context in a stellar Common App essay, you can definitely still demonstrate your academic achievements.

Ultimately, understanding what your future college expects academically can help you determine if they are the right fit for you.

Exploring the Common App Schools: Finding the Right Fit

Finding the right fit college is one of the most important parts of the college search process. Whether you are seeking to transfer due to dissatisfaction with your first institution or as part of a strategic plan to enroll in your dream school, your future institution should suit your preferences, needs, and goals.  

Consider the “why” 

Many students find themselves asking “should I transfer colleges?” The next question to ask before submitting a Common App transfer application is “ why should I transfer colleges?”. Being clear on the reasons you want to transfer is a great way to find transfer colleges that are a good fit. You may consider features like research opportunities, student life, student-to-faculty ratio, and available majors.

Common App transfer colleges will also ask you why you are interested in transferring as part of your Common App transfer essays. Developing a list of reasons you want to transfer will also help you in this process.

Do your research

Finding a school that’s the right fit requires you to reflect on campus size, region, institutional type, academic major, and student life. In your research, do not limit yourself to only considering the Common App colleges that you have heard of. There are hundreds of Common App colleges in the U.S. that could be a good fit for you. A great way to learn of all the possible options is to browse Common App’s list of transfer schools, taking note of details like location , student life, and majors and programs.

Furthermore, a college’s website is the best place to get the most up-to-date information on their transfer application deadlines, academic programs, and policies. In addition to doing a thorough website review, there may be an opportunity to participate in a virtual tour or virtual information. A virtual visit option is great for students who live far away from the transfer colleges they are considering.

Transfer logistics

It is also important to know the starting term (Fall vs Spring, etc.) and how that fits into your overall transfer plan. Additionally, your academic major and program can also influence whether a school is a good fit for you.

Many transfer institutions have additional rules around transferring into certain majors. Remember, transfer admissions are often based on availability. So, if your major is popular, it is possible that the department is not taking additional students. It’s always a good plan to inquire specifically about transferring into your intended major.

Once you have a preliminary list of schools, you should plan to use your Common Application login to double-check deadlines, requirements, application costs, and entry terms. That way, you can plan a more seamless Common App transfer application. The next section will discuss more about getting and staying organized during the application process.

Planning Your Transfer Application

Completing a transfer application for Common App colleges takes time. To stay organized, you may want to create a college application calendar that has a list of To-Do’s. This might include when you want to have each step completed, as well as your final application deadlines.

Keeping your Common App transfer login information and any other Common Application login credentials handy will also allow you to check your portal frequently. Required Common App transfer forms may vary depending on the institution. Staying organized will help ensure that your Common App transfer essay and any other Common App transfer forms are given the time and attention they deserve.

In general, be sure to give yourself ample time to refine your Common App transfer essay and other Common App transfer forms. That way, you can stay on top of all of your transfer application deadlines.

Common App Transfer Deadlines

Your Common App transfer colleges will either have one set deadline or participate in rolling admissions. Deadlines for Fall admission can be as early as March and for some schools as late as August. You should pay close attention to each of the deadlines for the Common App colleges on your list.

Rolling admissions means there are no official transfer application deadlines or notification dates. Instead, Common App transfer applications are reviewed as they are received. Acceptance under rolling admission is highly dependent on availability on campus. If there is a Common App transfer college that has rolling admissions on your college list, be sure to submit your college application as soon as possible. The admissions team is often working to fill individual seats, and once those seats are filled, they may not be accepting any additional college applications.  

Students should always confirm the transfer application deadline of their specific school and the desired start term. For transfer students, this process typically includes bypassing registration for the upcoming term at your current institution. If deadlines and start terms are overlooked, you may have to stay enrolled at your current institution longer than you originally planned.

Learning how to transfer colleges can be a confusing process. Next, we’ll discuss some common mistakes to avoid when completing your Common App transfer college application.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Transfer Application

Like the first-year college application process, there are many common mistakes you can make when it comes to your Common App transfer forms and overall application.

Managing communications 

One mistake that students might make is using an email address that they do not check regularly. In addition to your Common App transfer login, your email is a critical way for you to stay up to date on your application. Learning how to transfer colleges requires a great deal of organization and attention to email communications.

Students should become very comfortable with the Common App platform and required Common App transfer forms. This means keeping track of your Common App transfer login and the status of each of your materials. Because the recommendation process requires an email invitation, you should be sure that you are communicating properly with each of your recommenders.

To avoid missing important communications, you might consider creating a dedicated email to use for your Common Application login and any other portals associated with your Common App transfer login.

Polishing your essays

Writing effective Common App transfer essays is another part of the application process that many students struggle with. Your Common App essay should be free of typos and grammatical errors. You also want to be sure that your Common App transfer essay does not speak too negatively about your current intuition. In the Common App transfer essay, students must be able to articulate why they are looking to transfer without harping on why their current school is subpar.

To submit a strong Common App transfer essay, you should proofread your Common App essay multiple times, even reading it out loud to catch any grammar mistakes. We also recommend sending your Common App essay to at least one other person for them to review it.

Overall, being organized and planning ahead will help you avoid careless mistakes, like missing a deadline or neglecting to pay your application fee. Your Common App transfer login will also help you track your application and avoid some of these mistakes.  

Tracking your application after submission

The Common App transfer portal makes it easy to track your application status at all of your Common App colleges. All you need to check your status is your Common App transfer login. You can view the progress of your Common App transfer application by visiting the application dashboard and clicking ‘view my notifications’.

Remember, submitting your Common App transfer application is just the first step. You may have to submit additional Common App transfer forms for your transfer application to be considered complete. 

The Common App transfer status portal divides your transfer application into three areas: application, transcript, and recommendation letters. Here are some of the different types of statuses you should be aware of:

Important application statuses

• Application: The application portion of the Common App status portal is divided into four status updates: In Progress, Received, Complete, and Undelivered. Your application will be considered complete once you’ve submitted your application, and your recommenders have submitted their recommendations. and your application fee payment has been processed.
• Transcript: You can submit your transcripts electronically or by mail. Regardless, students can track the progress of their transcripts based on three status updates: Not Required, Not Arrived, and Arrived. In general, it can take five business days for your transcripts to be posted to your application once they have been received by Common App. So, be sure to check for any unexpected delays.
• Recommendations: The recommendation portion of the Common App transfer portal helps you assess the progress of your recommendations. As you may recall, Common App Transfer recommendations are directly tied to a personal email invitation. While you won’t be able to access your recommendations, you are still responsible for ensuring they are completed. The status stages for Common App transfer recommendations include Requested, Accepted Completed, Declined, and Expired.

It is critical that you stay up to date on each of these Common App transfer materials so that you are prepared to meet all of your transfer application deadlines.

