Beginning in 2005, transfer students will receive earlier notification of their acceptance to Northwestern.

The reply date for notification of admission to NU will be moved from June 1 to May 1. This change will allow transfer applicants to learn of their admissions decision at a more convenient time, said Margaret Miranda, a senior assistant director of admissions in the university’s Office of Undergraduate Admission.

“The current deadline of June 1 was designed to follow the tuition and housing deadlines for freshmen, which has given us a firm idea of how much space we have had available for transfer students,” Miranda said.

As a consequence of its June 1 deadline, NU is one of the last schools from which transfer students hear regarding their admission status. An earlier deadline would allow transfer students to learn sooner whether on-campus housing will be available to them or whether they will need to make other arrangements for housing, said art history Prof. Christine Bell, a Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences academic adviser.

After brainstorming with other transfer students, Weinberg sophomore Jodi Anderson realized many were experiencing the same problems she faced upon being accepted.

Anderson then began meeting with Bell and Jen Meyers, student transitions coordinator for NU’s Orientation and Student Transitions department, to discuss her findings. After receiving feedback, Bell suggested making the application date earlier, Anderson said.

“My expectation is that there will be this ongoing process of responding to students requests,” Bell said. “I do think the university is being responsive to some of the problems transfers are having, and changes are already taking place.”

Anderson, an Associated Student Government senator representing Allison Hall, said she will continue to use her position on ASG’s Academic Committee to help aid students’ transitions.

Although the change in the admissions notification date will help with some transfer difficulties, Anderson said the university still can accomplish a great deal to improve the situation for transferring students.

“The idea of having earlier reply dates sounds great because students will be given more freedom of choice as far as deciding between schools,” Anderson said. “Just being able to check out the campus when classes are in session and even stay overnight would be an awesome opportunity for some transfer students.”