Transfer Student FAQ
- » What must I do to be eligible to apply for transfer admission?
- » I am in my first semester in college. Am I eligible to apply as a transfer?
- » What’s the difference between transfer and the RTC (Return to College) program?
- » What are the application and notification deadlines for transfers?
- » What application materials must I submit?
- » Is an interview required?
- » Is standardized testing required?
- » What is the mid-term report and what do I need to do with it?
- » What is the College official’s report and why do I need to submit it?
- » Can I have a teaching assistant send a faculty reference?
- » Can I send you a professional recommendation?
- » I’ve been out of high school for a while. Do I still need to send an official high school transcript?
- » I’m a first-semester freshman and you won’t have my college grades in time to make a decision. How will this affect my application?
- » What is your acceptance rate for transfer applications? How many do you typically enroll?
- » What is the minimum GPA for transfer admission?
- » How many credits will I have to complete at Connecticut College in order to graduate?
- » How much of my credit will transfer?
- » Will I be eligible for study abroad?
- » Is financial aid available for transfer students?
- » How is housing determined for transfer students?
- » Will there be a transfer student orientation?
- » What types of advising are available for transfers?
- » What are the dining halls and meal plan like?
- » Are there any opportunities on campus that transfers should take advantage of right away?
- » What is life on campus like and what student organizations can I join?
Q: What must I do to be eligible to apply for transfer admission?
To be considered for transfer admission, you must complete at least one term at an accredited college or university. In other words, you must have credits that can be transferred to Connecticut College. College courses that counted toward high school graduation requirements do not count as transfer credits.
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Q: I am in my first semester in college. Am I eligible to apply as a transfer?
Yes. Even though you do not have grades yet, you will fill out a mid-term grade form (available on the transfer web site) and we will render a decision based on mid-term progress and your high school record. Offers of admission are made with the expectation that coursework will be completed by the end of that term so that credits may then be transferred to Connecticut College.
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Q: What’s the difference between transfer and the RTC (Return to College) program?
The RTC program is designed for adults aged 25 and older whose education was interrupted and who wish to finish their Bachelor of Arts degree by enrolling part time (no more than 12 credits per semester). On-campus housing is not available to RTC candidates. Transfer students must have begun their education elsewhere, but transfer students have the option of full- or part-time enrollment, and on-campus housing is available to them.
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Q: What are the application and notification deadlines for transfers?
Our deadlines are April 1 for the fall semester and Nov. 1 for the spring semester. You will be notified by mid-December for admission in the spring, and mid-May for admission in the fall.
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Q: What application materials must I submit?
The following is a checklist to help you complete your application:
- Common Application for Transfer Admission (www.commonapp.org)
- Connecticut College Supplement (available for electronic submission by adding Connecticut College to your "college list" in your Common Application Online account)
- College Official's Report
- Official transcript(s) of all college work to date
- Official final high school transcript
- College Instructor Evaluation (1 or 2 recommended)
- Mid-term grade report
- Submission of SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject Test or ACT scores is not required. Learn more about our standardized test policy.
- Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or its equivalent
- Non-refundable application fee of $60 payable online via the Common Application Online payment tool; otherwise please send a check or money order with applicant’s name, address, date of birth and current college to:
The Office of Admission
Connecticut College
270 Mohegan Avenue
New London, CT 06320-4196 - Financial aid application (if applicable; see Financial Aid Web site for further details)
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Q: Is an interview required?
No, but if you anticipate coming to campus for a visit, it is recommended that you schedule an interview. Interviews must take place before the application deadline.
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Q: Is standardized testing required?
No. We do not require standardized tests. Learn more about our standardized test policy. You may send us your SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests or ACT scores if you think they will benefit you in the process. The Connecticut College ETS testing code is 3284.
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Q: What is the mid-term report and what do I need to do with it?
If you are currently enrolled at a college or university you must submit mid-term grades. The mid-term report is available via PDF here. Please print out the form and ask your professors to estimate your current grade and sign the form. If no graded work has been collected, please have the professor write "no graded work to date" and sign the form. Back to Top »
Q: What is the College official’s report and why do I need to submit it?
The College Official's Report states that you are in good standing at your current institution and are eligible for honorable dismissal (i.e., you are not on probation, do not owe money to accounting, have no holds on your student record, etc.). This form must be signed by a dean, registrar or official from your Records and Registration office. It is OK if this person does not know you personally. Back to Top »
Q: Can I have a teaching assistant send a faculty reference?
Yes. Sometimes at larger universities your TA may know your academic potential better than your professor, so we welcome recommendation letters from TAs or lab instructors.
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Q: Can I send you a professional recommendation?
Yes, but not in lieu of the faculty reference.
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Q: I’ve been out of high school for a while. Do I still need to send an official high school transcript?
Yes. We need proof of high school graduation in the form of a transcript or GED. Although we place more emphasis on your course of study in college, we also consider high school performance for all transfer applicants.
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Q: I’m a first-semester freshman and you won’t have my college grades in time to make a decision. How will this affect my application?
All applicants who are currently enrolled in college are required to send mid-term grade reports. We look very seriously at the high school record for all students with less than a year of college work, and at the mid-term report for all applicants. Back to Top »
Q: What is your acceptance rate for transfer applications? How many do you typically enroll?