Five Takeaways for Common App Transfer

At this point, we’ve covered a lot about the Common App transfer process and how to transfer colleges. Before we wrap up, let’s review five important takeaways:

Common App Transfer Takeaways

• The Common App transfer application makes it easy for students to apply as a transfer student to multiple colleges. The application itself is split into four sections: Personal Information, Academic History, Supporting Information, and Program Materials.
• You can browse and add programs that best fit your needs. Schools are listed with details such as start terms, deadlines, and application fees. Once selected, you can then view the individual requirements of each school. Before you apply, be sure to ask yourself “Why should I transfer colleges?” This will be helpful when you begin the school selection process.
• The Common App transfer application is generally not free. While select schools accept applications at no cost, transfer application fees are typically $70-$80. However, students who qualify can apply for fee waivers at some institutions.
• One of the more significant portions of the transfer application is the writing section. You may be required to respond to the Common App Personal Statement prompts or school-specific Common App transfer essay prompts.
• You will need to submit required documents, such as transcripts and recommendations using your Common App transfer login. Carefully complete each step to ensure your documents are properly submitted before the transfer application deadline.

Still, have questions on how to transfer colleges? Don’t forget to use your Common App transfer login to visit the Common App for transfer Help Center for more helpful information.

Common App for Transfer Students – Final Thoughts

The Common App transfer application provides an organized platform for transfer students to explore and apply to transfer colleges. Before applying, students should reflect deeply on the following questions: “Should I transfer colleges?” and “Why do I want to transfer colleges?”. This self-reflection will help you compile a list of potential transfer colleges that are a good fit for you.

Submitting a Common App transfer application also involves a great deal of organization and time management. Staying organized can help you submit a strong transfer application that includes compelling letters of recommendation and a thoughtful Common App transfer essay. In addition to these requirements, be sure to use your Common Application login to make sure you are up to date on submitting any required Common App transfer forms.

We hope this guide on how to transfer colleges through Common App has been helpful. However, if you ever get stuck on the Common App transfer application, don’t hesitate to reach out for more personalized guidance! CollegeAdvisor can help you navigate the Common App transfer process, from researching alternative institutions all the way to tracking your application to completion.

This article was written by Sarah Kaminski and Chelsea Holley. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

Read 2 Transfer Student Essays That Worked

Strong transfer essays can help pave the way to admissions offers.

Read 2 Transfer Essays That Worked

Getty Images

Though it isn't a golden ticket, a strong transfer essay may boost an applicant's odds of admission.

There are as many reasons to transfer colleges as there are transfer students. But regardless of why someone wants to move to a new institution, the process for doing so usually requires an admissions essay.

Colleges With the Most Transfer Students

Josh Moody Jan. 28, 2020

In a 2018 National Association for College Admission Counseling survey , 41.5% of colleges polled said a transfer applicant's essay or writing sample is of either considerable or moderate importance in the admission decision.

A compelling, well-written transfer essay doesn't guarantee acceptance – many other factors are at play, such as an applicant's GPA. However, a strong essay can be a factor that helps move the odds in the applicant's favor, says Kathy Phillips, associate dean of undergraduate admissions at Duke University in North Carolina.

Know What Colleges Are Looking For In a Transfer Essay

Some schools have prospective transfer students use the Common App or the Coalition Application to apply. In addition to the main essay, students may be required to submit a second writing sample or respond to short-answer questions, though this isn't always the case. Prospective students can check a college's website for specific guidance regarding how to apply.

Whatever application method they use, prospective students should be aware that writing a transfer essay is not the same as writing a first-year college application essay, experts advise. First-year essays are more open-ended, says Niki Barron, associate dean of admission at Hamilton College in New York. When applying as first-years, prospective students can generally write about any experience, relationship or goal that has shaped who they are as people, she says.

This contrasts with transfer essays, where the focus is typically narrower. Barron says she thinks of transfer essays as more of a statement of purpose. "We're really looking to see students' reasons for wanting to transfer," she says.

Katie Fretwell, the recently retired dean of admission and financial aid at Amherst College in Massachusetts, says prospective transfer students are in a position to be a bit more reflective about their educational goals because of their additional year or years of experience post-high school. The essay helps admissions officers get a sense of whether an applicant has done "an appropriate level of soul-searching about the match," she says.

Transfer Essay Examples

Below are two transfer essays that helped students get into Duke and Amherst, respectively. Both institutions are very selective in transfer admissions. For fall 2018, Duke had a transfer acceptance rate of 8% and Amherst accepted 4% of its transfer applicants, according to U.S. News data.

Hover over the circles to read what made these essays stand out to admissions experts.

Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best Colleges.

Tags: education , colleges , college applications , students , transfer students , college admissions

2024 Best Colleges

Search for your perfect fit with the U.S. News rankings of colleges and universities.

College Admissions: Get a Step Ahead!

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S. News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

Ask an Alum: Making the Most Out of College

You May Also Like

Law schools with the highest lsats.

Ilana Kowarski and Cole Claybourn April 11, 2024

Today NAIA, Tomorrow Title IX?

Lauren Camera April 9, 2024

Grad School Housing Options

Anayat Durrani April 9, 2024

How to Decide if an MBA Is Worth it

Sarah Wood March 27, 2024

What to Wear to a Graduation

LaMont Jones, Jr. March 27, 2024

FAFSA Delays Alarm Families, Colleges

Sarah Wood March 25, 2024

Help Your Teen With the College Decision

Anayat Durrani March 25, 2024

Toward Semiconductor Gender Equity

Alexis McKittrick March 22, 2024

March Madness in the Classroom

Cole Claybourn March 21, 2024

20 Lower-Cost Online Private Colleges

Sarah Wood March 21, 2024

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, is there a common app essay for transfer students.

Hey everyone, I'm planning to transfer and I heard that the Common App has some kind of essay. Can someone clarify if there's a specific Common App essay for transfer students or how it's different from the first-year application essay?

Absolutely, there is a specific essay for transfer students on the Common Application. The transfer application provides a single essay prompt that asks you to explain your reasons for transferring and to describe the goals you hope to achieve: 'The personal statement helps colleges get to know you better as a person and a student. Please provide a statement discussing your educational path. How does continuing your education at a new institution help you achieve your future goals?'

Keep in mind that the word limit for the transfer essay is typically 650 words, the same as the first-year essay. This is your platform to convey your unique story and show how your experiences have led you to this point. It's a crucial part of your application, so be sure to reflect deeply on your reasons for transferring and how it ties in with your future goals. Drafting several versions and seeking feedback can help refine your essay into a compelling narrative.

If you feel that the transfer essay doesn't effectively tell your story, you also have the option of responding to the first-year essay prompts. The Common App has instructions for how to do this here: https://membersupport.commonapp.org/s/article/Common-App-for-transfer-personal-statement-changes

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.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Check your paper for plagiarism in 10 minutes, generate your apa citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• College essay

Common App Essays | 7 Strong Examples with Commentary

Published on November 19, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

If you’re applying for college via the Common App , you’ll have to write an essay in response to one of seven prompts.

