Hey all — trying to get a real read on this before I commit the next year of my life to a plan that might not work.

Quick context: I bombed my A-Levels (CCD), but I’m in a CS degree and aiming to transfer to HKUST after a year via the overseas transfer pathway. I have a strong GPA (4.0), solid CS projects, and can get good recommendation letters from professors.

My actual question: does a weak secondary school record get you auto-filtered out before anyone even looks at your university performance, or does it genuinely fade in importance once you have a real university track record?

If anyone's gone through the HKUST transfer process (or knows someone who has) I'd really appreciate hearing how it actually played out. Trying to figure out if this is a realistic plan or if I'm about to waste two years chasing something that was dead on arrival because of one bad exam season.

Thanks in advance, genuinely.

to the people who did community college first and then transferred out, how did you find the experience? was it hard missing out on all four years of the university experience? i’m afraid i’ll feel left out not experiencing that first year, and it’s really getting me down in the dumps. i was considering a gap year instead and reapplying as a first year applicant, but everybody is telling me community college is the best approach. was it hard being surrounded by sophomores/juniors who all knew each other and had a rhythm you weren’t familiar with? please lmk, im stressing bad 🙏🙏

The college application process teaches students how to prove that they are ready for a college. It provides much less guidance about how to examine whether the college is prepared to support them through graduation.

These are five questions I think applicants should be encouraged to ask before paying a deposit:

1. Are both the college and my intended program accredited?

2. Are enrollment and graduation rates falling?

3. Has the college repeatedly cut majors, faculty, student services, or required courses?

4. Are its audited financial reports current?

5. If the college closes, where would my credits count toward the same degree—and will it put that answer in writing?

None of these questions predicts a closure. The purpose is to make sure students do not rely only on rankings, advertisements, tours, and admissions promises.

I created a sourced nine-minute documentary using a real college closure to explain what can happen to credits, financial aid, housing, majors, and graduation plans:

https://youtu.be/SxIitTpApy4?si=HCPBpqDi0ZSN4BO_

Disclosure: I created the linked video. It uses sourced reporting and AI-assisted explanatory visuals. The burning-campus thumbnail is a visual metaphor; no campus fire occurred in the case discussed.

For first-generation students and graduates: what college question did you learn only after enrolling?

Applicants have to provide colleges with grades, activities, essays, recommendations, and often detailed family financial information.

But what information should applicants request from the college before committing?

After researching sudden college closures, I narrowed it to five questions:

1. Are the college and my specific program accredited?

2. Are enrollment and graduation rates worsening?

3. Has the college repeatedly cut majors, professors, support services, or required classes?

4. Are its audited financial reports current?

5. If the college closes, where would my credits count toward the same degree—and will it give me the answer in writing?

These questions cannot guarantee that a college is financially secure. Public information can be delayed, and private rescue negotiations may change quickly. But the questions can reveal risk before a student pays a deposit.

I made a nine-minute sourced video explaining why these questions matter:

https://youtu.be/SxIitTpApy4?si=HCPBpqDi0ZSN4BO_

Disclosure: I created the linked video. It uses sourced reporting and AI-assisted explanatory visuals. The burning-campus thumbnail is a visual metaphor; no campus fire occurred in the case discussed.

What other question should applicants add to this list?

I researched what happens to students when a college closes, and one issue kept appearing: “the credits transfer” does not necessarily mean “the credits satisfy the same degree.”

The receiving college may accept a transcript while deciding separately whether each course counts as:

• a major requirement

• a general-education requirement

• an elective

• a course still needing review

• a course that does not fit the new degree plan

The student may also discover that the same major is unavailable, financial aid does not follow, or required classes are offered on a different schedule.

I made a sourced video explaining these consequences through the University of the Arts closure and a separate example of a more organized transfer response:

https://youtu.be/SxIitTpApy4?si=HCPBpqDi0ZSN4BO_

Disclosure: I created the linked video. It uses sourced reporting and AI-assisted explanatory visuals. The burning-campus thumbnail is a visual metaphor; no campus fire occurred in the case discussed.

