<p>If I want to transfer to Columbia, UPenn, MIT, Stanford, Yale, etc... would it be better to transfer as a junior when I have a strong GPA and a good internship under my belt or as a sophomore transfer?</p>
<p>By strong GPA I mean 3.8-4.0</p>
<p>Is sophomore year possible with a good high school record (valedictorian, SAT:2020, SGA President, etc…) and a 4.0 first semester GPA (Yes, I know it’s hard to get).</p>
<p>Possibly take the SAT over</p>
<p>As a general rule, the longer you’ve been in college, the less your high school stats matter. (Of course, they will still be very important for these top schools). The shorter you’ve been in college, the harder it is to show what you can bring to your new school. (If you apply for sophomore year, colleges will see a full semester, and maybe midterm grades of semester 2). The longer you’ve been in school #1, the less time you’ll have in school #2. </p>
<p>Transfer admissions is generally more competitive than freshmen admissions, so it is difficult for even the strongest candidate to be admitted. </p>
<p>Oh, and the college board doesn’t care if you retake the SAT in college.</p>