Opportunity Programs
Exploring Transfer
Bridges to Baccalaureate
Bridges to Excellence Program
The Vassar College Exploring Transfer Program
For thirty-two years, the Exploring Transfer (ET) program at Vassar College has successfully introduced community college students to the possibilities of transfer to a wide range of four-year colleges and universities. ET students, all of whom are drawn from populations underrepresented in higher education and all of whom are first generation to college, have gone on to complete bachelor's degrees at most of the units of the State University of New York and the City University of New York; ET students have also transferred and flourished at private, selective universities such as Yale and Columbia and colleges such as Smith, Middlebury and, of course, Vassar.
Exploring Transfer is designed to provide an introduction to the intensive study of the liberal arts to community college students who are pursuing associate degrees or certificates in vocational, liberal arts and science programs.
Each summer Exploring Transfer offers three specially designed courses, each taught by a Vassar and a community college professor. Each of these courses are interdisciplinary in focus and carry one unit of Vassar credit and match the expectations for 100-level courses during the regular year. The courses are described on Vassar's web page: http://eter.vassar.edu/
Each student receives a scholarship that completely covers tuition, room, board, books, and all other supplies. The Program is staffed by six faculty, three peer counselors, and one administrator. Students live in one of the residence halls where they are encouraged by program counselors to form a learning cohort to promote intellectual sharing and to provide mutual academic and personal support.
Application Instructions:
1. There will be an informational meeting on the ET Program; date and location to come.
2. Complete the online application available at http://eter.vassar.edu/. You are responsible for providing a transcript and ensuring that faculty return recommendations on time.
3. Submit the online application to Vassar College (deadline to come). Late applications will not be considered.
4. Consider having a faculty member read over the essay in advance of submission. Letters of recommendation from non-faculty members, according to Vassar's selection criteria, are not as helpful as faculty recommendations.
5. Once an application has been submitted, the recommendation form and instructions will be sent electronically to the recommender. Then, the recommendation should be submitted electronically to Vassar. Recommendations are due March 19.
6. Once an application has been submitted, instructions regarding transcripts will be sent to the applicant. Please send official transcripts to Vassar by March 19.
7. Dates for Summer 2019 program to come. Please check Vassar's web page for final details.
Visit Vassar College's Exploring Transfer page
Dr. Joe Allen
Office: Hudson 408A