It varies from year to year, but the acceptance rate is generally around 20-30 percent. We typically enroll 15-20 transfers each January and 20-30 each September.
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Q: What is the minimum GPA for transfer admission?
The recommended minimum GPA for transfer admission is 3.0, but the average college GPA for admitted transfer students is approximately 3.4.
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Q: How many credits will I have to complete at Connecticut College in order to graduate?
This depends on how many credits transfer in from your previous institution, but you must complete half (or 64) of your 128 credits on campus at Connecticut College in order to graduate. A typical course at Connecticut College is 4 credits.
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Q: How much of my credit will transfer?
You must complete 128 credits in order to graduate. In addition, you must complete at least two full years of academic work in residence (full-time status), including one semester of senior year, and you must earn at least 64 Connecticut College credits (earned at the College or in Connecticut College programs abroad.)
Once the Office of Records and Registration receives your official college transcripts, the Director of Student Records will complete a credit evaluation to determine which classes will transfer.
Transfer credit is awarded for all courses with grades of C and above that have an approximate counterpart in the Connecticut College curriculum. The credit evaluation will also determine which transfer courses will count toward your General Education requirements.
Check out the course catalog to see what courses are offered at Connecticut College. If you have a course description for each course you are trying to transfer, it’s helpful for the review. For more information, e-mail Director of Student Records Linda Bendfeldt, lwben@conncoll.edu, or call her at 860-439-2064.
There are certain courses from other schools for which we typically do not award transfer credit. These include: elementary and intermediate algebra, pre-calculus, trigonometry, desktop publishing and most business courses.
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Q: Will I be eligible for study abroad?
If you enter the College as a freshman or sophomore, you are eligible to apply for study away opportunities. If you enter the College as a junior, you are not eligible to apply for study away.
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Q: Is financial aid available for transfer students?
Yes, need-based financial aid is available for transfer students. For more information about the College's financial aid philosophy and required application materials, please visit the Financial Aid web site. Financial aid is more limited for those applying for January enrollment, and very limited aid is available for non-U.S. citizens.
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Q: How is housing determined for transfer students?
Every effort is made to assign single rooms to transfer students. But just in case a single isn’t available, we’ll use your answers on the transfer housing form to match you up with a roommate. Please be frank in answering the questions about your lifestyle, such as your sleep schedule and your neatness (or lack thereof). The goal of the matching exercise is simply compatibility. Some roommates become best friends for life; others co-exist amicably but find their closest friends elsewhere. In late July you’ll get an e-mail letting you know your room assignment and who your roommate will be. Please visit the Residential Education and Living site for more information on housing and on-campus living at Connecticut College.
Watch our videos of student rooms on campus.
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Q: Will there be a transfer student orientation?
Orientation for all new students takes place Saturday, Aug. 29, through Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009.
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009, is Arrival Day. Move-in is on a staggered schedule between 9-11 a.m.; you’ll get your move-in time with your housing assignment at the end of July. Please arrive at your designated time and get settled before the first event of the day, the President’s Assembly, at 1 p.m. After that, your parents will attend their own Arrival Day activities while you head off to start Orientation. At the end of the day there will be a closing reception for parents and students, after which parents will say goodbye and depart.
During Orientation, the director of student records will hold a credit transfer evaluation meeting with you to review your transfer credits. You will meet with your faculty adviser to discuss your course selections before you register for classes on Sept. 2. You'll also meet your transfer student adviser, who will help you draw up different schedule proposals and will help you get acquainted with the College.
A full Orientation schedule will be posted soon. Please check back!
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Q: What types of advising are available for transfers?
Connecticut College's close-knit campus community ensures that all students, including transfer students, have access to the advising and mentoring they need to make the most out of their Connecticut College experience. Academic advising is available from your dean, pre-major advisers and major adviser. Many students find mentors and support in other places such as Student Counseling Services, Unity House and the LGBTQ Resource Center, just to name a few.
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Q: What are the dining halls and meal plan like?
Students residing directly on campus are automatically enrolled in a meal plan that allows them use their Connecticut College I.D. card to eat in the dining halls as many times as they want in a single day. Harris Refectory, the College's largest dining hall, is located in north campus and is attached to a group of six residence halls known as the "Plex." Smaller, more homey dining halls are located in Smith House, Knowlton House, Addams House and Freeman House. All dining halls are buffet-style and offer a wide range of selections including vegan and vegetarian options. For more specific information on the hours and menus of our dining locations, please visit our Dining Services page.
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Q: Are there any opportunities on campus that transfers should take advantage of right away?
We strongly encourage all transfer students to dive right into life at Connecticut College by joining extracurricular clubs, organizations and teams. Many transfers find the guidance they receive from our career office, Career Enhancing Life Skills, to be extremely helpful. We also encourage transfer students to check out the opportunities offered by the College's certificate programs in international studies, arts and technology, public policy, environmental studies and museum studies.
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Q: What is life on campus like and what student organizations can I join?
You'll find a diverse array of organizations, clubs, teams, performance groups and activities at Connecticut College, all of which are happy to welcome new members. We encourage transfer students to check out our student activities and organizations page and get involved!
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Last Modified: Thursday, November 06, 2008 11:42