Transfer Applicants

Fall Transfer Deadlines

April 1 – Applications due

April 1 – Interview deadline (interviews are optional)

April 1 – FAFSA due (Pitzer’s federal code is 001172)

April 1 – CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE due (Pitzer’s CSS code number is 4619)

May 15 – Admission notifications

June 15 – Commitment deposits due

Click here for more information about applying for financial aid at Pitzer.

Spring Transfer Deadlines

October 10 – Applications due

October 10 – Interview deadline (interviews are optional)

October 10 – FAFSA due (Pitzer’s federal code is 001172)

October 10 – CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE due (Pitzer’s CSS code number is 4619)

November 11 – Admission notifications

December 10 – Commitment deposits due

Click here for more information about applying for financial aid at Pitzer.

Pitzer College welcomes transfer applicants from two-year and four-year institutions.

A student is considered a transfer applicant if they have earned a high school diploma or GED and completed one or more semesters or two or more quarters of college credit.

Check out our webinar, Transfer 101, for detailed information about our transfer application process!

NOTE: If you are 23 years of age or older, please consider applying to Pitzer as a New Resources student.

Should you apply as a transfer or a New Resources student? Click here to find out.

In assessing transfer candidates, the Admission Committee will pay particular attention to work done in college courses. Transfer students should complete any first-year writing courses required at their current institution prior to enrollment at Pitzer. Matriculated transfer students must complete at least two years of study at Pitzer in order to earn a Pitzer College degree. Students who wish to transfer from two-year colleges may do so before they have completed their A.A. degrees. However, we strongly suggest that prospective transfer students take courses from a broad range of subjects including the humanities, math, social science and science.

Pitzer recommends that California community college students complete courses within the Inter-Segmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). Information regarding the IGETC course series can be obtained from the counseling center at your community college. You may contact the Pitzer Office of Admission if you would like assistance in planning your course schedule.

Common Application

Pitzer College accepts the Common Application as its only application for admission for transfer students. All sections are required. Due to the high volume of applications that we receive, we are not always able to send reminders regarding which pieces of your application have been received or not. Therefore, it is your responsibility to ensure that your application is completed by the appropriate deadline. The Transfer Common Application will give us the vital information we need from you to create your personal file. Your application must be submitted by April 1 for fall semester, or October 1 for spring semester.

Application Fee

A $70 application fee is required with each application. If you or your family qualifies for an application fee waiver, please complete the Common Application Fee Waiver.

Pitzer Writing Supplement (Required for all applicants)

The required Pitzer Writing Supplement section of the Common Application gives you an opportunity to show your writing ability and illustrate your passion or creativity in responding to a particular question. Because we want to get to know you and discover what you have to offer this community, your essays are invaluable. The Pitzer Writing Supplement has a maximum length of 650 words.

At Pitzer, five core values distinguish our approach to education: social responsibility, intercultural understanding, interdisciplinary learning, student engagement and environmental sustainability. As agents of change, our students utilize these values to create solutions to our world’s challenges. Please answer only ONE of the following prompts.

  • Incorporating one or more of our core values, how would you contribute to solving a local or global issue of importance to you?
  • Reflecting on your involvement in school or within the community, how have you engaged with one or more of Pitzer’s core values?

Academic Recommendations

Two recommendations from college professors (or teaching assistants) are required. These recommendations should be submitted electronically through the Common Application website. Please use the “Assign Recommenders” feature on the Common Application site (My Colleges > Pitzer College > Recommendations and FERPA) to send emails to your professors, which will include a link and instructions for submitting their recommendations online. You can also find instructions there for an offline recommendation form which should be scanned and emailed to the Office of Admission at [email protected]. You may not use recommendations from secondary school teachers in lieu of recommendations from college faculty. Also, all recommendation letters must be sent to our office directly by the recommender. 

College Report

Please download the College Report from the Common Application website. You can locate the Report to download by going to: My Colleges > Pitzer College > Recommendations and FERPA. The form is located under the College Report section. The Report should be completed by a college official who has access to your full academic and disciplinary record, such as your Dean, Advisor or Registrar. If you are not currently enrolled, the report should come from your most recently attended college or university.The college official should email the completed Report to [email protected] or you may send it in to our office in a sealed envelope.

Official Transcripts

Request that all colleges/universities you have attended send an official copy of your transcript to the Office of Admission (at least four weeks in advance of the deadline) at [email protected] or the mailing address seen below. You must also submit your high school transcript if you have completed less than a year of full-time studies (32 semester credits or 48 quarter credits) by the time you submit your application. You may also scan and email an official copy of your high school transcript to [email protected].

