Applications, essays, letters of recommendations and MC transcripts:

FIRST, Figure out who you are:  Transfer Student or Not?

In general, students who have more than 30 credits showing on their college transcripts are considered genuine transfer students.  No need to go back and provide high school transcripts or SAT scores.  SOME schools will still require that information, regardless of the number of credits earned at the community college.  Read the fine print on all applications.

If you have less than 30 credits showing on your transcript (completed college classes), then you might not be considered a true transfer student.  Not to worry - let's say you have 12 credits completed from the Fall semester, and you're enrolled in another 12 credits in the Spring while you're applying to transfer the next Fall.  In this case, you'll be asked to submit a copy of your high school transcript and your SAT scores*.  If you faint at the thought, keep in mind, transfer schools care MUCH more about your performance at Montgomery College than they do about your high school effort (or lack thereof) and SAT scores.  If you have a 3.0 or higher at MC from your first semester, this is a good sign of progress.  Some schools will hold off on giving you a solid thumbs up until they see your final grades from Spring, but that's okay... still time enough to enroll you for Fall.  

* Didn't take the SAT?  CALL the school to see what they want you to do if you don't meet the requirements for a true Transfer Student.  If you have 30 credits completed (or whatever number they say makes you a true transfer student), then no worries about the SAT if they don't ask for it)

Applications

Most schools offer students the option of using an on-line application in addition to the paper process.  The preferred form these days is on-line - your information can be entered quickly into admissions databases and there's very little chance of a lost application form.   Create a rough draft by printing out a form and filling it in before you sit down to enter the information into an on-line form.  Advantage:  Electronic applications allows you to quickly apply to schools and "track" your application's progress electronically. A credit card or check may be used for application fees. If you can't finish an on-line form in one sitting, most systems give you a password so you can log in and out to keep working on it.

FIRST, check with the admissions website of each school to see if an on-line application is available.

MARYLAND STATE (PUBLIC) SCHOOLS:  http://apply.usmd.edu/   Some Maryland schools will let you apply at this link.  Check each school's admissions website first - using a school's specific on-line form is best.

Students applying to UM-College Park should use www.uga.umd.edu/admissions/apply/
UMCP in particular much prefers that students submit the on-line application.  

www.commonapp.org/   The Common Application is the recommended form of 256 selective colleges and universities for admission to their undergraduate programs. Many of these institutions use the form exclusively. All give equal consideration to the Common Application and the college's own form.  Advantage:  fill out one main form for several schools, and then complete any additional pages for specific schools.

Application Deadlines: 

Most institutions have different deadlines for freshman and transfer students. Check out each specific school for deadline information. While some schools may have a July 1 deadline for Fall transfer admissions, if you plan to live on campus, you may need to apply much earlier to meet housing, scholarship, and financial aid deadlines. The general rule is to apply well in advance of published deadlines for maximum consideration - February for Fall, October for Spring.  If you miss the preferred deadline for transfer admission (say it was listed as March 1, and you're applying in May), then call the Admissions Office of the school to ask whether they're still accepting applications from transfer students.  Many schools continue to accept applications on a rolling basis until all seats are filled.

APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID and SCHOLARSHIPS either BEFORE OR AT THE SAME TIME AS YOU APPLY FOR ADMISSION

Go to Transfer Step 9 www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/studev/transferstep9.html for details.  You have work to do!

Montgomery College CEEB Codes: 

MONTGOMERY COLLEGE GERMANTOWN - 5393                     MC Title IV Code for all campuses:
MONTGOMERY COLLEGE ROCKVILLE - 5440                                   006911
MONTGOMERY COLLEGE TAKOMA PARK - 5414                     

Writing College Essays

While it's true that most colleges are more concerned about the content of a transfer student's transcript than they are about the application essay, don't overlook this important chance to let schools know who you are.  The suggestions below apply to essays for all types of program admissions.  Take this task seriously - don't dash it off alone without having someone else review your work.  Check out other important tips:

• College Essay Writing Tips from the College Board

Some schools don't require application essays for transfer students.  Your transcript of grades tells those schools exactly what they need to know.  If an essay is not required, but you have an unusual circumstance that you want the school to be aware of, write a letter or statement and include it somewhere with your application.  Let's say, you had one bad semester in your freshman year, but the rest of your grades are much better - briefly, without too much gory detail, point that out.  You DON'T have to be too specific - "personal problems" is much better than "my girlfriend wrecked my car and left me for my brother", etc.