Table of contents

What is the common application essay, prompt 1: background, identity, interest, or talent, prompt 2: overcoming challenges, prompt 3: questioning a belief or idea, prompt 4: appreciating an influential person, prompt 5: transformative event, prompt 6: interest or hobby that inspires learning, prompt 7: free topic, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

The Common Application, or Common App , is a college application portal that is accepted by more than 900 schools.

Within the Common App is your main essay, a primary writing sample that all your prospective schools will read to evaluate your critical thinking skills and value as a student. Since this essay is read by many colleges, avoid mentioning any college names or programs. Instead, save tailored answers for the supplementary school-specific essays within the Common App.

Regardless of your prompt choice, admissions officers will look for an ability to clearly and creatively communicate your ideas based on the selected prompt.

We’ve provided seven essay examples, one for each of the Common App prompts. After each essay, we’ve provided a table with commentary on the essay’s narrative, writing style and tone, demonstrated traits, and self-reflection.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

This essay explores the student’s emotional journey toward overcoming her father’s neglect through gymnastics discipline.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

When “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” began to play, it was my signal to lay out a winning floor routine. Round off. Back handspring. Double back layout. Stick!

Instead, I jolted off the floor, landing out of bounds. Over the past week, I hadn’t landed that pass once, and regionals were only seven days away. I heaved a heavy sigh and stomped over to the bench.

Coach Farkas saw my consternation. “Mona, get out of your head. You’re way too preoccupied with your tumbling passes. You could do them in your sleep!”

That was the problem. I was dreaming of tumbling and missing my landings, waking up in a cold sweat. The stress felt overwhelming.

“Stretch out. You’re done for tonight.”

I walked home from the gym that had been my second home since fourth grade. Yet my anxiety was increasing every time I practiced.

I startled my mom. “You’re home early! Wait! You walked? Mona, what’s going on?!”

I slumped down at the kitchen table. “Don’t know.”

She sat down across from me. “Does it have anything to do with your father texting you a couple of weeks ago about coming to see you at regionals?”

“So what?! Why does it matter anymore?” He walked out when I was 10 and never looked back. Still, dear ol’ Dad always had a way of resurfacing when I least expected him.

“It still matters because when you hear from him, you tend to crumble. Or have you not noticed?” She offered a knowing wink and a compassionate smile.

I started gymnastics right after Dad left. The coaches said I was a natural: short, muscular, and flexible. All I knew was that the more I improved, the more confident I felt. Gymnastics made me feel powerful, so I gave it my full energy and dedication.

The floor routine became my specialty, and my performances were soon elevating our team score. The mat, solid and stable, became a place to explore and express my internal struggles. Over the years, no matter how angry I felt, the floor mat was there to absorb my frustration.

The bars, beam, and vault were less forgiving because I knew I could fall. My performances in those events were respectable. But, the floor? Sometimes, I had wildly creative and beautiful routines, while other times were disastrous. Sadly, my floor routine had never been consistent.

That Saturday afternoon, I slipped into the empty gym and walked over to the mat. I sat down and touched its carpeted surface. After a few minutes, my cheeks were wet with the bitter disappointment of a dad who only showed up when it was convenient for him. I ruminated on the years of practices and meets where I had channeled my resentment into acrobatics and dance moves, resolved to rise higher than his indifference.

I saw then that my deepest wounds were inextricably entangled with my greatest passion. They needed to be permanently separated. While my anger had first served to launch me into gymnastics, before long, I had started serving my anger.

Anger is a cruel master. It corrupts everything it touches, even something as beautiful as a well-choreographed floor routine.

I changed my music days before regionals. “The Devil” no longer had a place in my routine. Instead, I chose an energetic cyberpunk soundtrack that inspired me to perform with passion and laser focus. Dad made an obligatory appearance at regionals, but he left before I could talk to him.

It didn’t matter this time. I stuck every landing in my routine. Anger no longer controlled me. I was finally free.

Word count: 601

This essay shows how the challenges the student faced in caring for her sister with autism resulted in an unexpected path forward in her education.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

I never had a choice.

My baby sister was born severely autistic, which meant that every detail of our home life was repeatedly adjusted to manage her condition. I couldn’t go to bed without fearing that Mindy would wake up screaming with that hoarse little voice of hers. I couldn’t have friends over on weekends because we never knew if our entire family would need to shift into crisis mode to help Mindy regain control.

We couldn’t take a family vacation because Mindy would start hitting us during a long car ride when she didn’t want to sit there anymore. We couldn’t even celebrate Christmas like a normal family because Mindy would shriek and run away when we tried to give her presents.

I was five years old when Mindy was born. For the first ten years, I did everything I could to help my mom with Mindy. But Mom was depressed and would often stare out the window, as if transfixed by the view. Dad was no help either. He used his job as an excuse to be away from home. So, I tried to make up for both of them and rescue Mindy however I could whenever she needed it.

However, one day, when I was slowly driving Mindy around with the windows down, trying to lull her into a calmer state, we passed two of my former classmates from middle school. They heard Mindy growling her disapproval as the ride was getting long for her. One of them turned to the other and announced, “Oh my God! Marabeth brought her pet monster out for a drive!” They laughed hysterically and ran down the street.

After that day, I defied my parents at every turn. I also ignored Mindy. I even stopped doing homework. I purposely “got in with the wrong crowd” and did whatever they did.

My high school counselor Ms. Martinez saw through it all. She knew my family’s situation well. It didn’t take her long to guess what had probably happened.

“Marabeth, I get it. My brother has Down syndrome. It was really hard growing up with him as a brother. The other kids were pretty mean about it, especially in high school.”

I doubted she understood. “Yeah. So?”

“I’m guessing something happened that hurt or embarrassed you.”

“I’m so sorry. I can only imagine how you must have felt.”

It must have been the way she said it because I suddenly found myself sobbing into my trembling, cupped hands.

Ms. Martinez and I met every Friday after that for the rest of the year. Her stories of how she struggled to embrace living with and loving her brother created a bridge to my pain and then my healing. She explained that her challenges led her to pursue a degree in counseling so that she could offer other people what no one had given her.

I thought that Mindy was the end of my life, but, because of Ms. Martinez’s example and kindness, I can now see that Mindy is a gift, pointing me toward my future.

Now, I’m applying to study psychology so that I can go on to earn my master’s degree in counseling. I’m learning to forgive my parents for their mistakes, and I’m back in Mindy’s life again, but this time as a sister, not a savior. My choice.

Word Count: 553

This essay illustrates a student’s courage in challenging his culture’s constructs of manhood and changing his course while positively affecting his father in the process.

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

“No son of mine is gonna march around a football field wearing tail feathers while all the real men are playing football!”

I took a step backward and tried not to appear as off-balance as I felt. In my excitement, I had blurted out more information than my father could handle:

“Dad! I made the marching band as a freshman! Nobody does that—I mean nobody!”

As soon as I had said it, I wished I could recall those words. How could I forget that 26 years earlier, he had been the starting wide receiver for the state-champion Tigers on the same field?!