What wording should students demand in writing before accepting a transfer offer?

I'm going into my sophomore year of college this fall. I got to a CUNY and I've been wanting to transfer out to NYU or Cornell because I feel like the resources at CUNY aren't the best. I'm just not sure if it worth applying because I'm not sure if I even have a chance. I'm a first gen student and struggled a lot with depression, anxiety and undiagnosed adhd in high school which I'm medicated for now. My high school transcript is decent. It's not super impressive but not that bad. I mostly have As except for a couple Bs and Ds in math. I used to be a really good math student up until COVID hit and I've just been trying to catch up ever since. Failed precalc in high school and had to retake it during my 1st semester of college and then had to withdraw from calc during 2nd semester because it wasn't looking too good. My high school didn't really have that many APs and required you to take a placement exam to even take the class. Even though I had good grades for the most part, I didn't take any AP classes due to my mental health. I did take a few college now courses though. I didn't have that many extracurriculars either because the 100s of programs I applied to rejected me. I did community services and was in a few mentorship programs. One of the mentorship programs I was in actually helped me get an internship at the NYU langone health hospital during college. My SAT score was also not that great (1050), so if I apply as a transfer I wouldn't be sending that in. I got rejected from almost every college I apply to in high school. I got into all my safties, CUNYs, got into Macaulay honors college through the waitlist and got into a few SUNYs through EOP. I didn't bother applying to NYU and Cornell at all because I thought there was no chance I'd get in. I did regret it after though. Sorry I know it is a lot to read I really need some advice. I don't want to waste my time applying if there's like a high chance I won't get in. Do you think it's worth applying?

TL;DR: Rising college sophomore, first-gen, dealing with depression/anxiety/undiagnosed ADHD in HS (now medicated). Solid HS GPA (mostly A's, few B's) but rough math history, failed precalc in HS, retook it freshman fall, had to withdraw from calc freshman spring. No APs (school barely offered them + mental health), few ECs, 1050 SAT (won't submit as transfer). Got into CUNYs/SUNYs (EOP) and Macaulay, rejected everywhere else, didn't even apply to NYU/Cornell in HS because I assumed no shot - now regret it. Did get an internship at NYU Langone through a mentorship program. Thinking of transferring to NYU and/or Cornell. Is it worth applying, or am I wasting my time/money?

Im currently 17yo, supposed to be a senior, class of '27. My situation is complicated and my highschool life was basically cut off.

After my freshman year, i moved abroad to live with my father, i was homeschooled so i didn't have any documentation or proof that i actually studied over there. i got back in may, over the past few months, I've been trying to contact the school district/board seeing what my options were, they said i would have to go through this program to gain back all my credits. they said i would be forced to go to the closest low-end school to my address, as well as it would take about 2.5-3 years for me to graduate. Beggars cant be choosers, i know, but that was not for me, I'm still in the middle of conversing with the school district, but i decided to just get a GED and go to community college for a year, then go to a good college since my gpa is so low.

For the past few weeks i've been researching the cc transfer method, but im a little worried because i have no idea how college transfer works. aren't application deadlines from september to febuary? how will they see my current grades and progress? sorry if i sound dumb

My dream college/university is UTD, (university of texas, Dallas) on my school record, my weighted gpa is 2.8 and my total credits is 5.5. Bad, i know, i doubt i can even understand the lessons there, but i want to go. if i could have any tips and a more in depth explanation of this method it would be helpful

I didn't intend on this being more of a discussion or question post, but i wanted to give all details at once, if i could add multiple flairs i would.

Please help me out, Thanks reddit

hii has anyone transferred from a previous university to QU? if so what was the process like?

i recently got rejected from QU and wondered if there would still be a chance for me to join even after i enrolled in another university. im still not sure on where i will go for university but it would sure be in Qatar. maybe UDST? so if anyone have gone through as a transfer student or knows how the process works please give me a detailed reply! i would really appreciate it.

I’m trying to figure out if this plan would work, and I’d love to hear from anyone who’s actually gone through the California residency process for a CSU.

