What are Lafayette College's transfer requirements?

I'm considering transferring to Lafayette College, but I'm not sure about the transfer student requirements. Could anyone provide insights on what they specifically look for in transfer applications?

Lafayette College looks at transfer applicants holistically but there are several requirements and components that they explicitly outline.

To begin with, prospective transfer students must submit the following:

1. The Common Application for Transfer Students: This includes your personal essay.

2. Common App College Report: This report must be completed by a college official who has access to both your academic and disciplinary information.

3. Professor Recommendation (Optional): Lafayette suggests that this evaluation should come from a professor in a key subject area or a subject you're considering for your major.

4. Official High School Transcript.

5. Official College Transcript(s): Transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended must be submitted.

6. Official SAT or ACT Scores: While Lafayette has a test-optional policy for transfer students, they do recommend you submit these scores, if you have them.

7. Course Descriptions and Syllabi: While not required for admission, they are required to be submitted to the registrar upon enrollment.

8. Mid-Term Report (if currently enrolled): Submit this form with your midterm grades if you're applying for fall and are enrolled in spring courses or if you're applying for spring and are enrolled in fall courses.

Important to note as well is that Lafayette College requires transfer applicants to have completed at least 3 transferable courses at another institution before applying. Additionally, Lafayette emphasizes on its website that transfer applicants' courses at their current institution should closely mirror the broad base of courses required in the Lafayette curriculum. It would thus be beneficial to show that you have taken a wide range of courses that align with Lafayette's curriculum, ideally going beyond the minimum 3.

Remember, admission to Lafayette College as a transfer student is competitive. Beyond meeting the above requirements, successful applicants typically present compelling reasons for wanting to transfer to Lafayette specifically in their application essay, and have a strong academic performance at their current institution(s).

They do not specify a minimum GPA requirement but given their selectiveness, strong academic performance at your current institution would be important, to prove you're ready to thrive in a rigorous academic environment.

Lastly, the deadlines. For fall admission, the application must be submitted by May 1, and for spring admission, by November 1. If you're applying for financial aid, those deadlines are usually the same as those for the main application, but can vary, so make sure to double-check Lafayette's website.

Hope this information helps you when applying, and best of luck with your transfer application!