转学美国：什么时候申请最合适？

        转学。虽然很多学生进了国内的某些名校，但仍然怀揣着能够出去放眼看世界的留学梦想；又或是很多学生进了并不是自己理想的学校，且不想浪费青春在自己不喜欢的学校。于是乎就会萌发想要转学的想法。那么对于这些学生而言，究竟什么时候申请转学最合适？如果已经是大四了，究竟还能不能转学？

        所谓转学，是不是意味着你在整个大学期间都可以转学呢？原则上讲是可以的，像Wake Forest University :You can apply to transfer to Fordham at any time during your university career. Vanderbilt University: You are welcomed to apply as a transfer student in any year of study. 但不包括极少数学校根本不接受转学的，例如,California Institute of Technology: Unfortunately Caltech is no longer taking transfer applications for this year.虽然原则上讲是可以的，但是不同大学阶段的申请会有不同的要求和效果，所以我们要寻找最合适的申请转学时机。

        一般来说，目前普遍国内大学二年级和大学三年级的学生申请转学比较多。但是对于大学一年级学生而言，不是说不可以申，而是有一些先决条件。通常大一学生申请转学的时候，首先遇到的第一个问题就是申请递交材料的时候往往成绩单还没有出来，要等到来年三月份开学后左右才能开出成绩单。其次，一般学校都要求如果没有修满45或60左右的学分的话，就必须提供SAT的成绩。甚至有极少数学校是要求修满45或60的学分才能申请转学。所以如果你并不打算考SAT的话，大一申请并不是合适的。

        而对于大二来说，的确是个申请转学的最佳时机。因为通常这个时候你已经有大一一整年的成绩单，学分也修得差不多，并不需要提供SAT的成绩。相较于大三转学而言，不会浪费一些学分。因为大部分院校在接受转学生时，最多只给转两年的学分。也就是说转学生最少要在录取的学校读两年才能获得该校的文凭。比如，Fordham University: You can apply to transfer to Fordham at any time during your university career. However, we will only transfer in a maximum of 60 credits, which is about 2 years worth of study. Boston University: You will be required to complete an extra two years of university if you choose to receive your diploma from Boston University. 也有部分学校可以转三年的学分，但非常少。像，Virginia Tech: The senior year, with a minimum of 27 of the last 45 semester hours, must be completed at Virginia Tech. 所以大三以后再转学必定是要浪费一些学分的，有些学生若并不想浪费学分又或是不想多读一年的学生可能大三并不是最佳的转学时机。

        那么大四究竟还能不能转学呢?据统计，三分之二的学校官方说是可以转学的，但是基本所有官方允许大四转学的学校仍然要求你至少还要再读两年。比如，Drexel University: You may apply as a transfer student even though you are a college senior. As long as you do not mind having to begin as a sophomore or junior, it is no problem. University of Rochester: We do accept transfer students that are seniors. You need to know that in order to receive a diploma from the University of Rochester you need to study her for a minimum of two years. 因此，对于即将毕业的学生而言，若经济上不是很允许的话，并不划算，反而建议直接毕业后申请研究生比较合适。

        那么为什么说官方说法，因为从录取率来看，很多学校在众多转学的申请者中，同等其他条件下，优先淘汰的会是大四的申请者，因为学校对于你是否到时录取你后仍然是否可以as a sophomore or junior 读起会有一定的质疑，以至于大四申请转学者的录取率并不高，或者说要看某些个别学校。

        那么还有大概三分之一的学校就是明确讲不接受大四转学的，通常这些学校是比较高端的学校。例如，MIT : Unfortunately, it sounds like you are too far along in college to be eligible to transfer to MIT. We cannot accept transfer applications from students who at the time of entry to MIT will have been enrolled in college for more than 2.5 years. You are welcome to apply to MIT's graduate programs once you complete your undergraduate degree. Johns Hopkins: I’m sorry Johns Hopkins only accepts transfers in their sophomore and junior years. University of Southern California: We are not likely to admit a student who is close to completing their bachelor's degree at their current school. We typically will suggest finishing your year and applying to a graduate program. University of Florida:

        If you have earned 90 or more credits, we would not be able to consider your application for admission as there is a limit regarding the total credits earned and we would not accept some of your credit just for you to be considered as a junior level student as we do not accept applications of students that are sophomore level. 因此，这种情况下大四是不适合转学的。

        总而言之，适合自己目前各方面状态的就是最佳的申请时机。