<p>Hello, just wondering how do you think I should handle the Harvard transfer supplement?</p>
<p>One question asked in it is to "Briefly, please indicate the most influential factors in your original decision to attend your present college, such as location, cost, size of student body, only option, special program offered, Early Decision plan, etc."</p>
<p>I feel rather odd answering that because I cannot stand the university I am at, but I do not want to come across as rude or ungrateful. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Also they ask what alternative schools I am applying to. Would it be beneficial to tell them that I am only applying to Harvard? Can they see if I do apply to others?</p>
<p>I was also wondering what to put for what alternatives we’re considering. Are we supposed to list all the schools or just some schools that we want do put down?</p>
<p>Also, how long are the answers to questions supposed to be? I have lots to say for the field of specialization one, but is the question about our postgrad/career plans just supposed to be direct and short? Or should that be crafted into an essay as well?</p>
<p>Be honest, detail the reasons that made you attend your present college – but keep in mind some advice from Yale to transfer applicants and tailor your Harvard transfer application accordingly.</p>
<p>I hate my current school. I don’t fit it, and I just hate, but you cannot just write, “Hey Harvard! I hate my school, so can I move into yours!”</p>
<p>There’s a time difference here that means your second paragraph doesn’t respond to the first. If you focus on the phrasing, you can answer the question without once mentioning what you think about USC now. The question isn’t asking what you think about USC now; it’s only asking why you chose it in high school. Was it your only option? Was it for financial reasons? Etc.</p>
<p>Also, if you hate USC, why not apply to transfer to schools besides Harvard? If you’re already putting together a transfer application, what’s to lose?</p>
<p>You could leave your current school to work at McDonald’s, and you’d be just as gone. You have to tell them why Harvard is the right place.</p>
<p>“Would it be beneficial to tell them that I am only applying to Harvard?”</p>
<p>If you hate your current school, telling them that you are only applying to Harvard is tantamount to telling them that you don’t make good decisions. Ditto if you can’t come up with any reasons why you chose the first school.</p>
<p>Similar to the question about listing Harvard as their only choice, would it look equally as bad/crazy to list a short list of alternatives that are also highly competitive for admission such as Columbia or Penn?</p>
<p>@TheEarlyBird, I could definitely see applying only to a few schools if you are happy at your current school, but could be happier at another, more challenging one. OP hates his current school, which is why it seems a little perplexing that he wouldn’t want to apply more places.</p>
<p>Thank you for your responses everyone. @exultationsy, just to clarify, I do not go to USC. I love USC, it’s one of the schools I am applying to. I am applying to more than just Harvard; Harvard and USC are just my top choices.
From your response to TheEarlyBird, are you saying it’s only beneficial to apply to schools such as Harvard if you are happy with your current school? Thank you</p>
<p>No, good heavens; you said in your first post that you only wanted to apply to one school. I now see that was a lie you were proposing telling to give yourself an advantage; even if you’re not caught, it will harm you, because it would look very strange to hate your current school and only apply to one other. It would make sense to apply to one/a few if you like your current school. If you hate your current school, applying to anything less than “lots” of other choices does not make sense.</p>