5

• Who IS a Transfer Student?  Most colleges consider genuine transfer students to be those who have EARNED 30 or more transferable credits on their records.  When you have those thirty credits showing, most schools will decide to admit you based solely on your college record - they will usually not ask for high school transcripts or SAT scores.
  
  Here are some sample schools:   

• University of Maryland, College Park wants to see the following things from transfer students: 

• a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA)
• at least 30 credits earned
• completion of college-level English and math (EN 102 or EN 109, MA 110 or higher)

• Salisbury University
  • 24 transferable credits completed
  • a cumulative GPA of 2.5
  • a cumulative GPA of 2.5

• What if you don't have 30 credits finished, but you want to transfer after one year at Montgomery College?  Colleges will usually ask for all of your information - high school record, SAT scores, and a college transcript to see how you've been doing as a college student.  If you've completed one and a half semesters (like a Fall semester and part of Spring), then most schools will wait to admit you after they see your final Spring grades.  Your high school record and SAT scores, if they weren't wonderful, will not weigh nearly as much as your grades from college courses, so if you weren't admissible right out of high school but you've done well at MC (a 3.0 or better), your chances of admission increase considerably. 

• How does earning an AA degree from Montgomery College help me transfer?
  
  If you're looking for admission to a Maryland public college or university, completion of an AA degree OR completion of 56 credits toward an AA degree will guarantee that you will not be denied admission to a Maryland public institution, as long as you have a 2.0 GPA or higher, and as long as the institution has space available for you.   Getting an AA does NOT guarantee you admission to competitive majors at different schools, so you have to be sure you're meeting specific requirements for specific majors.  See the Maryland Higher Education Commission's Guide to Transfer site for more information.
  
  Here's an example:  Completion of an AA or 56 credits with a 2.0 GPA means that a school like UMCP or Towson will admit you as a general student, if they have space for you in the semester that you apply.  While it hasn't happened yet, some schools may deny you admission if they have no spaces after admitting transfer students who meet regular admissions standards.  But just getting admitted doesn't mean that you'll be admitted to competitive majors that have higher GPA's required, like business and nursing.  Some schools (Towson, for example) are starting to advise community colleges to complete the AA before transferring.  Now...confused about whether you need an AA to transfer?   No wonder!  But that's why MC Transfer Counselors can help you figure out the best path for you. 

• For UMCP only, students whose native language is not English are advised to complete an AA degree before transferring to UMCP.  Those who do not will be asked to submit TOEFL scores, or take an English language placement test. 

Some General Words of Wisdom on Transfer Admissions

At most Maryland public schools, you'll need a 2.5 to be considered admissible into general majors that do not have special GPA requirements.  For UMCP, you need a 3.0 for general admission.   Can a student get admitted to a school under general admissions, then apply to a competitive major?  Not very often.  Discuss this with an MC transfer counselor.

Competitive institutions (many private schools and out-of-state public schools) want to see higher GPA's from transfer students - think a minimum 3.0 or higher.  Check the individual Admissions Page for each school that interests you, looking especially at Transfer Admissions requirements and deadlines rather than Freshman Admissions sections.  Highly competitive colleges will look at the kinds of courses you've taken (honors classes, 200-level courses), as well as examining your list of activities to see leadership roles, volunteer hours, etc.   Here's an example of transfer admissions requirements from a highly competitive out-of-state public school, the University of Virginia (UVA): www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/transfer.html  Remember that when schools state "minimum 3.0," that's really the bottom number of the GPA's they'll consider - most competitive candidates may have a 3.5 or higher.  

BTW, how do you figure out your GPA?  The easiest way to determine your cumulative Grade Point Average is to look at your transcript on the Montgomery College website, through MyMC, Records.  If you want to calculate or project a future GPA, you can use one of these two methods: 

1. The cool GPA calculator posted by MC's own Engineering Department, courtesy of Professor Jim O'Brien:  www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/phengrv/GPAcalc.htm 
2. The old fashioned way - using multiplication:  www.murraystate.edu/secsv/fye/gpa.htm 

College Test Information - IF YOU NEED TO TAKE ADDITIONAL TESTS FOR ADMISSION

Students who wish to transfer and who have completed less than 30 credits will probably be considered as freshman applicants at the transfer institution.  They will be asked to submit high school transcripts and SAT scores.  SAT scores are generally NOT required for transfer admission with 30 or more credits completed at the college level.

www.collegeboard.com  Testing information / SAT, TOEFL, GRE's & more; as well as financial aid information and college search references.

CLEP - the College Level Exam Program.  Earn college credits via exam - check with each institution to determine the transferability of CLEP credits earned.  Peterson's also has CLEP information.

TOEFL The Test of English as a Foreign Language. 

Sample Tests - visit this ETS Site for sample tests:  SAT I and II, Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), Graduate Record Examinations (GRE),  The PRAXIS Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers, and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). 

Montgomery College CEEB Codes:    

You don't have to figure out how to meet competitive requirements or transfer requirements all by yourself. 

MC transfer counselors have the experience to help you navigate the path to successful admissions.  Count on us to help you out - ask for help.