<p>For which does a student have a better chance of admission at Yale (or in general, for that matter): HS Senior applicant or transfer student?</p>
<p>Admit rates for class of 2011 was around 9%. Transfer student admit rate was about 3%. The fact is very few slots open so the few hundred transfer apps are chasing VERY few slots.</p>
<p>Last year approximately 700 applied to transfer, 40 were accepted. Transferring to Yale is extremely difficult--their admissions people will even say in information sessions that they accept "a few" transfer students.</p>
<p>In general, planning on getting into a school by transferring isn't the way to go unless you're considering a community college as an academic transition to a four-year degree.
Also, you really don't want to miss out on the freshman traditions and bonding experience at Yale...I couldn't imagine walking in my sophomore year without having spent a year in Old Campus with all the freshmen, experienced the Freshman Screw Dance, or gotten acquainted with my college.
Oh, and there's the fact that I've never met a transfer student...the biggest reason they don't accept as many is that none of us want to leave!</p>