Ilya Bunimovich realized that he hated computer science. With a passion for writing and a love for photography and design, journalism seemed like a better fit than engineering. So he’s transferring to Medill — or at least attempting to.
Bunimovich, a Weinberg sophomore and Daily staff member, is hoping that he will be one of more than 100 students who are able to make the switch between schools each quarter.
“I’m already over the anxiety stage,” Bunimovich said. “I just want to find out whether I’m in or not.”
Last week was the last chance for students to submit their inter-school transfer applications for Winter Quarter. Some applicants have already heard their transfer status, while others still are waiting.
Most school officials said they will accept anyone willing to complete transfer requirements and maintain a decent grade-point average.
“That’s one of the strengths of Northwestern,” said McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science Assistant Dean Joseph Holtgreive. “It doesn’t put road blocks in front of students who want to transfer.”
About 2 percent of undergraduates transfer between schools, said University Registrar Suzanne Anderson. The most popular school to transfer into is the School of Communication, receiving about 40 to 50 students per quarter.
About 25 to 30 students transfer to Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences; School of Education and Social Policy accepts 15 to 20 students; McCormick receives 10 to 15 students. Medill and the School of Music accept the smallest number of transfers, averaging less than five a quarter. Music has not received any inter-school transfers in the last three quarters.
All schools require students to complete inter-school transfer applications, meet with an adviser to discuss the process and maintain their grades during the transfer quarter.
“All I had to do was hand in a couple forms and go to a meeting,” said Jimmy Cheon, a Communication senior who transferred from Weinberg. “The transfer was pretty painless.”
Students considering McCormick, Medill and Education must take classes in their major before or during the transfer process.
Medill is the only school that has a limited number of spaces for inter-school transfers and students say the process can take an entire year.
Hopefuls must get on the waiting list and compete with Medill students for a spot in the introductory journalism class, Editing and Writing the News. The student’s grade qualifies them to apply to Medill and factors into acceptance, said Darla Ward, Medill’s undergraduate registrar.
During the past few weeks, interested students interviewed for the limited number of spots in Medill in the final step of the transfer process.
“It’s a long and difficult process, not easy at all,” Bunimovich said.
Some students, who have worried about their GPA, activities and jobs, said transferring was like applying to college all over again.
“I feel like it would have been easier to apply right out of high school,” said Weinberg sophomore and Daily staffer Summar Ghias, who is trying to transfer into Medill. “You would think its more competitive initially, but its seems like its more competitive to transfer in.”
The long wait shouldn’t discourage students trying to transfer, said Education sophomore Sun Park, who has been approved to transfer into Weinberg in the winter.
“It took me a couple of quarters, but I’m finally where I want to be,” Park said. “I’m glad that I didn’t just settle and tried different things before I decided that this is what I really wanted to do.”
Reach Kendra Marr at [email protected].
