Do colleges look at high school records if you transfer?

If you're transferring colleges, do admissions look at your high school records again, or do they focus on your college grades? I'm not sure how much my high school GPA still matters after a year or two in college.

As a rule of thumb, colleges prioritize your college grades and experiences over your high school GPA if you're transferring after a year or two in college. Generally, the more coursework you've completed at the college level, the less weight is given to your high school performance. The admissions officers will be most interested in how you have performed at the college level, keeping focus on your college GPA, courses taken, and involvement or achievements at your current college.

However, many colleges still ask to see your high school transcript as part of the transfer application, especially if you're transferring during your first or second year of college. This isn't necessarily to scrutinize your high school GPA or class rank, but more likely to verify that you've completed some foundational courses in high school that are prerequisites for more advanced college classes.

So, while your high school GPA won't be the make-or-break factor in the decision, being able to demonstrate strong academic performance in both high school and college could help you stand out. But if your high school GPA was less than stellar and you're worried about it, don't be too concerned if you've done well in college. Colleges understand that students can have different experiences with the transition to college, and often, they appreciate seeing growth in students' academic performance.