The first-year acceptance rate for applicants to Johns Hopkins is under 8%. This has led many students to think about transferring to Johns Hopkins as an easier way into a prestigious university. However, this isn’t grounded firmly in statistical reality. In this post we’ll break down how to successfully apply to Johns Hopkins as a transfer, defying statistics along the way.
While the transfer acceptance rate fluctuates based on enrollment numbers, it is typically lower at Johns Hopkins than the first-year acceptance rate. Most recently, only 6.4% of transfer applicants were accepted. This is not ‘standard’ for transfer admissions. At many well-respected schools, the transfer acceptance rate is higher than the first-year acceptance rate. At Johns Hopkins, though, this is not the case — and that’s something you must know if you want to apply as a transfer.
If you would have struggled to get into Johns Hopkins as a high school senior, it’s not going to be easier as a transfer applicant, especially if you are applying after only one year (or less) of college. This should underline the importance of growing in college — growing academically, growing personally, and growing as a member of a community. Johns Hopkins will look for all three — exceptional academics, personal development, and community-mindedness — when assessing your application.
Before you dive into the application advice below, too, remember that Johns Hopkins offers the opportunity to transfer into the university as a sophomore or junior only, and only in the fall semester.
We help exceptional students transfer into their best college. Contact us to learn more.
When you’re applying to transfer to Johns Hopkins, it’s important to remember what you learned applying to college as a first year. However, this is not a repeat of that process. Applying as a transfer is a distinctly different process with a new set of expectations and requirements.
Transfers are accepted based on availability in the class — and in the prospective major. Before you start writing, you must know what you want to do. Once you get in, you may be able to change your major, but doing so is based on availability. So, don’t bet on it. You also must be able to communicate why an available spot should be given to you. And the most important place to do this is in the essay.
The Essay
You’ve applied to college before, and you’ve written at least one — but probably many — college essays. This time, though, it is a little difference. When you are applying to college as a first year the specifics of what you want to study are important, but they are rarely the end-all be-all. Now, what you want to study matters enormously. Why you want to transfer to do it, too, matters a lot. If you are at the best school for what you want to pursue, after all, why would you be interested in transferring?
Most of the time, students are looking to transfer for one of two reasons, or both. Either they have decided to study something that isn’t available or emphasized at their current school, or they are have social fit issues. Often, both are the case — but only one is really worth emphasizing in the vast majority of cases.
John Hopkins doesn’t want to read a whole application that’s a whoa-is-me. Instead, they want to see that you are confident, clear in your trajectory, and motivated to do great work.
The university doesn’t require a standard “why do you want to transfer” essay, but they do have a supplemental essay prompt that transfer students must answer. This is where you will communicate who you are, what you want to study, and why Hopkins is your best fit.
How has your life experience contributed to your personal story—your character, values, perspectives, or skills—and what you want to pursue at Hopkins? (200-350 word limit)
The Johns Hopkins transfer application has one question, and the provided space for an answer is short. Other than this all they’ll have to look at are your grades, scores, and activities list. They’ll see how you’ve spent your time, but this is where you get to actually show them who you are beyond the numbers and data points.
“In this essay,” Johns Hopkins says, “we’re looking for how your background, life experiences, or interests have shaped who you are and what you want to get out of college.” Basically, they want to know your story, and what has led you to want to attend Johns Hopkins. Interestingly, they don’t ask about why you want to transfer. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t mention it necessarily, but it’s not the priority.
The most comment mistake we see students make with this prompt is trying to say a lot through multiple stories in such a tiny amount of space. We understand this impulse, but it’s entirely incorrect. Instead, you need to pick one character trait, value, or skill, and highlight it through one story. Focus is your friend, and it will strengthen your narrative while affording the space to speak directly how to this aspect of who you are will augment your experience at Hopkins — and that of those around you.
Final Thoughts
As you work on your transfer application for Johns Hopkins, you’ll need to work with your college and your high school, and that means consistent, clear, and persistent communication. Plan to start well in advance of the deadline, as it isn’t just your schedule you need to worry about. The different advisors, recommenders, and counselors who will be supporting your application also need time. Don’t expect people to jump to help you. You’ll need to advocate for yourself, and it helps to have someone else in your corner.
That’s where we can help. Each year, we help students transfer into their dream schools, schools they didn’t think they could get into as a high school senior but that are now just barely in reach thanks to hard work in college. If you’ve put in the effort, we can help make it worthwhile.
Contact us to access your ideal transfer strategy.