Can you switch colleges without being a transfer student?

Is it possible to change colleges without being classified as a transfer student? I'm wondering if there is a way to start over entirely, and what the process would be compared to a typical transfer.

In most situations, once you've attended college after graduating high school, if you decide to switch to a different college, you'll be considered a transfer student. This applies whether you want to change your major, take a different set of courses, or even start an entirely new degree program.

The reason for this is that most colleges require you to disclose all previous post-secondary institutions you've attended during the application process. Even if you don't want to transfer credit from a previous institution, if there is a record of you attending, you're likely to be considered a transfer applicant.

However, procedures may vary from one school to another. In some cases, if you've only completed a few credits, some schools might still classify you as a first-year applicant. This is rare, and you'd need to check with the specific institution.

The transfer process generally involves applying to the desired institution, obtaining transcripts from any colleges you've attended, and often writing a transfer essay explaining your reasons for wanting to switch. Keep in mind that admission requirements for transfer students might be different than for first-time freshmen. For example, some colleges require transfer students to have completed a certain number of college credits.

Generally, there isn't a way to "start over" entirely in the sense of erasing your previous college attendance or credits earned. Even if you don't want your previous courses to count towards your new degree, they are still part of your post-secondary education history. However, you can definitely start a completely new degree program at a new institution. You'll likely still have to apply as a transfer student, but you can choose not to apply your old credits towards your new degree after you've been admitted, effectively starting your academic journey anew.