Will an A- on my midterm report hurt my application if everything else is As (including my last semester grades)? I’m worried because I’m shooting for Ivy+ schools, where the competition couldn’t be tighter (Brown says the average gpa of their transfer admits was 4.0 last year!), and the class is relevant to my major. Also, I’m applying to enter as a sophomore (current freshman). Thanks so much!
Where are you now? Why do you want to transfer?
For transferring into an Ivy League or equally selective transfer, I think that why you want to transfer is probably more important than one - sign on your transcript.
Given that you are applying to transfer with only one semester of college on your record, your high school grades are likely to matter also.
I’m at a top 10 liberal arts college that isn’t Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, or Pomona. Also, I think I was able to communicate my reasons for transferring well in my essays. I’m just wondering how much an A- on my midterm report would hurt my application (if at all), given how little room for error there is.
It will not matter. Brown isn’t looking for perfect students, they are looking for people who can perfectly fit and contribute to Brown’s unique and idiosyncratic community.
Good luck.
You’re at a top school so you should be well aware that there’s no way to know if the A- will hurt you. The tippy top colleges will be looking for more than just your grades. If your reasons for transferring are solid and compelling, you have a shot.