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HMC has a small transfer pool every year. We are eager to help transfer applicants, but we have a very proscribed curriculum. So preparing for a transfer may be challenging.
The greatest concern is curricular preparation. We want transfer students to enter at the sophomore or junior level. That is, we prefer not to place transfer students into freshman courses. The concern is that HMC students follow a curriculum in freshman year that is not easily duplicated elsewhere. Our curriculum would probably be considered an overload at many other colleges.
It is especially critical that transfers have completed a full year of college courses (AP credit does not count) in the following disciplines: Physics (with lab); Chemistry (with lab); and to complete as much math as possible. We would recommend that the transfer candidate should complete the entire Calculus sequence (single, intermediate and multi-variable Calculus) . A transfer candidate who has also completed Linear Algebra & Differential Equations is in an even stronger position.
Beyond the Physics, Math, and Chemistry courses, we would also encourage students to take a writing-intensive course (or two) in the Humanities, and possibly a Computer Science course (C++ and Java programming).
Of all these courses, the three sequential areas in Chemistry, Physics, and Math are the most critical. If a transfer candidate hasn't completed these courses, it is likely that the student would be placed into some freshman level courses. We don't like doing this at all, and it can (negatively) impact chances of transfer admission.
Our transfer applicants tend to be high achievers, so the vast majority of applicants (and certainly the strong ones) have college GPAs around 3.5 or above. So the main focus of a transfer candidate should be to take as much math & science as possible, maybe even an overload, and to do really well.
As for dates, we enroll transfer students only in the fall. The application deadline is April 1. |
