There are many good reasons motivating students to transfer, necessitating questions about timing, how to transfer prior course work, the impact on time and cost of completion.  From being closer to home to just not being satisfied with a school's academics, this list is just a starting point. Most students have the misconception that transferring to a new college is a bad thing, but it can actually help students in the long run.  Industry studies have shown that transfer students do complete their college credential - even though it may take a bit longer - and extend across multiple institutions.

Here are some of the top reasons students transfer to a new college:

1. Financial circumstances: Cost is a major factor in college completion.  You’ll be surprised at how much some schools differ from each other in price. The growing trend to attend community colleges and then transfer to four year senior institutions continues.  Make sure you do your research when looking for an alternative school and financial aid options. How much will it cost you to complete is a different question than how much is the tuition. 
2. Social circumstances: In the beginning of any endeavor, we usually feel uncomfortable with new settings especially when everyone is a stranger. It may be a roommate issue, or the sharing or lack of it in the residence halls to the rules governing dating, cars, drinking, parties and other social circumstances. Some can adapt quicker than others. Attending college will take us out of our comfort zone. You might feel uneasy with the school, the people, the environment and the expectations. That is why 45% of students attending a 4-year program, many away from home, will transfer out or stop-out all together within their first two years of starting their studies. Social circumstances may impact you more than you think. Feeling isolated without friends may be just too much.
3. Sports transfer: This is a category of transfer that has been governed by athletic associations, rather than the academic institutions directly. Student transfers can occur because the coach and student have too much friction, the opportunity for playing is diminished or expectations are not well addressed.
4. Military transfer: Part of the benefit of the GI Bill and the recruiting benefits for families of Veterans and those in active duty is the ability to take college course work across a network of colleges and universities and earn a college degree across more than one institution. One school acts as the home college, or originating school, where the degree would be earned. The home school acts as the transcripting institution. Course transfer then occurs back to the home institution. If the institution accepts the course work, it is transcribed and matched with degree requirements. The subtle challenge for Military transfer is that some servicemen will change their home institution or change majors, resulting in re-assessment of their prior learning.
5. Moving away and out of town: A student moving across town, out of county and out of state is a growing challenge for higher education. We are a mobile nation. Some regions and states deal with higher mobility rates than others. We move for various reasons. Some move because of a job opportunity. Others move because of climate. Some move to get away from changes in their personal relationships.
6. Switching majors: When you change your major and area of focus, you may realize that your school does not offer that particular major or the best place for you. When this happens, you’re not going to have any choice but to transfer and switch institutions. Changing your major impacts how course credits are counted and often requires additional course work to satisfy degree requirements. Switching from Nursing to Marketing, for example, may mean that some of the health care courses overtax your electives because they aren't relevant to your new major. You will likely end up taking more courses to satisfy the degree requirements.
7. Restarting and returning to college: When you’re ready to look for a new college that offers your major, you’re going to have to research going back to college from different perspectives such as time, availability and convenience. Make sure you take your time to find a new school and study the programs offered before enrolling. There are over 40 million adults in the U.S. alone with some college level experience that never finished college. There are millions more across the world. As circumstances evolve, such as unemployment and recognition of the need for further education, students return to college to earn a credential and to gain the training they are looking to expand their job opportunities.
8. Want to be closer to family: Anything from not making friends to the new surroundings or just not liking the campus, might be depressing and make you miss the family. Moving thousands of miles away and spending all that money on college may be just too much to take when the confusion and isolation set in. Many students contemplate giving up and moving back home. As the weeks go on, some students learn to adapt. If you find yourself still disliking your school after one year, you should look into transferring to another school to accommodate your feelings and needs.
9. Not a good fit: Another main reason that students transfer is that they find the school is not what they thought it would be. What is fit? It may you don't feel adequately challenged academically. Fit is subjective. We often deal with unmet expectations.  The challenge to stick with it and get through the rough spots may take too much out of you. Whatever you do, don't bad mouth your old school to your next school. Keep a positive view of learning and the circumstances why things did not work out as planned.
10. Academic challenge: Some students take two, three and even four years of course work and near the end of their studies when their GPA drops below acceptable levels and then decide to transfer. This happens in the later semesters and terms when the subjects become more specialized and difficult. What do you do with 100 credits in a Veterinary Program when your GPA falls below 2.0?  This circumstance should not happen, but it does when guidance is missing or ignored along the way.

What to do next?  

It all depends on where you are in the transfer process, whether you are attending a two year program, four year program or re-entering to finish your degree.  Explore transfer friendly institutions promoting proactive transfer services and policies.  Avoid institutions that won't assess your prior learning and credits before enrollment - since "transfer shock" often happens as a result of inaccurate or lack assessments. 

Compare transfer policies, transfer agreements and enrollment requirements.  Enter your prior coursework to see which institutions offer course acceptability and credits using the "Will My Credits Transfer" wizard.  Transfer circumstances are not singular - they often intersect.  In other words, you may fit more than one category or how we have organized the content.  Below are additional College Transfer and Enrollment Articles you may find helpful.