Life’s journey can take us along many different paths. Sometimes we have to alter our plans in order to pursue our goals, and that slight change of course can often help us define who we are. Personally, my first-year college experience was not a great fit for me and so I felt the need to alter my plan and, ultimately, decided to transfer to the University of Miami. That decision—and subsequent journey—has helped define me, and I have found the journey to be most rewarding.
But enough about me. Let’s talk about you. You’re here because you’re thinking about transferring to the University of Miami. Transferring to any new university can be a daunting process. But it doesn’t have to be. I’ll break it down for you and help you through it.
First, let me give you some general advice that will help you throughout UM’s admission process.
Do your best.
In your current classes, work hard to earn the highest grades possible. Sit up front, participate, and get to know your professors/instructors—as we will be reading a recommendation from one of them. The bulk of our focus when reviewing your application will be your collegiate-level academic work.
Start early.
Because each transfer applicant and application are unique, the materials required can vary, depending on your situation. The best advantage is to know ahead of time what you need in order to apply. So be sure to fully review our requirements page so that you know exactly what you’ll need.
Fully explore our website.
A lot of questions you may have can be answered on our Transfer FAQs page and on our admission requirements website.
Second, here are some important things that you should know about the transfer application process at UM.
Credits
Transfer credit evaluations are completed after students are admitted. Keep in mind, you must receive a C or better in the course in order to receive credit.
Deadlines
The priority deadline for the spring semester is November 1 and the priority deadline for the fall semester is April 1. We will give priority to those applicants who submit a completed application and submit all necessary supporting documents by the priority deadlines.
Decisions
Students whose applications are complete by the priority deadline can expect a decision starting late April for fall admission and mid-November for spring admission. Transfer students who complete their application after the priority dates are notified of their decision on a rolling basis, generally three to four weeks after their application is deemed complete.
Third, as a transfer admission officer, one of the most common questions I get is: “What can I do to have the best chances of getting in?” I like to answer that by going back to my first two pieces of advice: do your best and start early. The better your academic performance is, the stronger a candidate you become. The earlier you start researching what you need to apply and start gathering and submitting those materials, the sooner your application becomes complete and the sooner we get to review it!
Finally, I would just like to share that our transfer students come from all types of educational backgrounds. Some are college students from two-year institutions. Some are students looking for a change of scenery—environmentally, socially, academically. Some are military veterans seeking a degree after their service. All of them bring very unique experiences to our University, adding to its already vibrant and diverse student body. And even though our transfer students may not arrive on campus through the same path as our first-year students, I have found that the journey that has brought transfer students here, and the journey that they continue to share with all students on campus, is often the best reward.
