Easiest Schools to Transfer Into Based on Admission Rates

Northeastern’s world-class academics and stellar school spirit are bound to welcome you warmly come fall. Northeastern requires applicants to complete either 12 college-level semester hours after high school graduation “or have attempted at least one semester of full-time coursework and maintained enrollment through the add/drop period” in order to apply as a transfer student. Additionally, the university is test-optional, allowing students the choice regarding whether or not to submit their ACT or SAT scores.

Boston University offers a transfer admissions rate of 39.7%—a whopping 3.66x increase over their freshman admission rate of 10.8%. Students seeking transfer admission to Boston University may apply for September or January admission, and like Northeastern, BU is test-optional. Only 840 of 6,107 transfer applicants were admitted in the fall of 2023, so you should strive to make sure that your performance at your current institution stacks up to the talented and competitive transfer applicant pool for this Boston institution.

Tulane University offers a transfer admissions rate of over 50%—a whopping 3.47x increase over their freshman admission rate of 14.6%. Like Northeastern and BU, Tulane is test-optional and accepts both fall and spring transfers. The institution seeks to admit applicants who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or who have completed “higher with coursework in English Composition or College Writing, higher level Mathematics (such as Calculus or Statistics),” so despite the high transfer acceptance rate, be sure that you have a competitive applicant profile before you click “submit.”

UCLA offers a 26.3% transfer admission rate and is a fantastic option for transfer students. As a state institution, the UC system prioritizes transfers from California community colleges, so these students reap the majority of the higher admission rate benefits. The UC system then prioritizes transfers from other UC campuses, making it a particularly good option for students seeking to transfer out of other UC schools. The median transfer GPA, 3.90 for the fall of 2024, and more information about transferring to UCLA can be found here!

Vanderbilt’s transfer admissions rate is triple its freshman admissions rate, making it a stellar choice from students considering transferring. Students seeking transfer admission to Vanderbilt must apply in the spring for fall admission. Vanderbilt reports that approximately 350 transfer students join their school each fall! While the priority application deadline is typically in March, Vanderbilt reviews transfer applications on a rolling basis throughout the spring and typically stops accepting new applications by May 1st.

Barnard College’s transfer admission rate is more than double its freshman admission rate. Barnard allows students to apply to transfer in both the fall and spring, allowing students more flexibility when choosing which semester they want to apply. The all-female college gives transfer students the exciting opportunity to study in New York City and take Ivy League courses at Columbia University!

Though Columbia’s transfer admission rate is just over 10%, this is significantly higher than a 4.0% freshmen admission rate. Note that the school only accepts fall transfer applicants, and requires that students have completed 24 points of credit to be eligible for enrollment as a transfer student, and have a minimum GPA of 3.5 overall.

With a transfer admissions rate more than double its freshman admissions rate, USC is a great school for students looking to pursue their studies in sunny southern California. USC accepts both sophomores and junior transfer students, but the school notes “if your academic record in high school fell short of USC expectations, you may be able to position yourself as a stronger candidate if you complete two years of solid undergraduate coursework at another institution before applying to transfer.“ Students applying to an arts program, in the schools of dance, cinematic, dramatic or music should start preparing their arts portfolios well in advance of their December 1 deadline!*

Ranked as one of the top universities in the United States and offering a 45.1% transfer admission rate, UNC is a fantastic option for transfer students, especially those seeking to study at a large state school. If that sounds like you, you should devote time to researching and understanding the school’s transfer requirements, and making a plan to fulfill your requirements in time for the deadline. For example, North Carolina residents will need to verify their residency with Residency Determination Services.

Another top-ranked public university, UC Berkeley’s transfer admission rate is more than twice its freshman admission rate. Berkeley offers a plethora of resources for transfer applicants, including the Transfer Admissions Planner, designed for California community college students to plan their coursework when they transfer. Transfer requirements vary by college and major at Berkeley, so it’s imperative that you research the program you want to apply to in-depth as you prepare your materials!