Special Note for Students Applying to the University of Maryland, College Park.  UMCP has an optional essay section.  Write something.  It doesn't have to be long - but an effort here is noticed.  

This is also the place where you can point out specific information, for example:

• If you took EL and RD courses, you can ask that UMCP recalculate your grade point average without the EL and RD grades.  Do this ONLY if there's a change - if you have A's and B's in those classes, your GPA might actually be better or the same leaving those courses alone.  Use the MC GPA calculator to compare how these courses affect your overall GPA.  Rule of thumb, if you have several C's in your EL and RD courses, you should recalculate yourself first to see if this helps.  www.montgomerycollege.edu/departments/phengrv/GPAcalc.htm 
• If your native language is not English, the Essay section is the place to explain that you have a high GPA and that you've earned A's or B's in both EN 101 and 102 or 109; or (if you have a C in either EN 101 or 102/109 and a GPA of 3.0 or less, that you're completing an AA degree
• If your GPA is less than a 2.9, but you have or will have earned 56 credits in transferable courses at the time you apply, this is the place to mention it.  You will be considered for admission under the MHEC Transfer Guidelines - check them out yourself.

Letters of Recommendation

Students often ask faculty members for recommendations for college applications and scholarships. Some applications include blank recommendation forms - others instruct students to ask for a letter of recommendation.  Choose current or recent teachers who know you well enough to say positive things about you.  Help them by providing a list of your current activities and interests.  Use this printable questionnaire to provide background information to faculty members to make letter-writing more effective. This Word Document also includes a generic recommendation form.
 www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/studev/RecForm.doc 

Remember to give recommendation writers at least two weeks to complete your form.  If you know that you'll need more than one letter from a professor or counselor, let them know in advance that you'll be coming back for more.

NOTE:  Not all colleges ask for Letters of Recommendation.  The University of Maryland, College Park, UMBC, Towson, Salisbury - none of these schools request them.  Don't bother your overworked professors for letters if they're not required!  Your grades at MC are convincing enough for schools to make their decision to admit.  If you are a borderline student (2.8 GPA or lower for UMCP, less than 2.5 for other MD schools), or if you have had some serious ups and downs in your academic history, or if the school initially rejects you, then you can consider supplementing your application with a recommendation from an instructor who knows you well.  If you meet the school's GPA requirements and have no unusual circumstances, you don't need to submit letters of recommend if they aren't specifically required!

Requesting Copies of Your Montgomery College Transcript

In general, you'll need two copies of your transcript sent for each college application:  

• one to be sent along with the application form, and
• a second one sent at the end of the semester showing your final grades.  
  
  There's a $5.00 charge per MC transcript sent.  Here's a link with directions on how to request each transcript:  www.montgomerycollege.edu/admissions/transcripts.html

Because MC sends transcripts electronically to most Maryland public schools, it's fine to have your first transcript sent separately from your application form.  When transcripts arrive at schools where applications have not been received, schools hold on to transcripts for about 6 months, waiting for the rest of the application to arrive.  So, go ahead and have your transcript sent if you're nearing a deadline and your application isn't quite done.

Some students feel that they must hand-carry their transcript or include a paper copy with their application.  Unless a school specifically asks you to do this, it's better to let MC send it for you.  MC will send your transcripts to all Maryland schools electronically - UMCP in particular MUCH prefers this.  The electronic transcript loads right into your application file, usually the same day you request it.  If you proudly hand carry your paper transcript to Admissions in College Park, they will smile and thank you and toss it in a pile where it will take MUCH longer to process it.  Electronic transcripts rule - let us handle it for you.