Application Instructions For Transfer Applicants

View Application Instructions for Transfer Applicants in PDF

Application Components

• Common Application or Coalition Application
  • CMC accepts the Common Application and the Coalition Application for transfer admission, without preference for one over the other. Applications can be submitted online at Common App or MyCoalition
• College Report
  • Please have your College's Dean, Academic Affairs Official, or Registrar complete this form and send it to CMC.
• One Academic Evaluation (Professor or teacher recommendation)
  • This form should be completed and submitted by a faculty or teacher who taught you in a course, such as, professors, lab instructors, or graduate teaching assistants.
• Mid-term Grade Report
  • Please have your current professors and teachers complete this form with mid-term grades and send it to CMC. While this form is not a required application component, we encourage students to submit their mid-term grades when available.
• Interviews
  • Interviews are not required but are strongly recommended. To schedule an interview, please visit CMC Admission.
• Optional Video Response
  • After submitting your application, you will receive instructions by email from the CMC Admission Office on how to submit a two-minute video. Submission of this video is optional and you will be provided with a prompt.

Application Checklist

• Common Application or Coalition Application
• $70 Application Fee or Fee Waiver
• Additional Academic Credentials
  • College Report
  • Two Academic Evaluations/Recommendations
  • Official College Transcript(s) from all postsecondary institutions attended
  • Official High School Transcript(s) from all secondary schools attended
  • (Optional) Official SAT or ACT scores (sent directly from the testing agency)
• FAFSA and Financial Aid CSS Profile (if applying for financial aid)

FAQ: Transfer Admission to Claremont McKenna College

• How many credits do I need in order to transfer?
  • Any student who has taken college courses after finishing high school is considered a transfer applicant. There is no minimum number of units required to transfer to CMC. However, transfer students may not transfer in more than 16 CMC units. You need to complete 16 CMC units—half of the total required for graduation—at CMC in order to receive a diploma. Sixteen CMC units are the equivalent of 64-semester units/hours or 96-quarter units/hours.
• How will my credits transfer?
  • Each unit at CMC is equivalent to four-semester units or sixquarter units, and students need to complete 32 CMC units— including their General Education and Major requirements—in order to graduate. In order for a course to transfer to CMC from another college, there must be an equivalent course offered at CMC or at the other Claremont Colleges. Courses with grades of C– or below are not transferable. CMC does not accept CLEP credits, online or web-based courses, or distance-learning courses. Please consult the CMC Registrar at (909) 621-8101 or at registrar@cmc.edu.
• How and when do I apply for financial aid?
  • Students applying for financial aid must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile no later than March 1 for the academic year beginning in the fall. Applicants for midyear transfer may use the FAFSA and CSS Profile they submitted for the current year.
• Do I have to submit SAT or ACT test results?
  • CMC’s interim test optional policy is extended to applicants applying for the Fall 2025 entry term. This policy permits students to choose whether to submit SAT or ACT results for admission consideration as part of their academic record. Students will not be asked to disclose why they are not submitting scores and will not be disadvantaged in our process if they do not submit scores.
• What about housing?
  • Housing is not guaranteed for transfer students. However, CMC has been able to provide on-campus housing for most transfer students wishing to live on campus. Once students are housed on campus, they are guaranteed on-campus housing for the rest of their time at CMC. Students may live off campus if they wish.
• What emphasis is placed on my high school record?
  • The question is best answered on an individual basis. In general terms, more emphasis is placed on your college record. However, individual circumstances may determine how the admission committee regards the high school transcript.
• What grade point average do you look for in a transfer student?
  • An applicant’s grade point average (GPA) is evaluated within the context of the institution that the student attends and the rigor of the curriculum that the student has taken. A student should have at least a 3.3 GPA to receive serious consideration. Most successful applicants to CMC have earned a 3.5 or higher.
• Is an interview required?
  • Interviews are not required for admission, but highly recommended if you are going to be in the area. The interview allows you to tell us more about your personal background, as well as your accomplishments, talents, and goals. The interview process also provides you with a valuable opportunity to understand the CMC experience. To schedule an interview, please visit CMC Admission

Admission and Financial Aid Deadlines