Still, when I opened the email on that scorching hot August afternoon, I was thrilled that five months of practicing every possible major and harmonic minor scale—two octaves up and two octaves down—had made the difference. I had busted reed after reed, trying not to puff my cheeks while moving my fingers in a precise cadence.

I knew he had heard me continually practicing in my room, yet he seemed to ignore all the parts of me that were incongruous with his vision of manhood:

Ford F-150 4x4s. Pheasant hunting. The Nebraska Cornhuskers.

I never had to wonder what he valued. For years, I genuinely shared his interests. But, in the fall of eighth grade, I heard Kyle Wheeling play a saxophone solo during the homecoming marching band halftime show. My dad took me to every football game to teach me the plays, but that night, all I could think about was Kyle’s bluesy improv at halftime.

During Thanksgiving break, I got my mom to drive me into Omaha to rent my instrument at Dietze Music, and, soon after, I started private lessons with Mr. Ken. Before long, I was spending hours in my room, exploring each nuance of my shiny Yamaha alto sax, anticipating my audition for the Marching Tigers at the end of the spring semester.

During those months of practice, I realized that I couldn’t hide my newfound interest forever, especially not from the football players who were going to endlessly taunt me. But not all the guys played football. Some were in choir and theater. Quite a few guys were in the marching band. In fact, the Marching Tigers had won the grand prize in their division at last year’s state showdown in Lincoln.

I was excited! They were the champions, and I was about to become a part of their legacy.

Yet, that afternoon, a sense of anxiety brewed in my belly. I knew I had to talk to him.

He was sweeping the grass clippings off of the sidewalk. He nodded.

“I need to tell you something.”

He looked up.

“I know that you know about my sax because you hear me practicing. I like it a lot, and I’m becoming pretty good at it. I still care about what you like, but I’m starting to like some other things more. I hope you’ll be proud of me whatever I choose.”

He studied the cracks in the driveway. “I am proud of you. I just figured you’d play football.”

We never talked about it again, but that fall, he was in the stands when our marching band won the state championship in Lincoln for the second time. In fact, for the next four years, he never left the stands during halftime until the marching band had performed. He was even in the audience for every performance of “Our Town” at the end of my junior year. I played the Stage Manager who reveals the show’s theme: everything changes gradually.

I know it’s true. Things do change over time, even out here in central Nebraska. I know because I’ve changed, and my dad has changed, too. I just needed the courage to go first.

Word count: 626

The student demonstrates how his teacher giving him an unexpected bad grade was the catalyst for his becoming a better writer.

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

I stared in disbelief at the big red letter at the top of my paper: D. 

Never in my entire high school career had I seen that letter at the top of any paper, unless it was at the beginning of my first name. 

I had a 4.796 GPA. I had taken every pre-AP and AP course offered. My teachers had praised my writing skills! However, Mr. Trimble didn’t think so, and he let me know it:

“Darwin, in the future, I believe you can do better if you fully apply yourself.” 

I furiously scanned the paper for corrections. Not even one! Grammar and syntax? Perfect. Spelling? Impeccable. Sentence and paragraph structure? Precise and indisputable, as always. 

Was he trying to ruin my GPA? Cooper was clearly his favorite, and we were neck and neck for valedictorian, which was only one year away. Maybe they were conspiring to take me down. 

Thankfully, AP Composition was my last class. I fled the room and ran to my car. Defiant tears stained my cheeks as I screeched my tires and roared out of the parking lot. When I got home, I shoved in my AirPods, flopped on my bed, and buried my head under the pillow. 

I awoke to my sister, Daria, gently shaking my arm. “I know what happened, D. Trimble stopped me in the hall after school.”

“I’m sure he did. He’s trying to ruin my life.”

“That’s not what he told me. You should talk to him, D.”

The next day, although I tried to avoid Mr. Trimble at all costs, I almost tripped over him as I was coming out of the bathroom.

“Darwin, can we talk?” 

He walked me down the hall to his room. “Do you know that you’re one of the best writers I’ve ever had in AP Comp?” 

“Then why’d you do it?” 

“Because you’re better than you know, Darwin. You impress with your perfect presentations, and your teachers reward you with A’s and praise. I do frequent the teacher’s lounge, you know.” 

“So I know you’re not trying.”

I locked eyes with him and glared. 

“You’ve never had to try because you have a gift. And, in the midst of the acclaim, you’ve never pushed yourself to discover your true capabilities.”

“So you give me a D?!”

“It got your attention.”

“You’re not going to leave it, are you?”

“Oh, the D stands. You didn’t apply yourself. You’ll have to earn your way out with your other papers.” 

I gained a new understanding of the meaning of ambivalence. Part of me was furious at the injustice of the situation, but I also felt strangely challenged and intrigued. I joined a local writer’s co-op and studied K. M. Weiland’s artistic writing techniques. 

Multiple drafts, track changes, and constructive criticism became my new world. I stopped taking Mr. Trimble’s criticism personally and began to see it as a precious tool to bolster me, not break me down. 

Last week, the New York Public Library notified me that I was named one of five finalists for the Young Lions Fiction Award. They described my collection of short stories as “fresh, imaginative, and captivating.” 

I never thought I could be grateful for a D, but Mr. Trimble’s insightful courage was the catalyst that transformed my writing and my character. Just because other people applaud you for being the best doesn’t mean you’re doing your best . 

AP Composition is now recorded as an A on my high school transcript, and Cooper and I are still locked in a tight race for the finish line. But, thanks to Mr. Trimble, I have developed a different paradigm for evaluation: my best. And the more I apply myself, the better my best becomes. 

Word Count: 627

This student narrates how she initially went to church for a boy but instead ended up confronting her selfishness by helping others.

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Originally, I went to church not because I was searching for Jesus but because I liked a boy.

Isaac Ono wasn’t the most athletic boy in our class, nor was he the cutest. But I was amazed by his unusual kindness toward everyone. If someone was alone or left out, he’d walk up to them and say hello or invite them to hang out with him and his friends.

I started waking up at 7:30 a.m. every Sunday morning to attend Grace Hills Presbyterian, where Isaac’s father was the pastor. I would strategically sit in a pew not too close but close enough to Isaac that when the entire congregation was instructed to say “Peace be with you,” I could “happen” to shake Isaac’s hand and make small talk.

One service, as I was staring at the back of Isaac’s head, pondering what to say to him, my hearing suddenly tuned in to his father’s sermon.

“There’s no such thing as a good or bad person.”

My eyes snapped onto Pastor Marcus.

“I used to think I was a good person who came from a respectable family and did nice things. But people aren’t inherently good or bad. They just make good or bad choices.”

My mind raced through a mental checklist of whether my past actions fell mostly into the former or latter category.

“As it says in Deuteronomy 30:15, ‘I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.’ Follow in the footsteps of Jesus and do good.”

I glanced to my left and saw Margaret, underlining passages in her study Bible and taking copious notes.

