Home, Sweet Home: The Changing Culture of School Transfer
Anwar Stetson
Today’s collegiate transfer portal is more hectic than ever, as student-athletes hop from university to university for better opportunities and more money.
Before 2021, transferring was a very strict and often frowned-upon endeavor. The penalty for transferring was a lost year of eligibility: players were forced to sit out an entire season before being allowed to compete at their new school.
Coaches could even restrict which schools players were allowed to transfer to. In 2024, the NCAA loosened transfer rules, allowing athletes to transfer multiple times in specific windows as long as they are in good standing academically.
High School Transfer
Transfer culture has even trickled down to the high school level, but some officials are beginning to push back.
In August, the Georgia High School Association updated its transfer policy by adding more requirements in order to switch schools.
“Sometimes you’ll look at an athlete and they’ve been in seven different schools in the three years,” GHSA Executive Director Tim Scott told Georgia’s 13WMAZ.
Whereas before, families would only need to update their proof of residency, now moving families will need to move residences and change their driver’s licenses in order to be eligible to change schools.
The GHSA is also expected to make students who have transferred three times ineligible for a year.
NFHS Addresses ‘Transfer Culture’
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) addressed the changing national culture around transfers in June.
NFHS CEO Karissa Niehoff called eligibility rules and transfers one of the most discussed issues for the organization, and she has openly pushed back against the idea that students should switch schools for the purpose of athletics.
Nation Divided
However, like many issues at the high school level, changes have not been uniform across the nation.
Some of the largest high school athletic leagues in the country, like the California Southern Section, saw record transfers in 2025. In Tennessee, the state’s high school athletic association processed nearly double the number of transfer requests than it did in 2024, per local reporting.
In March, Tennessee relaxed its laws surrounding transferring. The state now allows a one-time transfer for non-athletic reasons, though the majority of the students requesting and approved for transfers were athletes.
South Carolina and West Virginia have also loosened transfer restrictions, while states like Utah and Michigan have become more strict.
Perhaps the biggest powerhouse in high school athletics, the state of Texas, had a bill introduced in its state legislature that would allow one-time transfers without forcing athletes to sit out a year of competition. But the bill died in committee in June.
Tradition!
This year’s past Heisman Trophy finalists reflect the new sports world. Winner Travis Hunter transferred from Jackson State to Colorado, following his head coach Deion Sanders. Runner-up Dillon Gabriel played for UCF and Oklahoma before finishing his career at Oregon.
Cam Ward transferred from FCS school Incarnate Word to Washington State before settling at Miami (Fla.). Ashton Jeanty was the only finalist to play his entire career at one school, Boise State.
Top high school prospects also transfer to bigger schools for more opportunities. Top Class of 2025 basketball prospect AJ Dybantsa transferred across the country from Massachusetts to California to play for Prolific Prep, before transferring to Utah Prep Academy. 2025 NBA number one overall pick Cooper Flagg left small-town Nokomis High School in Maine to finish his high school career at Florida powerhouse Montverde Academy.
Some Athletes Stay Put
One major prospect, Texas Longhorn quarterback Arch Manning, made headlines about committing to stay at the university rather than transfer.
His grandfather, NFL legend Archie Manning, told Texas Monthly in August that Arch won’t even be declaring for the NFL draft in 2026, positing that the 21-year-old will spend all four years at Texas.
It’s a breath of fresh air for amateur sports traditionalists. The principles of tradition, patience, and “growing where you’re planted” still ring true for many sports enthusiasts.
However, Arch does have a distinct advantage. Due to the hype around his potential and his famous last name, Manning has the highest NIL valuation in college sports: $6.8 million.
Under the tutelage of dad Cooper, and superstar uncles Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch has had the benefit of good advice and better coaching. But he also has the privilege of not having to worry about money, opportunity, or security, allowing him the ease of taking a more traditional route.
A New World
In a world where high school athletes are getting NIL deals with major brands, it’s more important than ever to maximize earning potential. The culture is changing, for better and for worse.
Athletes and their parents are doing what they can to ensure that they have the best chance to succeed in athletics. But this can be at the expense of constantly shifting their academic lives and futures at a young age.
Students may not have the chance to bond with teammates or form friendships if they are switching schools. The leniency with which some states allow transfers also shows that school priorities are not always about education, but athletics.
Speaking to Eric Sondheimer of the L.A.Times, Redondo Union (Calif.) basketball coach Reggie Morris made this point: “If you wanted to enter into the business world, you would go to a school that had courses to prepare you. If you want to pursue athletics, why wouldn’t you do the same?”
The fact of the matter is, sports is now its own industry, and for many students, a lucrative career path. Though regulation and guardrails are necessary, the age of amateurism is over, and starting as early as eighth or ninth grade students are beginning their “careers.”
Sports still teach the principles of teamwork, leadership, and patience. In this new world, officials should emphasize those skills no matter where their players go.