<p>I'm a freshmen at Duke University currently. I'm looking to transfer to some peer institutions because of their superior programs in economics/finance and better recruiting for financial firms. </p>
<p>I'm deciding whether to try and transfer as a sophmore or as a junior. My HS stats are not too good (2270 SAT and a 3.5 uwGPA ) so I'm thinking I should wait till next year to apply. If I apply for junior transfer, will the colleges even consider my HS stats?</p>
<p>Also I know Harvard isnt accepting transfers for the next 2 yrs, but they might for the 2010-2011 academic year.</p>
<p>you really need to reevaluate your reason for wanting to transfer. No school is going to give you that much of a boost (if any) for recruiting over Duke, it's not like you're at a ****ty state school. Do you honestly think that your application will hinge on whether you went to Duke rather than Yale?</p>
<p>I don't think you realize how difficult it is to transfer, you'll be leaving all your friends you made freshman year at Duke and it's going to be extremely difficult to find your new group of friends as a transfer when most of your fellow soph. and juniors already have their own groups. It's not like when you're a freshman and everyone is in the same boat as you, being a transfer student can be pretty tough socially.</p>
<p>Do you really want to go through all of that BS for some silly marginal difference in recruiting?</p>
<p>Good luck, whatever you decide, but I think if you sit down and think about it you'll realize that transferring for that reason is pretty silly.</p>
<p>Transfering in is already so difficult you would just be wasting your time. For the reasons you stated it doesn't seem wise to transfer. The cost doesn't out weigh the benefits.</p>
<p>He's not asking for advice as to whether or not he should stay at Duke, he wants to know whether to apply as a soph or junior transfer. If he wants to transfer, why tell him it's a waste of time? I say do what makes you happy. Are you two actually concerned with how he'll fare making friends? It's not always difficult making friends as a transfer. I'm transferring to Cornell and I know there is a huge transfer community there, and I think 4 dorms dedicated just for transfers. It's not hard to make friends. </p>
<p>OP, I think you have a better chance of applying as a junior transfer, your HS stats won't count as much. Of course, after 2 yrs you may simply decide to stay at Duke.</p>
<p>stargazerlilies, you can't compare transferring to Cornell (where I am currently trying to transfer to for this spring) where there is a large transfer community to any of the schools he listed, which all have tiny or no transfer classes (except maybe UPenn, but I don't imagine wharton allows many). These schools will not have large transfer communities to help adjust, but I am not saying he shouldn't transfer. I don't really see it as that big of a deal.</p>
<p>I think the bigger issue is the OP thinking these schools are clearly superior to to Duke and that it is a reason for transfer. From what I hear, the recruiting at Duke is excellent, and that a lot of Investment Banks come down there if that is what OP is looking for, although who knows what will happen now with all the problems IB's are having. Definitely not a field I would want to get into right now. The difference between any of those schools and Duke is negligible at best and they are all in the top 10. You will need a better reason for transferring than better recruiting.</p>
<p>I left out the social reasons why i want to transfer so plz just answer the questions i posed in the thread. dont evaluate whether my reasons for transferring are sufficient enough.</p>
<p>As many have said before, transferring at this point really isn't a wise option. The transfer rates for all of these schools are under 5%, with Harvard probably not allowing any transfers this year (as they did last year). To be honest, Duke has the same level of recruiting as some of the schools listed, so I don't see a particular need to transfer. </p>
<p>WHat's most important for recruiting (ibanking, consulting, etc) is of course GPA and interview. Duke definitely prepares you for that. On the other hand, if you're transferring, you have a lot of other hoops you have to jump through, especially socially, that may hinder you from getting the best possible grades you can get at your new school. </p>
<p>My advice is to stay at duke, which already has great recruiting.</p>
<p>Unless you absolutely hate Duke, I advise staying there because although most people parade around here like Ivy League Schools are the only good schools in the nation, Duke is definitely a top 10 school and on par with the majority of the Ivy League Schools. Many people would kill for the opportunity that you are getting to be able to attend Duke and pursue a higher level education. However, like I said if you really hate it there and need to transfer to a Princeton, Harvard, Yale it is difficult, but coming out of Duke if you get a good GPA you have a legitimate chance to transfer.</p>
<p>1) 3.5 HS GPA = bad for those schools. Wait to apply as a Junior.
2) For those schools, you will need to maintain a high GPA. 3.8+ high. Good luck with that.
3) Try and fit some major-specific extra curricular/s in there. That would help a lot. Maybe a good summer internship as well.</p>
<p>If you've done all of the above, then more power to you-- apply. Mind you the above is easier said than done. You may not be able to handle it and never end up applying. Or you may just decide to stay at Duke for x-reason. But that doesn't matter at this point. For now, focus on your goal as it is a good one to have. It'll drive you to work hard, and if you have a high GPA from Duke (if, hypothetically, you decide to stay) then you can parlay that with some work experience and get an MBA from one of those schools. Try that for good placement, ha.</p>
<p>Your high school SAT scores are fine. I transferred from UC Berkeley to Yale with equivalent SATs. </p>
<p>Really think long and hard about your desire to transfer. Duke is a really good school. I can tell you firsthand that it's much much harder making friends as a transfer student than as a freshman. Certainly doable, but you really have to work at it (even at a school like Yale where they have close-knit residential colleges).</p>
<p>I can tell you that the social environment at Duke is not for everyone. It is a very status-conscious place. Sometimes I feel like im still in high school with all the drama that goes on. juicycampus.com is a big hit here. I'm a little weary of the athletic and frat-dominated culture at Duke. Relative to other peer schools, the intellectual culture is pretty absent.</p>
<p>I don't understand what you want from us other than validation. The admission rates at those schools are already abysmal so your chances are slim no matter what. No one on here is an admissions officer at these schools and can offer you any advice better than you could get from the schools respective admissions offices.</p>
<p>Also I'm wondering if you are fooling yourself into thinking the community at H,Y,W,S and all of these other schools are going to be that much different. I've never attended any of these schools but I'm not so sure that you aren't going to find some similar issues at any of these campuses. Whatever, its your decision and it seems you've got your mind made up anyways.</p>
<p>Apply if you want, you have as good a shot as anyone considering you had the stats to get into Duke to begin with but it's still going to be pretty tough.</p>