Secrets of Success in College: Part 1 -- How to be admitted to Your "Dream" University

SECRETS OF SUCCESS IN COLLEGE:  A Few of the Things I Wish I Had Known 

PART 1 — HOW TO BE ADMITTED TO YOUR DREAM UNIVERSITY.

Since the age of 17, I have spent over 40 years living, studying, and working on University Campuses.  Along the way, I learned a few things — often too late to do me any good.  I decided to share a few of the things I wish I had known.  I am writing first person as though the reader is my beloved grandchild facing the challenges of today’s higher education.

To begin at the Beginning — ADMISSION

Before going further, I want you to consider a question, a binary choice you may not have considered before.  Which of the two following options are most important to you?  While you may really want  both — for the sake of this discussion, you can only have ONE.

OPTION 1 — YOU ARE ADMITTED AS AN ENTERING FRESHMAN AT YOUR DREAM UNIVERSITY.

OPTION 2 — YOU GRADUATE FROM YOUR DREAM UNIVERSITY.

If you chose Option 1, you can stop reading now — either you are too dumb to appreciate what I have to share with you, are your motives for going to college are more social than academic.  If you are scratching your head because you can’t figure out how you can graduate without being admitted — Pay Attention.  The limiting phrase in the question is “as an entering Freshman.”

Every year thousands of students graduate (many with honors) from Universities that would never have admitted them as “entering Freshmen.”  How did they become graduates?  Quite simply by transferring as a second semester freshman, a sophomore, or a junior.  WHAT?   HOW?  The answer is very simple:

STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION OF TRANSFER STUDENTS DIFFER FROM STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION OF FRESHMEN

Secret —  The standards for transfers are less stringent than those for entering freshmen.

If you ask a college counselor about this, they will point out that transfer students have a “college track-record;” i.e. proof that they can succeed in college level courses.  They will argue that their freshman requirements are their way of predicting which students can succeed at their institution.  While TRUE, this is only a part of the story.  

The “whole truth” is that Universities and Colleges are RATED and RANKED based on the quality of their entering Freshmen.  The highest ranked Universities are those whose entering freshmen have the highest ACT and SAT scores; the highest GPA’s; and the highest class rankings. While other criteria (quality of faculty, faculty/student ratios, etc.) are included, the quality of freshman admissions is critical.

In a circular form of logic, the entities that rate and rank institutions of higher education assume that the BEST colleges will attract the BEST students.  Therefore, they attempt to measure the quality of the entering freshmen, and use this measure for deciding which colleges are BEST.  It is therefore in the interest of every college and university to enroll a freshman class consisting of WINNERS.  The University that recruits the BEST freshmen is considered the BEST University, and this fuels the battle to attract the BEST (and ONLY the BEST) students.  Admitting less “qualified” students as freshmen will lower the status of the institution.

However, after the precious “entering freshmen” are weighed and measured and showcased, the University turns their attention to other essentials, like filling their classes and paying their bills.  For both of these, transfer students are just as valuable as the elite freshmen.  Indeed, some of the elite can be counted on to drop out; fail; get homesick; fall in love; or decide to transfer to another school.  Pragmatically, transfer students are necessary and valuable.

Secret —  After graduation no one gives a toot whether you were admitted as a freshman.

While the status of the University from which you graduate carries weight, after you have your degree, no one ever asks, or cares, whether you were admitted as a freshman.  Admission is only a first step; graduation is the goal.  When you achieve your goal, no one cares about the first step.

PROS and CONS of TRANSFERRING —

1. PRO — You can save a some serious money. If your “dream” school is more expensive and your “starter” school is more economical (and this is usually the case), a year or two (1/4 to 1/2 of your total credits) at the less expensive school will lower your college costs substantially.
2. CON — You will miss out on freshmen activities.  Friendships, networks, fraternities, sororities, school politics, and extra-curricular activities begin during freshman orientation.  It is often difficult for transfer students to “make-up” or compensate for these lost experiences. 
3. PRO or CON — Your GPA will be affected by your transfer.  This can be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on your performance and the school’s policies.  Better schools are sometimes loathe to believe that the grading standards at other schools are as rigorous as theirs (and some first-class schools, may have a point).  There are differing policies regarding the transfer of grades, and how these “count” in your final GPA and/or class rank. Some schools do not transfer grades.  That is, all transferred courses become Pass/Fail.  Others transfer grades, but compute two GPA scores, one based on all your credits and one based only on the credits taken at the school from which you are graduating.  Others transfer and use all grades.  For some students, the GPA is actually better because of their “first” school; for others the transfer lowers their GPA.  The same can be said for class ranking, and honors.  All of these can be positively or negatively affected.  The important thing is to be aware of your school’s policies so you will know what to expect.

IMPORTANT —   If you are considering becoming a transfer student, be sure to get details related to transfers from the office of admissions. For example, know the regulations regarding the status of the institution you wish to attend as your “first” college; know the number of credits, types of courses, and required grades (there are often minimum and maximum numbers of credits in transferring). 

These vary greatly from one University to another, and the DEVIL can be in the DETAILS.  While there are University-wide considerations, there can also be DEGREE PROGRAM considerations related to your chosen major or minor.  If you have already chosen a major, be sure to check with the PROGRAM to learn about their preferences for your transfer credits.  In general, most DEGREE PROGRAMS prefer that you take your general requirements before transferring, and then take the courses in your Major Field of Study at the Institution where you will receive your degree.

NOTE — With the exception of two-year colleges, it is generally unwise to advise faculty or staff at your “first” college that you are planning to transfer.  This will not endear you to them, and who knows, you may change your mind — I did.