Hi there! I have been wrestling with this option for quite some time now, and I need help deciding. I have been offered admission into my top choice private high school as a transfer student, but I heard that transferring could mess up my college applications, or lower my chances of admission into an elite university because almost all the students from that private school apply to elite colleges and universities. The private school that I am looking at has a very rigorous curriculum, and they send students to all 8 Ivies almost every year. Is this true? Can transferring to this school mess with my applications, or lower my chances? BTW I am currently attending a public high school.
You are a freshman. Relax. Students move/transfer/change schools all the time.
Your application will be viewed based on your own record. This private school sends more students to highly selective schools, which means those colleges value the education offered at that school. That increases your chance of admissions. You will transfer in, presumably after your freshman year, so you will only spend 3 years at that school, and could potentially be at a slight disadvantage over those students who spend all 4 HS years there. But and disadvantage with be outweighed by the boost from attending in the first place. If this school is more rigorous than your current HS, your grades might not be as good there - but that’s balanced by higher rigor.
You’re overthinking this. If you family can afford the private school, and you believe you will get a better education there, then don’t worry about college admissions. Get through high school first
This question was posed back in May. The decision was probably made long before all of today’s replies.