The number of your transfer credits will be determined after your final official transcript has been sent to the dean's office. Shortly thereafter, you will receive a letter from the appropriate dean telling you the number of credits that have transferred. Hobart and William Smith Colleges can accept up to 16 course credits in transfer.
Class standing is based on the number of credits completed. For courses taken at institutions which are on a semester hour credit system, 3 or 4 semester-hours are equivalent to 1 HWS credit.
0-6: First Year
7-15: Sophomore
16-22: Junior
23 and above: Senior
Normally students who have completed a full semester at another institution will not be required to take a First-Year Seminar.
HWS students are required to take four full-credit courses each semester. Students who wish to take five or more full-credit courses in one semester are required to apply to their respective dean's office for permission. Transfer students are normally discouraged from taking an overload their first semester.
Students will be able to register for classes online after consulting with their adviser and obtaining their pin number from their adviser.
While your dean will serve as your initial contact person and will guide you through your transition to HWS, a faculty adviser will be assigned to you shortly after matriculation.
You should receive your housing assignment by mid-June or, for those matriculating later than mid-June, within two weeks of matriculation.
No. You will be housed with other upperclass students. For housing questions, please call the Office of Residential Education at (315) 781-3880.
At Orientation you will learn information specific to Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Since all transfer students are placed in the same Orientation group together, this will also be an opportunity to get to know other upperclass students; your Orientation leader will be a student who transferred to HWS him/herself. Your Orientation schedule will be somewhat different from the first-years' schedule, taking into account the different needs of upperclass transfer students.
If you have more, or more specific, questions about transfer student orientation, please contact your respective Dean's Office at 315-781-3300 (Hobart) or 315-781-3467 (William Smith).
