Private & Ivy Transfer Requirements
Subject prerequisites, SAT/ACT policies, GPA expectations, and application requirements for selective private universities.
Verify every requirement on official sites
Private and Ivy transfer policies change frequently — especially SAT/ACT rules. Use this guide for planning, then confirm details on each school's admissions page before you apply or register for tests.
Ivy League
Eight Ivies — extremely limited transfer seats. Strong CC GPA, essays, and impact are essential.
Harvard University
Ivy League transfer — extremely limited seats each year.
Learn moreYale University
Small transfer cohort with holistic review.
Learn morePrinceton University
Reinstated transfer program — highly selective.
Learn moreColumbia University
Core Curriculum + NYC — competitive transfer pool.
Learn moreUniversity of Pennsylvania
Wharton, Nursing, Engineering, and CAS each have different transfer rules.
Learn moreCornell University
Multiple colleges — transfer requirements vary by college.
Learn moreBrown University
Open Curriculum — flexible but academically rigorous.
Learn moreDartmouth College
Small transfer cohort in a tight-knit liberal arts college.
Learn moreElite private universities
Stanford, Pomona, and other highly selective privates with separate transfer processes.
Selective private universities
Strong options for California CC students — more realistic than Ivies while still selective.
How private transfer differs from UC
- Separate application per school (Common App or Coalition App)
- SAT/ACT may be optional but still considered when submitted
- College professor recommendations — not PIQs
- Each school sets its own course prerequisites (no ASSIST articulation)
- Financial aid varies — file FAFSA and CSS Profile where required