Hamilton College is a small liberal arts school in Clinton, NY known for their open curriculum and liberal-artsy STEM programs. The most popular majors are Econ, Bio, Poli Sci, Psych, and Math – a real who’s who of most popular majors.
Hamilton is also hard to get into. First-year acceptance rates hover in the low 10s, and the transfer acceptance rate last cycle was 8%. To break that down, out of the 321 people who applied to transfer to Hamilton, only 26 were accepted. Not a lot! Don’t freak out though, because that doesn’t mean applying to transfer to Hamilton is a lost cause. We’re gonna break down all the things you’ll need to know (and do) to have a compelling application to Hamilton.
Hamilton’s Requirements
Hamilton accepts both Fall and Spring transfers (rare!), and their main requirement is that you’ve taken a semester or more of college classes.
Here’s what they do require of you:
Transfer Common Application
Essays (more on this later)
Official high school and college transcripts
Recommendation letters
Transfer college report (a Dean or advisor has to fill this out)
Transfer mid-term report for your in-progress grades
And your “optional” requirements (although we don’t believe in optional):
An interview
SAT/ACT scores
More on their requirements and process for transfer applicants here.
Pick the Right Classes
You’re applying to Hamilton to get a top-notch poli sci degree, right? Well, align your classes with that vision. Loading up on courses that don't fit the narrative won't do you any favors, except for those obligatory ones from your current school.
Don't overlook the core classes – they're a necessary evil. Transferring can be a tricky game, especially to Hamilton, and there's no guarantee you'll make the cut. So, don't skimp on the classes essential for graduation. As our boy Benny Franks (Benjamin Franklin) says, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Your classes need to contribute to the niche you're carving out. If you’re interested in American electoral politics, stacking up on international relations classes might not paint the best picture. Stay focused, stay strategic, and show Hamilton why you're a perfect fit for their poli sci program.
Get Really Good Grades
While Hamilton claims they don't mandate a specific GPA, they do suggest that applicants should aim for at least a 3.3 to be considered viable, and most accepted students boast a GPA exceeding 3.5. In other words, achieving exceptional (borderline perfect) grades is key to enhancing your competitiveness. You’re already in college, so the best way to prove to them that you can handle college is by doing well, in college.
Pro tip: Unless absolutely necessary, steer clear of courses where you struggled in high school. If you’re a poli sci hopeful, you probably don’t need to suffer through chemistry again. Prioritize quality grades, and those challenging classes in topics you don’t care about likely don't align with your academic narrative anyway.
And a crucial reminder: make the most of office hours. Building a rapport with professors can significantly impact your grades (in a good way) and those relationships come in handy when you need to ask for rec letters.
Develop Your Niche
Securing a spot at Hamilton goes beyond taking the right classes; you need to demonstrate depth in your chosen major. Prove to them that your passion isn't just a declaration – you've actively immersed yourself in it. To keep with our poli sci example, consider getting involved in the campus current affairs magazine, running for student government, joining political organizations, volunteering for a campaign, contributing to the student paper, securing a congressional internship, or engaging in research with a poli sci professor.
It's not just about boosting your application; getting plugged into your current school is crucial. It's not only an impressive addition but also a safety net of community support in case your transfer plans hit a snag (remember what Benny Franks said!).
Write Good Essays
Hamilton has so. many. essays. Like, maybe too many? Let’s discuss.
The first two questions are “Please take this opportunity to write about your interest in Hamilton and why you believe it is a place where you can thrive. Be open. Be honest. Be brief.” and “We each bring different backgrounds and perspectives, and we teach one another about the world through our individual and shared experiences. How will Hamilton shape your perspective, and how will your perspective shape Hamilton?” These are the same questions they ask first-year applicants, and we have a thorough guide on how to write them here.
They also ask you to write the Common App essay that you probably already did last year. Like the Common App, they ask you to choose from a number of prompts (we’re partial to write an essay of your own design) and write something in about 650 words. Although, for some reason, the transfer Common App uses character count and not word count, which is super annoying?? Anyways, here’s a guide to writing a really good Common App essay.
Now for the transfer-specific question: Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve.
This is a lot like a Why essay, which you probably remember from last fall. You need to start researching Hamilton, picking out professors and upper-level classes that fit into your niche, and thinking about how those will help you accomplish your goals. You also need to talk about the ‘why’ of transferring, and our biggest tip to you is don’t bash your current school. We know there are myriad of good reasons to leave a school, bad things included, but you should (for the purpose of this essay) focus on academic things. Specific advice on this prompt here.
Good luck with your Hamilton application and make sure to keep your grades up, get plugged into your community, and dive into your passions.
If you need help with your transfer applications, reach out to us today.