Months earlier, I had befriended Margaret. We had fourth-period Spanish together but hadn’t interacted much. She was friends with Isaac, so I started hanging out with her to get closer to him. But eventually, the two of us were spending hours in the Starbucks parking lot having intense discussions about religion, boys, and our futures until we had to return home before curfew.

After hearing the pastor’s sermon, I realized that what I had admired about Isaac was also present in Margaret and other people at church: a welcoming spirit. I’m pretty sure Margaret knew of my ulterior motives for befriending her, but she never called me out on it.

After that day, I started paying more attention to Pastor Marcus’s sermons and less attention to Isaac. One year, our youth group served Christmas Eve dinner to the homeless and ate with them. I sat across from a woman named Lila who told me how child services had taken away her four-year-old daughter because of her financial and living situation.

A few days later, as I sat curled up reading the book of James, my heart suddenly felt heavy.

“If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?”

I thought back to Pastor Marcus’s sermon on good and bad actions, Lila and her daughter, and the times I had passed people in need without even saying hello.

I decided to put my faith into action. The next week, I started volunteering at the front desk of a women’s shelter, helping women fill out forms or watching their kids while they talked with social workers.

From working for the past year at the women’s shelter, I now know I want to major in social work, caring for others instead of focusing on myself. I may not be a good person (or a bad one), but I can make good choices, helping others with every opportunity God gives me.

Word count: 622

This essay shows how a student’s natural affinity for solving a Rubik’s cube developed her self-understanding, academic achievement, and inspiration for her future career.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

The worst part about writing is putting down my Rubik’s cube so that I can use my hands to type. That’s usually the worst part of tackling my to-do list: setting aside my Rubik’s cube. My parents call it an obsession. But, for me, solving a Rubik’s cube challenges my brain as nothing else can.

It started on my ninth birthday. I invited three friends for a sleepover party, and I waited to open my presents right before bed. Wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows flew through the air as I oohed and aahed over each delightful gift! However, it was the last gift—a 3 x 3 x 3 cube of little squares covered in red, green, blue, yellow, white, and orange—that intrigued me.

I was horrified when Bekka ripped it out of my hands and messed it all up! I had no idea how to make all the sides match again. I waited until my friends were fast asleep. Then, I grabbed that cube and studied it under my blanket with a flashlight, determined to figure out how to restore it to its former pristine state.

Within a few weeks, I had discovered the secret. To practice, I’d take my cube with me to recess and let the other kids time me while I solved it in front of them. The better I became, the more they gathered around. But I soon realized that their attention didn’t matter all that much. I loved solving cubes for hours wherever I was: at lunch, riding in the car, or alone in my room.

Cross. White corners. Middle-layer edges. Yellow cross. Sune and anitsune. 

The sequential algorithms became second nature, and with the assistance of a little black digital timer, I strove to solve the cube faster , each time attempting to beat my previous record. I watched speed solvers on YouTube, like Australia’s Feliks Zemdegs and Max Park from Massachusetts, but I wasn’t motivated to compete as they did. I watched their videos to learn how to improve my time. I liked finding new, more efficient ways of mastering the essential 78 separate cube-solving algorithms.

Now, I understand why my passion for my Rubik’s cube has never waned. Learning and applying the various algorithms soothes my brain and centers my emotions, especially when I feel overwhelmed from being around other people. Don’t get me wrong: I like other people—just in doses.

While some people get recharged by spending time with others, I can finally breathe when I’m alone with my cube. Our psychology teacher says the difference between an extrovert and an introvert is the situations that trigger their brains to produce dopamine. For me, it’s time away, alone, flipping through cube patterns to set a new personal best.

Sometimes, the world doesn’t cooperate with introverts, requiring them to interact with many people throughout the day. That’s why you’ll often find me in the stairwell or a library corner attempting to master another one of the 42 quintillion ways to solve a cube. My parents tease me that when I’ve “had enough” of anything, my fingers get a Rubik’s itch, and I suddenly disappear. I’m usually occupied for a while, but when I finally emerge, I feel centered, prepared to tackle my next task.

Secretly, I credit my cube with helping me earn top marks in AP Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics. It’s also responsible for my interest in computer engineering. It seems I just can’t get enough of those algorithms, which is why I want to study the design and implementation of cybersecurity software—all thanks to my Rubik’s cube.

Just don’t tell my parents! It would ruin all the fun!

Word count: 607

In this free topic essay, the student uses a montage structure inspired by the TV show Iron Chef America to demonstrate his best leadership moments.

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Iron Chef America: College Essay Edition

The time has come to answer college’s most difficult question: Whose story shows glory?

This is … Iron Chef America: College Essay Edition!

Welcome to Kitchen Stadium! Today we have Chef Brett Lowell. Chef Brett will be put to the test to prove he has what it takes to attend university next fall.

And the secret ingredient is … leadership! He must include leadership in each of his dishes, which will later be evaluated by a panel of admissions judges.

So now, America, with a creative mind and empty paper, I say unto you in the words of my teacher: “Let’s write!”

Appetizer: My first leadership experience

A mountain of mismatched socks, wrinkled jeans, and my dad’s unironed dress shirts sat in front of me. Laundry was just one of many chores that welcomed me home once I returned from my after-school job at Baskin Robbins, a gig I had taken last year to help Dad pay the rent. A few years earlier, I wasn’t prepared to cook dinners, pay utility bills, or pick up and drop off my brothers. I thought those jobs were reserved for parents. However, when my father was working double shifts at the power plant and my mom was living in Tucson with her new husband, Bill, I stepped up and took care of the house and my two younger brothers.

Main course: My best leadership experience

Between waiting for the pasta water to boil and for the next laundry cycle to be finished, I squeezed in solving a few practice precalculus problems to prepare for the following week’s mathletics competition. I liked how the equations always had clear, clean answers, which calmed me among the mounting responsibilities of home life. After leading my team to the Minnesota State Finals for two years in a row, I was voted team captain. Although my home responsibilities often competed with my mathlete duties, I tried to be as productive as possible in my free time. On the bus ride home, I would often tackle 10 to 20 functions or budget the following week’s meals and corresponding grocery list. My junior year was rough, but both my home and my mathlete team needed me.

Dessert: My future leadership hopes 

The first thing I ever baked was a chocolate cake in middle school. This was around the time that Mom had just moved out and I was struggling with algebra. Troubles aside, one day my younger brother Simon needed a contribution for his school’s annual bake sale, and the PTA moms wouldn’t accept anything store-bought. So I carefully measured out the teaspoons and cups of various flours, powders, and oils, which resulted in a drooping, too-salty disaster.

Four years later, after a bakery’s worth of confections and many hours of study, I’ve perfected my German chocolate cake and am on my way to mastering Calculus AB. I’ve also thrown out the bitter-tasting parts of my past such as my resentment and anger toward my mom. I still miss having her at home, but whenever I have a baking question or want to update her on my mathlete team’s success, I call her or chat with her over text.