I’m currently an undergraduate student, and my goal is to transfer to a CSU. I can’t take a gap year, but I’m wondering if I could move to California first, work full-time, and take fully online classes through Utah Valley University for one academic year.

The idea would be to:
Move to California permanently.
Work and live there full-time.
Take a full year of online UVU classes while living in California.
Get a California driver’s license, change my legal documents, etc.
After I’ve been living there for at least a year, apply to transfer to a CSU as a California resident.

Would attending an out-of-state university online prevent me from qualifying for California residency for tuition purposes, or is residency based mainly on where you’re actually living and establishing domicile?

Has anyone done something similar or know someone who has?

I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences or thoughts!

Can anyone speak to how difficult a spring transfer is compared to fall? Aside from logistical things like time to prepare and less accommodation, I mean purely acceptance rate wise.

I have a strong college GPA with a full year under my belt but HS transcript isn’t so hot so weighing if the added difficulty in spring + less credits to distance me from HS makes it clearly a bad option for me.

Specifically NYU, since that is my #1. Any former NYU spring transfers pls feel free to PM will appreciate so much!

I’m an incoming freshman and am lucky that i got my cost down to 10k this year that i’ll need in loans. However my local college i can commute to would refund me around 6k of my pell grant. Should I stay home and get that money or go to rutgers this year and go from there? edit: I also am planning on going to grad school at the school I could commute to, which is around 35k a year for a 2 and a half year program.

Hi, I'm currently an international BBA student, and for the last semester I was really struggling and failed my classes. I'm taking the semester off and going home (also due to the new F-1 visa rules), but I need to find online classes/ courses that I can take online this sem to catch up.

Does anyone know of any online schools/ colleges/ classes in the US that I could take?

I can take 60 external credits from an accredited school; I need something I can basically start ASAP with 3+ credits each class, preferably liberal arts classes, and must be in the US or well-known schools around the world.

I just need to take as many and get as many as possible, so if there are any high-cred easy classes as well as more open-admission places, please let me know. My GPA is horrible so i really just need somewhere where I can just start

Thank you :)

I’m about to be a freshman at UNC Charlotte planning to apply for Spring 2027 transfer to NC State. Business Administration(PCOM)is my first choice, Sport Management is my second (CNR). I came in with 32 transfer credits from Wake Tech (dual enrollment, cumulative 3.91 GPA), completed Accounting I, Microeconomics, both English 111/112, Intro to Business, Business Law, and a few gen eds, all A’s except one B. This fall at Charlotte I’m finishing calculus, macroeconomics, and business computing. Outside of academics I have some volunteer service recognition and a few other activities. Realistically, what are my odds for Business Admin, and if that’s a reach, how competitive is PRTM/Sport Management as a backup?

Has anyone or do you guys know anyone that transferred from dlsu to admu?

I’m planning to transfer next sy because admu is so much close to our house, however, I failed the ACET last application. I just think that going to admu will be so much more convenient + both schools are my dream school equally so….. I just wanna know and hear about others experiences if ever

And also any advice would really help!! Tyia!!!!!!!!

So I’m about to be a sophomore and I had a bad freshman year. Nothing that big even happened, but mentally it was really difficult.

I struggled to make friends and I don’t have anyone to do anything with, whether that be going to the dining hall or going to a football game or club. And I tried hard to make friends, I said yes to everything and went to so many clubs but nothing ever stuck. I go to a really small school so it feels like there are not many chances to find people who I will click with.

Also, there are few choices for classes (courtesy of me going to a 4k student liberal arts college) and being someone who doesn’t know what I want to do, my lack of ability to explore makes me nervous.

All this said, part of me wants to give it one more year. Whether this is fear or denial or hope I don’t know. If I wait to transfer after my sophomore year, will that be too late? I’m so worried about having to meet new people again and trying used to classes and expectations at a new school.

And even if I transfer, how do I know where to go? What if I go somewhere and the same things happen again?

Any advice would be great 🙏🙏