<p>that's interesting... I wonder what the thought-process behind that is...</p>
<p>it's partly a space issue, since few students drop out or transfer out, and relatively few study abroad. still, a small number of transfers could be admitted if the administration really wanted it to happen. i suppose the decision not to represents some belief in the "totality" of the princeton undergraduate experience, or at least some fear about transfers' ability to integrate into princeton's unique social system. but with four-year colleges coming online soon, facilitating an 11% enrollment increase, don't be surprised if princeton announces a transfer option in the next couple years.</p>
<p>I'd imagine more people transfer out of Harvard to Stanford, than to Yale or Princeton, as a result of homesickness.</p>
<p>this is prob. true... also considering that there is a lot more differences between Harvard and Stanford than what may exist between the Ivy league schools.</p>
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<p>I'd imagine more people transfer out of Harvard to Stanford</p>
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<p>I know a small number who transferred out of Harvard (the numbers are tiny overall). Virtually everyone who leaves goes to either Stanford, a tiny LAC like Swarthmore, or their home-town school (usually for personal reasons). I have never heard of anyone going to another Ivy unless it was a mile or two from home, although it has probably happened.</p>
<p>f.scottie, when do you predict Princeton will start allowing transfer applicants? This coming year?</p>
<p>well, it could be as early as the 2007-08 academic year, since the new residential college comes online in fall 2007. but i haven't heard anything specific, and i would think an announcement would be made when it happens. sometime in the next couple years, as part of the overall social reorganization, is my best guess.</p>
<p>The ability of Princeton to allow transfers has virtually nothing to do with its graduation rate, since Harvard's rate is higher, and a number of other schools have a similar rate. Its simply a matter of choice and, as scottie says, a concern that transfers-in will have difficulty fitting into Princeton's ahhhh - unique social setting, what with the "eating clubs" and all.</p>
<p>But the current administration is trying hard to marginalize the "eating clubs" - which hurt Princeton quite a bit when it comes to the cross-admit rate. (Priceton's RD yield rate is only 52% - far below the rate at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc.) </p>
<p>If they succeed, then it is likely that Princeton will be more attractive to in-transfers - who are currently limited to athletes which Princeton needs in skill positions (ie, football quarterback, basketball rebounder, lax scorer, etc.)</p>
<p>As scottie says, Princeton's slow move to the currently fashionable study abroard option has also served to inhibit the school's ability to absorb transfers, since beds must be found for the incoming transfers, and a small study-abroad program limits the numbers of beds available.</p>