Transfer Common App Guide

The Common Application can be a long, daunting process whether you are using it for the first time or the fourth time. We have created a guide for you to help navigate the application as efficiently as possible so you know which parts you need to complete and what parts are fine to skip over.

(Skipping over questions that are not required will not have a negative impact on your application. If we need more information from you, we’ll just ask!)

There is no way around the mandatory red asterisk (*) fields, so you will have to complete all of those. But for the rest of the application, we will show you some tips and tricks to help you navigate the application with ease.

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It really is okay to skip any non-mandatory questions! Most sections in the Personal Information quadrant, though, are mandatory, but usually this part is fairly quick.

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You do not have to fill out the College Coursework and GPA Entries sections. We will find that information on your transcripts.

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We are SAT/ACT test-optional so you do not need submit those standardized test scores as part of your application.
(If you are required to submit test scores such as IELTS or TOEFL for English Language Proficiency, you will need to submit official scores directly from the testing agency so you do not need to enter unofficial scores in the Common Application.)

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For the Standardized Tests and Continuing Education Courses, if you do not have any to enter than you can just click the “I Am Not Adding Any” button and that’s it!

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If you are not adding any information for SAT Subject, AP, IB, CLEP, or Senior Secondary Leaving Examinations, you can just leave these blank.

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Instead of adding every individual Experience and Achievement, try one of the following: 

Upload a brief resume in the Documents section.
Select one or two Experiences and/or Achievements to highlight such as anything relevant to your major choices or relatable work experiences.
Skip the Experiences, Achievements, and Documents sections by selecting “I Am Not Adding Any” and just incorporate any relevant information into your personal statement.

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When selecting your 1st and 2nd choice major in the Questions section, we recommend choosing a 2nd major that is different from your 1st choice major. This way, we can still review and potentially admit you to your 2nd choice major in the event that you are not admissible to your 1st choice major.

Contact your transfer admissions counselor to learn more about selecting 1st and 2nd choice majors.

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In the Documents section, the only required item that you need to submit is a personal statement. Don’t feel like you need to upload extra items under Optional Documents just because it’s there. If we need additional information, we’ll just ask!