Dartmouth is not known for accepting a ton of transfers. Actually, they’re known for the opposite. They accept very few. Very, very few. “In recent years,” they say, “Dartmouth has enrolled between a handful and two dozen new transfer students.”  For students enrolling in the fall of 2023, Dartmouth received nearly 800 applications, but accepted only a dozen applicants. The transfer acceptance rate was only 1.6%. 

So, you want to transfer to Stanford? We get why. Stanford is an elite private research university in California’s Silicon Valley. It is world-famous for its STEM majors, sports, and cutting-edge research.  

Kenyon College is a liberal arts school with a close-knit community and under 2,000 students on 1,200 acres in Gambier, Ohio. The college is writing-centric and strongly creatively driven. The average class size is small, just 15 students, and the focus on writing is prevalent across all departments, not just in the humanities.

Wellesley College is a women’s liberal arts school in Wellesley, MA. We know we just said it, but a reminder: this is a women’s college. While it is not far from Boston, Wellesley doesn’t feel urban. With forests, a golf course, and a private lake, the campus is perfect for those looking for the picturesque. Wellesley boasts popular programs in economics, political science, and world-class sciences.

Tufts received 1,536 transfer applicants for admission in the fall of 2023, and admitted 196 students for an acceptance rate of only 12.8%. They only accept transfers for fall start, but provide a fair amount of information about what they look for in transfer applicants, and how to stand out should you choose to apply. In this post we’ll distill what you need to know if you’re considering applying to Tufts as a transfer, and dig into the crucial pieces of the application that you must ace if you want to be part of that small pool of accepted applicants.

If you want to transfer to a smallish research university in the south, Wake Forest University may be the perfect choice. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wake Forest has exceptional STEM programs, a gorgeous location, and a generous financial aid policy (they meet 100% of demonstrated need! We love that!).

Located in Poughkeepsie, NY, Vassar College is a small, liberal arts college known for their programs in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Formerly a Seven Sisters school, Vassar became co-ed in 1969. Vassar is a competitive school, with an 18% first-year acceptance rate, but their transfer numbers are even more competitive, with a 12% acceptance rate.

The University of Texas Austin (UT) is a large, public research university in Austin, Texas. UT is a super popular school with our clients, both first-year and transfer, and it makes sense! It’s an extremely highly ranked public university with top-notch programs in everything from business to STEM to the humanities. First-year admission to UT is competitive, especially for out-of-state students, but their overall acceptance rate is 29%. Their transfer acceptance rate is similar – 30%, but a lot of those students come from automatic acceptance via community colleges. If you want to transfer to UT, you need to make sure you have the strongest application possible.

In recent years, UVA has received nearly 4,000 applications for transfer. They have only accepted around 33% of those applicants. However, this, compared against the first-year acceptance rate of 17%, has led to UVA having a reputation for being ‘easy’ to get into as a transfer.

So, you’re thinking of transferring. This is a big moment! And UNC Chapel Hill has an amazing tradition of accepting transfer students. Over 900 join the university each year, and they form a strong community at the university. The acceptance rate for transfer applicants is over 45%, and they prioritize accepting in-state students who are coming from two-year junior or community colleges. UNC Chapel Hill is notable for supporting students in transferring credits over, giving you an extra head start towards a UNC degree.