Q: What must I do to be eligible to apply for transfer admission?
To be considered for transfer admission, you must complete at least one term at an accredited college or university. In other words, you must have credits that can be transferred to Connecticut College. College courses that counted toward high school graduation requirements do not count as transfer credits.
Q: I took a few college classes as a special student (or non-degree student) elsewhere, but was not a matriculated student. Should I apply as a first-year student or transfer?
Because you were not a matriculated student in a degree-seeking program, you would apply for first-year admission to Connecticut College, but you should send transcripts of all college coursework as part of your application. As long as those courses were in a college classroom and did not count towards high school graduation, those credits can be counted towards your graduation requirements at Connecticut College. If you have completed more than 4 or 5 courses, you may be eligible to apply as a transfer student instead. If this is the case, please let us know and we will have an admission counselor contact you for further details.
Q: I am in my first semester in college. Am I eligible to apply as a transfer?
Yes. Even though you do not have grades yet, you will fill out a Mid term grade report and we will render a decision based on mid-term progress and your high school record. Offers of admission are made with the expectation that coursework will be completed by the end of that term so that credits may then be transferred to Connecticut College.
Q: Is it okay to take a semester off if I am applying as a transfer?
When students realize that their current school is not the best match, they oftentimes opt to do something else the next semester instead. As long as the student does something worthwhile (such as service work at home or abroad, internships or full-time work) it isn't a problem at all, and will not have a negative impact on the student's application. In fact, sometimes the new experience offers additional insight regarding what the student really wants out of his or her college experience. If this applies to you, be sure to include an attachment to your Common Application regarding your activities since last enrolled.
Q: I graduated high school early and/or attended an early college program, how does this impact my application and credit transfer?
Students who enrolled at a college before completing a traditional high school program, or who attended an early college program (such as Bard Early College at Simon's Rock or Clarkson), must have a high school diploma or a GED in order to be eligible for any degree seeking program at Connecticut College.
In the case where a student has a high school diploma, and all of the college course work completed to date has been used to satisfy high school graduation requirements, we would not be able to award the student any transfer credit, and the student should apply to Connecticut College as a new freshman.
If only some of the college courses were used to satisfy high school graduation requirements, a student should apply as a transfer, but transfer credit would not be awarded for any of the courses that had been used to satisfy any of the high school graduation requirements.
In both of these scenarios, the student would need to present a letter from his or her high school guidance counselor, clearly stating what college course work (if any) had been used to satisfy high school graduation requirements. It is helpful to submit this letter during the application process, however, it is not officially required until the formal credit evaluation takes place during new student orientation. See more about credit evaluation.
Q: Can I get a second degree?
The mission of Connecticut College is to offer first-time bachelor degrees, and as such, the College does not accept applications from students who already have a BA/BS or MA/MS degree, even if you desire to pursue a degree in a different subject area. So unfortunately, you are not eligible for any of our programs.
Q: What if I just want to take a few classes (special student status)?
If you wish to take classes as a non-degree seeking student, you may apply as a special student through the Office of the Registrar. Non-degree seeking students are normally limited to two courses (8 semester hours) per semester.
If you plan to eventually enroll as a degree-seeking student, we encourage you to apply for an official degree program as soon as possible. In other words, you should not take classes as a special student indefinitely; you are encouraged to apply to a degree-seeking program within 1 or 2 semesters after you start taking classes at the College.
Q: What's the difference between transfer and the RTC (Return to College) program?
The RTC (Return to College) program is designed for adults aged 25 and older whose education was interrupted and who wish to finish their Bachelor of Arts degree by enrolling part time (no more than 12 credits per semester). On-campus housing is not available to RTC candidates. Transfer students must have begun their education elsewhere, but transfer students have the option of full- or part-time enrollment, and on-campus housing is available to them.