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their application is completed by the deadline. Due to the high volume of applications received, the Admission Office is not always able to send reminders regarding missing application items. Questions regarding application status should be directed to [email protected].


Additional Information

Test-Optional Policy

Pitzer College uses a holistic approach to student admission with emphasis placed on college and high school transcripts, recommendation letters, leadership positions, work history, involvement in school and community activities, and commitment to Pitzer’s core values. The College is test-optional, providing students the opportunity to present application material that accurately reflects their diverse academic talents and potential.

Transfer students are not required to submit the SAT or ACT. International transfer students need to submit the TOEFL, IELTS, or DET if their native language is not English. Students who have studied in an English-speaking curriculum for 4 or more years may apply for a testing waiver. Click here to find out how to request a TOEFL/IELTS/DET waiver. Only waiver requests from applicants will be reviewed.

Interviews

Individual interviews provide students with the opportunity both to tell us about themselves and to learn more about Pitzer from an Admission Counselor or Admission Fellow. While an interview is not required for transfer students, it is recommended. The Office of Admission is open for interviews and tours all year, Monday through Friday and select Saturday mornings in the fall by appointment. If you cannot visit Pitzer, we can arrange for an interview with an admission representative over the phone or via Skype.

Learn more about interview opportunities.

Transfer Credits

Students can transfer a maximum of 64 semester units or 96 quarter units from a community college.

Financial Aid

Any student whose family is unable to meet the costs of a Pitzer education is encouraged to apply for financial aid. Students applying for financial aid need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE by April 1 for fall semester, or October 10 for spring semester consideration.

International Transfer Financial Aid

Financial aid is offered for international transfer candidates, but it is competitive. International transfer candidates who wish to apply for financial aid need to complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE by April 1 for fall semester, or October 10 for spring semester consideration.

Transfer Partnerships

Pitzer College is committed to serving transfer applicants from both two and four year institutions. To illustrate our commitment, Pitzer has partnered with the American Honors Program and the Honors Transfer Council of California. Both programs have demonstrated a level of commitment to transfer students and the college search.


Frequently Asked Questions

Do transfer students need to submit a Mid-Term Report or Secondary School Final Report?
No. Transfer applicants only need to submit the College Report. You can access this report in Common App by going to My Colleges > Recommenders and FERPA > College Report. It is a downloadable PDF form that needs to be completed by your Registrar or Dean of Students. The College Report should come from your current institution. If you are not currently enrolled, the report should come from your most recently attended college or university.

What is the maximum number of academic credits that can be transferred to Pitzer?
Transfer students can transfer a maximum of 64 semester units, or 96 quarter units from a community college.

Can transfer applicants find out how many credits will transfer before applying?
No. Credit evaluations take place only after a transfer applicant has been admitted to Pitzer. The Office of the Registrar will contact admitted transfer students with the number of credits they can transfer before the commitment deposit deadline.

How does Pitzer go about awarding transfer credit?
Pitzer College has a 32-course requirement for a bachelor’s degree. Each Pitzer course is valued at 4 semester units, or 6 quarter units. For purposes of transfer, credit is evaluated on the same ratio: 4 semester units or 6 quarter units must equal one Pitzer course.

Which of my courses are eligible for transfer credit?
In order to be eligible for transfer credit, coursework must be completed on the campus of another regionally accredited college or university, and a grade of “C” or better must be earned. If a course was taken as a non-letter grade (ex. “P” or “CR”), the applicant must provide documentation that it was equivalent to a C or better. Transfer students many not receive more than 16 course credits taken outside of The Claremont Colleges toward the 32 required for graduation.

Are transfer students required to have an interview?
Interviews are optional. They provide transfer students with the opportunity to tell us about themselves, and learn more about Pitzer from members of the Admission Office. Interviews are available from June – October 1 for spring transfer applicants, and through April 1 for fall transfer applicants. On-campus, phone and Skype interviews are available, and must be scheduled in advance – we do not accept walk-in interview requests. Click here to schedule an interview.

Are transfer applicants admitted to specific majors?
No. Transfer students are not admitted to specific majors or programs, and have the option of changing majors once they arrive on campus.

Do transfer applicants need to submit high school transcripts?
It depends. Transfer applicants who have completed 32 semester units or 48 quarter units in academic subjects may be reviewed without high school transcripts.

Do transfer applicants need to submit SAT or ACT scores?
No. Transfer students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their applications.

Do international transfer applicants need to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or DET scores?

International transfer students need to submit the TOEFL, IELTs or DET if their native language is not English. If you have been enrolled in an English-speaking curriculum for at least 4 years, you may request to have the languages testing requirement waived. Click here to find out how to request a TOEFL/IELTS/DET waiver.