Whether in school or life, I see problems as opportunities, not obstacles, to find a better way to solve them more efficiently. I hope to continue improving my problem-solving skills next fall by majoring in mathematics and statistics.

Time’s up! 

We hope you’ve enjoyed this tasting of Chef Lowell’s leadership experiences. Next fall, tune in to see him craft new leadership adventures in college. He’s open to refining his technique and discovering new recipes.

Word count: 612

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

The Common App essay is your primary writing sample within the Common Application, a college application portal accepted by more than 900 schools. All your prospective schools that accept the Common App will read this essay to understand your character, background, and value as a potential student.

Since this essay is read by many colleges, avoid mentioning any college names or programs; instead, save tailored answers for the supplementary school-specific essays within the Common App.

When writing your Common App essay , choose a prompt that sparks your interest and that you can connect to a unique personal story.

No matter which prompt you choose, admissions officers are more interested in your ability to demonstrate personal development , insight, or motivation for a certain area of study.

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

• Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
• Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

• A unique, personally meaningful topic
• A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
• Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
• Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
• Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
• A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Courault, K. (2023, May 31). Common App Essays | 7 Strong Examples with Commentary. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/college-essay/common-app-examples/

Is this article helpful?

Kirsten Courault

Other students also liked, college essay examples | what works and what doesn't, how to apply for college | timeline, templates & checklist, how to write a diversity essay | tips & examples, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

How to Write a Great Transfer Essay

Here is the most common prompt for transfer students applying through the Common App :  

“Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve.” (250-600 words)

The three key steps to mastering the transfer essay are as follows:

Step One: Establish why you want to transfer.

Tell admissions why you want to transfer, and do so without speaking negatively about your current institution. Are you looking for a bigger school? Do you want to attend a university in a tech-centric city? Did you just discover your passion for a major that your current institution doesn’t offer? Transferring is a big decision, so it’s important to show that your intentions are clear. Whatever the reason, refrain from speaking ill of your current school. You want to come off as optimistic and forward thinking to admissions.  

Step Two: Demonstrate your interest.

Why are you applying to this school in particular? You’ve been through the admissions cycle before and you are wiser than you were a year or two ago. Admissions officers will expect that you’ve done your research and are making a calculated, thoughtful decision to transfer. Your interest in transferring to one school should be directly related to your reason for leaving your current school: What gaps or unmet needs will your prospective institution address? Do you want to transfer for the school’s humongous alumni network, award-winning journalism program, or non-profit affiliations? Have you always dreamed of living in the city in which the school is located? Make sure admissions knows that you aren’t applying because “it’s gotta be better than my current school” but because this school is where you feel you truly belong. Illustrate your drive and maybe you’ll be hitting the ground running come the fall. (Hint: the best way to get the information you need is by setting aside a chunk of time to pore over the school website. Sorry, there’s no shortcut, even the second time around.)

Step Three: Establish the highlights of your collegiate career so far.

You have an edge that most freshman don’t: You’ve already been to college, so you know a bit more about the experience as well as your own academic and career goals. Being able to say that you know you will succeed at your school of choice because you flourish in small classrooms, lead in group projects, excel in the math and sciences or whatever your reasoning may be is crucial. Talk about what you have enjoyed about college thus far (again, be positive!) and how you hope to build on your experience at your (hopefully) new school!

Once you complete these three steps, you will have all the ingredients for a fantastic transfer essay! But before you hit submit, a final word of warning: some schools require transfer applicants to submit supplemental essays (remember those?). Do yourself a favor and compile a list of these in advance to ensure that every essay you write reveals something new and special to admissions. But first, give yourself a pat on the back. By reading this post, you’ve already given yourself a leg up (at least we think so). Go you!  

About Kat Stubing

View all posts by Kat Stubing »

We're here to help.

Written by Kat Stubing

Category: Admissions , advice , College Admissions , Essay Resources , Essay Tips , Essay Writing , Quick Tips , Tips

Tags: brainstorming , College , college admissions , college admissions essay , college applications , college essay , college essay advisors , college essay tutor , essay , essay advice , personal statement , transfer , transfer admissions , transfer application , transfer applications , transfer essay , transfer help , transfer student , transfer students , writing , writing advice , writing help

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

• YouTube Tutorials
• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guides
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started

Add Project Key Words

How to Take Advantage of the Common App for Transfer Students

Padya Paramita

January 13, 2020

If you’re unsettled at your current college, you might be considering a change of scenery. It can be overwhelming to feel out of place, but remember that you’re not alone. In fact, 37.2% of students transfer schools, and half of them go for a change more than once. But it’s also not easy - having gone through the nerve-wracking application process once already, you might be stressed about taking on the task again. To help you, we’ve prepared a guide to the Common App for transfer students .

The separate Common App for transfer students is a new addition. But since you probably previously filled out the Common App the first time, the structure for the transfer side of things should be quite similar. Having gone through this before, the actual process for competing your transfer application should take less time. There are a few differences in the inner technicalities of the application, however. I’ve outlined the dos and don’ts, notable changes you need to be aware of, and the various sections you will encounter in order to guide you through the Common App for transfer students .

Getting Started

You might be wondering whether you’re able to use your old Common App account for your transfer application. Even if you can dig up your old password, you actually have to use a different email address and start the process of filling out the Common App for transfer students afresh. So when you go to the Common App website , the first thing you must do is create an account for your transfer application.

Once you’ve entered your name and contact information, you’re ready to log in - make sure you click the “ transfer student ” button - and start adding all of your information.

Now we come across one of the key differences between the Common App for first-year student and the Common App for transfer students. Since the Common App knows that you’re already enrolled in college or have taken college level classes, you’ll have to answer questions about what you’ve done so far, such as how many college credits you’ve earned, whether you have an associate or bachelors already, and what degree you will pursue at your transfer destination.

Next, the Common App for transfer students asks you to add the schools you have on your transfer list and the semester when you’re planning to begin at a new college so that the portal can be modified to add your school-specific requirements.

Once they’ve been selected, you can see the deadlines for each institution that you’ve chosen. The transfer deadline for almost every college is the 1 st of March, so make sure you start the Common app for transfer students with plenty of time in hand.

Understandably, you also need to enter the school you plan to transfer from, along with the semesters or quarters that you’ve already completed at that university.

Although you didn’t have to do this the last time you used the Common App, the selection process is very straightforward. Ensure that you’ve checked the correct years of your attendance.  

Next you’ll be taken to the main menu, featuring the sections that you’re required to fill in order for the Common App for transfer students to be complete.

As you can tell, this dashboard is different from the way the regular Common App looks. The headings are not the same as the Common App for first year students. Let’s take a closer look at each of the sections.

