College transfer facts for kids

College transfer is when students move from one school or college to another. It's about taking the classes you've already finished and using them at a new place to help you get your degree or certificate. This can happen between high school and college, or from one college to another.

What is College Transfer?

Moving between different schools or colleges is common for students. College transfer involves exploring new schools and figuring out if your past classes count. This includes looking at your grades, credits, or special exams you've taken.

When you transfer, your old classes are checked to see if they fit the new school's rules. This process helps you enroll in a new program of study. The goal is to finish your degree at the new college. How much credit you get for your old classes can depend on the school's rules and government policies.

Schools also offer support services to help students transfer. These services include academic advice and help with enrollment. They guide students through the process of changing schools or programs. This helps students understand how transferring affects their path to finishing a degree. Transferring is now a very normal part of higher education for many students around the world.

Why Do Students Transfer?

Many students choose to transfer colleges. In the United States, for example, about 60% of college graduates in 2005 had attended two or more schools before finishing their degree. This shows that moving between colleges is a common path for many.

About 2.5 million students in the U.S. explore college transfer each year. Some students might even take a break from school to work, then return to finish their degree. Moving between schools can sometimes add a bit more time to getting a degree, but it offers flexibility.

Transferring isn't just a trend in the United States. In Europe, millions of students have participated in the Erasmus Programme. This program allows students to study for a term in another European country. Over 4,000 colleges in 33 countries are part of this program. It helps students experience different cultures and educational systems while continuing their studies. The Erasmus Programme is a big part of the European Union's efforts to support higher education.

Famous People Who Transferred Colleges

Many well-known people have transferred colleges during their education. Here are a few examples:

• Barack Obama: From Occidental College to Columbia University
• Tom Hanks: From Chabot College to California State University, Sacramento
• George Lucas: From Modesto Junior College to University of Southern California
• Charles Evans Hughes: From Colgate University to Brown University
• Bradley Cooper: From Villanova University to Georgetown University
• Warren Buffett: From University of Pennsylvania to University of Nebraska
• Donald Trump: From Fordham University to University of Pennsylvania
• John F. Kennedy: From Princeton University to Harvard College
• Jimmy Carter: From Georgia Institute of Technology to United States Naval Academy
• Woodrow Wilson: From Davidson College to Princeton University
• Mitt Romney: From Stanford University to Brigham Young University
• Bernie Sanders: From Brooklyn College to University of Chicago
• Antonio Villaraigosa: From East Los Angeles College to University of California, Los Angeles
• Lucy Liu: From New York University to University of Michigan
• Stephen Colbert: From Hampden–Sydney College to Northwestern University
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg: From Harvard Law School to Columbia Law School

See also

• Transfer admissions in the United States
• NCAA transfer portal, a way for student-athletes to transfer schools