If you are thinking about transferring colleges and continuing your higher education somewhere else than where you currently are, chances are good you have quite a lot of questions.

Don’t worry, that is only natural! Luckily, we have taken the time to answer some of the most common questions regarding transferring from one school to another in the United States.

How do I know when it’s the right time to transfer colleges?

There are quite a few fully reasonable reasons to want to transfer colleges. There are also some reasons why you shouldn’t. Some of the prime reasons to transfer are because your current school doesn’t meet your academic standards, you are looking to move from a larger school to smaller one or vice versa, or your current school doesn’t seem to satisfy your career goals.

Unreasonable reasons to transfer include being homesick, trying to make a long-distance relationship work, or because you are simply trying to transfer to a more prestigious school just because.

What are the first steps I should take to transfer?

Really, the most important thing you should do is strive to educated yourself about a school you are interested in transferring to. Do not transfer just because you think the grass is greener on the other side. If you want to transfer to New York University, for example, a great place to start is simply Google NYU transfer and see what there is to learn. Once you have preliminary information, schedule a meeting with your advisor at your current school to get the ball rolling.

What time of year should I transfer?

This depends on a number of factors, primarily the specific school that you are interested in transferring to. While most colleges accept new students in the fall, some do keep their doors open to new students in the spring semester.

Most importantly, it is important to consider your status as a student. If you are close to finishing up a degree or on the verge of earning important credits towards your major, it may make much more sense to stick where you are rather than transfer and risk having some of your credits not transfer with you.

Can I transfer and still graduate in four years?

If you are wanting to avoid becoming a super senior, you will certainly want to consider the pros and cons of transferring. While it is certainly possible to graduate in four years even if you do transfer during your undergraduate education, you do both risk the possibility to losing credits from classes you have taken, or having additional required classed tacked on to your curriculum from your new school despite your focus.

How do I know if my credits will transfer?

This is a very important question and probably one of the first ones you should ask about a school you are interested in. The simple fact is you have to be talking to advisors both at your current school and at the school you are interested in heading to. Only that will help clear up questions about which credits will and will not transfer over from school to school.