Personal Information

The Personal Information section is divided into the following parts:

• Communication Preferences
• Biographic Information
• Contact Information
• Citizenship Information
• Race & Ethnicity
• Military History
• Other Information
• Parent/Guardian
• Common App Fee Waiver

This is all information that was required from you when you filled out the Common App before your freshman year of college. The questions ask for your name, address, citizenship, parents’ education and professions – you get the picture. Remember to avoid common mistakes such as misplaced digits in your phone number, putting your school address instead of your home address, etc. Double check that everything is spelled correctly.

Academic History

Like the Personal Information section, the Academic History section also features segments that you already had to complete for the regular Common App

• High School Attended
• Standardized Tests
• SAT Subject Tests

But you also have some sections where you need to provide data from your time in college:

Colleges Attended

College coursework, gpa entries.

Since you’ve already added your current school, it will automatically show up here. If you’ve attended a college besides the one you are about to transfer from, this is the place to include that information. Otherwise, you’re all set and don’t need to revisit this part.

The universities you’re sending your applications to obviously want to know how you performed in your college level classes to see how you would fit in academically.

Select the term when you took the class, along with the course code, title, how many credits it counted for, and your final grade.

This section only exists in the Common App for transfer students , as you must add your latest GPA from college courses. Make sure you’ve used the correct number. Schools will see your official grades, so don’t exaggerate anything!

Supporting Information  

The supporting information section is the place where your activities and achievements go. This area is divided into four parts:

Experiences

• Achievements

Affirmation Statements

The categories of “Employment,” “Research,” “Extracurricular Activities,” “Volunteer,” and “Internship” all fall under the Experiences tab. The same rules apply from your first time filling out the application – order your entries with the most important ones first. Think about any jobs you’ve had, labs where you’ve worked, or internships, and include them in the Common App. There’s one big difference when it comes to the Common App for transfer students – there seems to be no cap on the number of experiences that you can add!

The portal asks for information on the organization, your supervisor, the dates of your involvement, if you were paid, and a description of your role. You have 600 characters total, so take advantage of this relatively generous space compared to the 150 for the first-year Common App!

Achievements – You might remember the Common App Honors section . Similar to that process, in this section you can enter any relevant professional or academic achievements under the categories of “awards, honors, or publications.”

There doesn’t seem to be a cap for the number of achievements you can add here either! You’ve also got a 600-character limit for describing this section. Make sure to clarify what you did, especially if the achievement’s title is not clear. If you received the award multiple times (e.g., Dean's List), you can mention the frequency in the description instead of repeatedly adding achievements.

If you want to upload any files that you believe should go to all of your schools, such as your resumé or Green Card , this is the place to do it.

The final portion of this section asks that you confirm that everything you’ve entered into the Common App for transfer students is correct.

Program Materials  

The program materials section is where your essays and school-specific requirements go. They are divided into:

Recommendations

The “Documents” tab is the place for your personal statement. This year’ s prompt is straightforward: “Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve. (250-600 words).” When thinking about what to include in your essay for the Common App for transfer students, you need to mention why you’re hoping to transfer, what appeals to you about your target school, and what your impact so far in your college career. Make sure your essay is as clear as possible, with specific details about why you believe the program of your choice fits you over your current circumstance. It is important to be positive in this essay. Don’t just mercilessly criticize your current school. Talk positively about how you hope to move forward.

This section also gives you the chance to add optional documents that you think might contribute more color to your application, such as your resumé, high school transcript, and a writing sample to demonstrate your skills.

Just like your first Common App, this is where you add your recommenders’ names and emails so that they can upload your letters. As a transfer student, you might be wondering who to ask for your letters. If you’re going to be a sophomore in the upcoming year, you should definitely ask your current college professors. Give them a heads-up so that they don’t have to rush.

The questions section is required and tailored to each institution that you’ve chosen, just like supplemental essays when you applied the first time. For example, it looks like the following for Princeton transfer applications:

Princeton asks the same questions in the Common App for transfer students as it asks its other first year candidates. Take a look at our blog to guide you through the dos and don’ts of approaching your response.

Harvard on the other hand asks the following questions, which are exclusive to transfer students:

• Briefly, please indicate the most influential factors in your original decision to attend your present college, such as location, cost, size of student body, only option, special program offered, Early Decision plan, etc. (3,000 characters)
• What alternatives to transferring to Harvard are you considering? (3,000 characters)
• Please indicate your field of specialization and briefly outline your academic plans at Harvard College. (3,000 characters)
• What are your current postgraduate/career plans? (3,000 characters)
• Briefly discuss one book that has strongly influenced you. (3,000 characters)

As you can see, the writing section really depends on the school. You might either get the same questions as current first-year applicants, or you might have to write transfer-specific responses.

Once you’ve filled in everything above, you should be ready to hit the “submit” button. Make sure you’ve proofread all of the information you’ve provided and that everything included is up to date!  

While the transfer acceptance rates at most top schools are very competitive, a properly filled out Common App for transfer students will help you go a long way. Take advantage of this application system specifically geared for your situation so that you can take the next steps to find yourself at a school that is better suited for you. Good luck!

Tags : how to transfer , common app , Common App for Transfer Students , transferring out of college , transfer application

You May Also Be Interested In..

Some other related content!

A Step-by-Step Guide to the Common Application

How to fill out the common app, how to prepare a strong transfer application, schedule a free consultation.

to find out how we can help you get accepted.

Sample College Transfer Essay

A Sample Essay by a Student Transferring From Amherst to Penn

Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty Images

• Essay Samples & Tips
• College Admissions Process
• College Profiles
• College Rankings
• Choosing A College
• Application Tips
• Testing Graphs
• College Financial Aid
• Advanced Placement
• Homework Help
• Private School
• College Life
• Graduate School
• Business School
• Distance Learning
• Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
• M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania
• B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT

The following sample essay was written by a student named David. He wrote the transfer essay below for the Common Transfer Application in response to the prompt, "Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve" (250 to 650 words). David is attempting to transfer from Amherst College to the University of Pennsylvania . As far as admissions standards go, this is a lateral move—both schools are extremely selective. His letter will need to be extremely strong for his transfer application to be successful.

Key Takeaways: A Winning Transfer Essay

• Have a clear academic reason for your transfer. Personal reasons are fine, but academics need to come first.
• Stay positive. Don't speak badly of your current school. Emphasize what you like about your target school, not what you dislike about your current school.
• Be meticulous. Grammar, punctuation, and style matter. Show that you put time and care into your writing.

David's Transfer Application Essay

During the summer after my first year of college, I spent six weeks volunteering at an archaeological excavation in Hazor, site of the largest tel (mound) in Israel. My time in Hazor was not easy—wake-up came at 4:00 a.m., and by noontime temperatures were often in the 90s. The dig was sweaty, dusty, back-breaking work. I wore out two pairs of gloves and the knees in several pairs of khakis. Nevertheless, I loved every minute of my time in Israel. I met interesting people from around the world, worked with amazing students and faculty from Hebrew University, and became fascinated with the current efforts to create a portrait of life in the Canaanite period.

