The Oakton Experience: Transition
Transfer Resources
Every college is different. For those not applying immediately after high school, how each college handles transfer applications is different. One of the Honors Program’s most important services is offering workshops as well as one-on-one advising to help you navigate the often complicated process of transferring.
The good news? Students deeply engaged in their Honors coursework and the other opportunities provided by Oakton’s Honors Program are well-prepared and ready to take huge steps forward; from undergraduate programs, to graduate programs, to professional certifications, and beyond.
Honors students at Oakton—especially those who complete the Honor Scholar Designation—have an excellent track record of transferring to the four-year schools of their choice. These are just some of the colleges and universities that Oakton’s Honors students have successfully transferred to:
University of Illinois Chicago
Northwestern University
Boston University
Elmhurst University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
Oberlin College
Grinell College
Lake Forest College
Arizona State University
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Northern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University
Illinois State University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
DePaul University
Loyola University in Chicago
Santa Clara University
Bentley University
Please scroll down for links to learn more about the transfer process and descriptions of several prestigious scholarships available to Honors students at Oakton.
Transfer Resources at Oakton
Transferring Resources - Oakton College
This should be your first stop, because this page is tailored specifically for Oakton students. The college has created specific partnerships with more than 35 of Oakton’s top transfer institutions.
Many of the colleges featured above also have longstanding relationships with Oakton’s Honors Program! From Oakton transfer events to campus visits, we strive to connect you with the academic opportunities that matter most to Oakton’s Honors students. For example, Elmhurst University offers an annual full-tuition scholarship for one Oakton Honors Student graduate every year (see below).
Most transfer institutions also offer scholarships connected to the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society (PTK). Although it is separate from the Honors Program, we maintain a strong relationship with Oakton’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter and encourage membership in both!
Direct Transfer Relationships for Honors Students
Oakton College has direct transfer relationships with many colleges and universities (see above). For those who complete the Honors Scholar Designation, the following schools have agreements for direct admission from Oakton’s Honors Program into their Honors Program:
Northeastern Illinois University
University of Illinois at Chicago
Work with the Honors Coordinator if you are interested in transferring to an Honors Program or Honors College that is not listed. It may be that they will also accept you directly from Oakton’s Honors Program!
Online Transfer Guides and Databases
FastWeb: Free Guides and the Largest Online Scholarship Directory
Best Colleges: Transfer Guide: Comprehensive guide for transfer students.
Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Guides and Worksheets
Whether you apply for this foundation’s scholarship or not, their website provides an essential step-by-step guide for transferring to selective colleges and universities. A must visit.
Scholarships360: Scholarships by Background
Scholarship directory organized by background. Categories include historically-underrepresented students, BIPOC students, First Generation students, undocumented students, students with disabilities, and more.
The mission at My Undocumented Life is to provide up-to-date information and resources to undocumented students, their families, and allies (including educators, counselors, and administrators). They post scholarship opportunities that are open to undocumented students, strategies for navigating the educational system while undocumented, information on how to apply for DACA, key upcoming immigration-related events, news on immigration policies, and much more. Most importantly, they want to provide a sense of community to their diverse group of readers.
Preparing for Graduate and Professional Degrees
The work you do and decisions you make now as a community college student may dramatically increase the accessibility and value of of advanced study beyond a four-year degree in the future. For example:
Several Illinois schools, including Northeastern and DePaul, participate in the McNair Program. This program is designed to increase the attainment of doctoral degrees by students from underrepresented segments of society. Institutions work closely with these participants through their undergraduate requirements, encourage their entrance into graduate programs, and track their progress to the successful completion of advanced degrees. Not only do these programs actively prepare students for graduate school—they prepare them so well that they often receive full funding for their graduate education.
Major Scholarships
Elmhurst University/Oakton College Honors Scholarship
The Oakton College Honors Program Coordinator and faculty members on the Honors Council will choose one Honors student per year to receive two comprehensive tuition-free years at Elmhurst University (room and board and other fees are not included). Applications open on February 15th and close on April 15th (most materials are due by April 1, see below).
Requirements:
Students need to have visited Elmhurst University’s campus at least once (virtual visits are fine).
3.5 is the minimum GPA needed to apply.
Must be a member of the Oakton College Honors Program with a minimum of 15 semester credits in Honors courses at Oakton and ready to transfer as a full-time student at the end of the current semester or summer term. Strong preference is given to students who will be completing the Honors Scholar Designation.
Must complete the Elmhurst University application by April 15th at the latest. All materials need to be sent to Elmhurst including a completed FAFSA if you are eligible to file, and official transcripts. Personal statements and letters of recommendation (for Elmhurst admission, not for the scholarship) are optional. Application link: https://connect.elmhurst.edu/apply/
A personal essay and one letter of recommendation are due to the Oakton’s Honors Coordinator and Elmhurst’s transfer representative by April 1st. Full instructions and submission details are included within this year’s updated application form.
National Transfer Scholarships
Applications for the Jack Kent Cooke, Udall, and Goldwater scholarships occur annually. Oakton students have been exceptionally successful in winning these highly competitive national scholarships. The Honors Program regularly provides workshops to discuss these and other scholarship opportunities (see the Calendar and watch for emails from the Coordinator).
The Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities. Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses—including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees—for the final two to three years necessary to achieve a bachelor’s degree, providing up to $55,000 in annual support. Each year, the application opens in early October and the deadline for submission is in mid-January. You may apply for this scholarship directly through the Common App, but we highly recommend that you seek guidance from the scholarship’s campus representative, the Honors Coordinator, no later than November 1st. P.S. Even if you don’t apply, the link above provides a great overview for how to plan ANY transfer or scholarship application. It is highly recommended as a resource.
The Goldwater Scholarship Program, one of the oldest and most prestigious national scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics in the United States, seeks to identify and support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming this Nation’s next generation of research leaders in these fields. The scholarship awards up to a maximum of $7.500 per full academic year. This link explains the application process. Applications open in early September. Please fill out the short pre-application no later than November 15th. You will then be required to meet with the Goldwater Campus Representative (the Honors Coordinator) to begin assembling your application materials no later than December 15th. Final application materials will be due to the Honors Coordinator by January 15th, 2022. Earlier is better in all cases!
The Udall Foundation awards scholarships of up to $7,000 to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment. Each year, the application opens on September 21st and requires the campus representative (again, the Honors Coordinator) to register students for nomination. Students should begin working on draft application materials with the Honors Coordinator no later than January 15, and complete the full application for review and submission by the Honors Coordinator no later than February 15th.
Note: This guide includes transfer scholarships at least partially administered through Oakton’s Honors Program. It is updated on a rolling basis each year, and is not an exhaustive list of every opportunity available. Students should consult with the Honors Coordinator and Oakton’s Career and Transfer Center for help seeking out transfer and scholarship opportunities.