<p>I am currently enrolled in a Community College, and having lurked around the internet a bit, I have some questions for you.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Does Yale not look at extra-curriculars? I started a "Young Republican's Organization" with over 125 members and growing, would this hold any weight with admittance? </p></li>
<li><p>I have letters of recommendation from a D.A., and a highly honored Yale Alum. Will this truly open as many doors as people say?</p></li>
<li><p>My grades now are almost flawless (3.95), but my High School GPA was basically half of what it is now. I suffered from a major illness, and multiple sports injuries - which led to surgeries, which led to missing lots of school. Is this a complete deal breaker? I would like to hope that the admissions office would see this as overcoming hardship... but I may be wrong.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Given the above, all transfer applicants chances are pretty slim. I imagine those students who can articulate why Yale (more than any other college) have a better shot. Good luck to you!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Like other selective colleges, Y considers ECs once a candidate had demonstrated their academic capabilities.</p></li>
<li><p>It’s not who a letter is from that matters, but what the letter says about you and the actual relationship between the writer and you (ie. as a teacher, mentor, research supervisor, etc.) </p></li>
<li><p>All situations are different, one can’t generalize about if/how much these kinds of circumstances will be considered in admissions.</p></li>
<li><p>Relatively few CC students have been accepted as transfers to Y. I know of one who participated on this forum about 6 years ago, there were none during the 3 yrs that my D1 was a transfer at Y. If there are other members who are current transfers, they may be able to tell you if there are any now.</p></li>
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<p>Typically, successful transfer students are people who rec’d (multiple) admissions to similar schools such as Yale when applying as Seniors in HS. While your academic turnaround is great, the competition for transfer slots at Yale is populated with outstanding academics who possess attributes that Yale considers will significantly add to the student body.</p>
<p>I knew some transfers when I was at Harvard. For the most part, they had all transferred from pretty elite colleges and universities, such as Williams and Michigan, where they had been outstanding students.</p>
<p>I expect it’s pretty much the same at Yale.</p>
<p>Sorry. I’m not saying this is how it should be at either Yale or Harvard, but I’m afraid it’s probably how it is.</p>