Upon my return to Amherst College for my sophomore year, I soon came to realize that the school does not offer the exact major I now hope to pursue. I'm majoring in anthropology, but the program at Amherst is almost entirely contemporary and sociological in its focus. More and more my interests are becoming archaeological and historical. When I visited Penn this fall, I was impressed by the breadth of offerings in anthropology and archaeology, and I absolutely loved your Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Your broad approach to the field with emphases on understanding both the past and present has great appeal to me. By attending Penn, I hope to broaden and deepen my knowledge in anthropology, participate in more summer field work, volunteer at the museum, and eventually, go on to graduate school in archaeology.

My reasons for transferring are almost entirely academic. I have made many good friends at Amherst, and I have studied with some wonderful professors. However, I do have one non-academic reason for being interested in Penn. I originally applied to Amherst because it was comfortable—I come from a small town in Wisconsin, and Amherst felt like home. I'm now looking forward to pushing myself to experience places that aren't quite so familiar. The kibbutz at Kfar HaNassi was one such environment, and the urban environment of Philadelphia would be another.

As my transcript shows, I have done well at Amherst and I am convinced I can meet the academic challenges of Penn. I know I would grow at Penn, and your program in anthropology perfectly matches my academic interests and professional goals.

Before we even get to the critique of David's essay, it's important to put his transfer into context. David is attempting to transfer into an  Ivy League  school. Penn is not the most selective of the country's top universities, but the transfer acceptance rate is still around 6% (at Harvard and Stanford, that number is closer to 1%). David needs to approach this effort at transfer realistically — even with excellent grades and a stellar essay, his chances of success are far from guaranteed.

That said, he has many things going for him — he is coming from an equally demanding college where he has earned good grades, and he seems like the type of student who will certainly succeed at Penn. He will need strong  letters of recommendation  to round out his application.

Analysis of David's Transfer Essay

Now on to the essay... Let's break down the discussion of David's transfer essay into several categories.

The Reasons for Transfer

The strongest feature of David's essay is the focus. David is pleasingly specific in presenting his reasons for transferring. He knows exactly what he wants to study, and he has a clear understanding of what both Penn and Amherst have to offer him. David's description of his experience in Israel defines the focus of his essay, and he then connects that experience to his reasons for wanting to transfer. There are lots of bad reasons to transfer, but David's clear interest in studying anthropology and archaeology makes his motives seem both well thought-out and reasonable.

Many transfer applicants are trying to move to a new college because they are running away from some kind of bad experience, sometimes something academic, sometimes something more personal. David, however, clearly likes Amherst and is running towards something—an opportunity at Penn that better matches his newly discovered professional goals. This is a big positive factor for his application.

The Common Transfer Application instructions state that the essay needs to be at least 250 words. The maximum length is 650 words. David's essay comes in at around 380 words. It is tight and concise. He doesn't waste time talking about his disappointments with Amherst, nor does he put much effort into explaining the things that other parts of his application will cover such as grades and extracurricular involvement. He does have a lot more space left to elaborate, but in this case the letter gets the job done well with few words.

David gets the tone perfect, something that is difficult to do in a transfer essay. Let's face it—if you are transferring it is because there is something about your current school that you don't like. It's easy to be negative and critical of your classes, your professors, your college environment, and so on. It's also easy to come across as a whiner or an ungenerous and angry person who doesn't have the inner resources to make the most of one's circumstances. David avoids these pitfalls. His representation of Amherst is extremely positive. He praises the school while noting that the curricular offerings do not match his professional goals.

The Personality

Partly because of the tone discussed above, David comes across as a pleasant person, someone who the admissions folks are likely to want to have as part of their campus community. Moreover, David presents himself as someone who likes to push himself to grow. He is honest in his reasons for going to Amherst—the school seemed like a good "fit" given his small-town upbringing. It is, therefore, impressive to see him so actively working to expand his experiences beyond his provincial roots. David has clearly grown at Amherst, and he is looking forward to growing more at Penn.

The Writing

When applying to a place like Penn, the technical aspects of the writing need to be flawless. David's prose is clear, engaging and free of errors. If you struggle on this front, be sure to check out these  tips for improving your essay's style . And if grammar isn't your greatest strength, be sure to work through your essay with someone who does have strong grammar skills.

A Final Word on David's Transfer Essay

David's college transfer essay does exactly what an essay needs to do, and he includes the features of a strong transfer essay . He clearly articulates his reasons for transferring, and he does so in a positive and specific way. David presents himself as a serious student with clear academic and professional goals. We have little doubt that he has the skills and intellectual curiosity to succeed at Penn, and he has made a strong argument about why this particular transfer makes a lot of sense.

Odds are still against David's success given the competitive nature of Ivy League transfers, but he has strengthened his application with his essay.

• Tips for Writing a Winning College Transfer Essay
• The Hidden Cost of Transferring to a Different College
• Sample Weak Supplemental Essay for Duke University
• Short Answer Response on Working at Burger King
• The Length Requirements for the Common Application Essay in 2020-21
• How to Transfer Colleges: A Guide for Success
• Ideal College Application Essay Length
• Sample Application Essay - Porkopolis
• The Five College Consortium
• "Grandpa's Rubik's Cube"—Sample Common Application Essay, Option #4
• Common Application Short Answer Essay on Entrepreneurship
• Common Application Essay on a Meaningful Place
• Common Supplemental Essay Mistakes
• Should an Application Essay Be Single-Spaced or Double-Spaced?
• Private School Application Essay Tips
• Great Summer Engineering Programs for High School Students

Common App for transfer personal statement changes

Jul 25, 2023 • knowledge, information.

Common App recently collected member and student feedback regarding the current personal statement in the transfer application, which is 'The personal statement helps colleges get to know you better as a person and a student. Please provide a statement discussing your educational path. How does continuing your education at a new institution help you achieve your future goals?'

Through this feedback, we heard a desire for more prompt options, as well as increased standardization in how the personal statement is asked across member institutions.

In response to this feedback, we made the decision to add the first year application personal essay prompts to the Program Materials section as the new transfer application personal statement. The current transfer application personal statement will be available as a bank question for members who wish to ask it. Note: the new essay prompts would not be available in the common portion of the transfer application.

Members have two configuration options to add the new Common App for transfer personal statement to their screen:

Option #1 , Questions Section

Key features:

• Must appear within the Writing section
• Radio button prompt selection followed by long answer essay field
• Prompts appear directly above the response box
• Choice of prompt is a deliverable data point in the export file

Option #2 , Documents Tab

• Document upload
• Prompts are linked out on a separate page to conserve Documents tab instructional text space
• Delivered as part of full application PDF
• Note that prompt selection is not available as an exportable data point

Please note : the personal statement language, prompts, and instruction text cannot be customized. If you have additional questions, please reach out to your Member Services representative or the Member Solutions Center at [email protected] .

Related Articles

• Number of Views 703
• Number of Views 177
• Number of Views 215
• Number of Views 366
• Number of Views 4.6K