<p>My daughter was accepted as a sophomore transfer student to Yale for the 2011 school year. She would be transferring from another tippy-top school that she loves. The reason for the transfer is for her to pursue her academic passions (her major). What we would like to know from other transfer students to Yale is (1) How are you treated as a transfer student? Do the other students accept you as "one of them," or do you always feel a little displaced? Was it hard to make friends? (2) How were you placed in a dorm? Did it seem like you were placed in the worst dorm because that is where they had an empty bed? How were your roomates? Was it clear that your roomates had an open spot in their room for a reason? (3) Were you able to obtain leadership postions (student government/clubs)or because you missed "the freshman experience" some of those doors were closed?</p>
<p>Anything you want to add that you think might help would be certainly appreciated. She is in a good situation right now (except for the major) and we are hoping that by transferring to Yale that she will be in a better situation, but it is hard to give up the "known." Thanks</p>
<p>Congrats to your daughter. One of the frequent parent posters here has a daughter who transferred in. Off the top of my head, I forget who it was. I recall her saying that the transition was rather smooth and people were welcoming. As for club leadership roles, few clubs have an abundance of manpower. If your DD is willing to serve/work/lead, I’m sure she’ll be greatly appreciated. As for aiming for “leadership” roles, that’s not as pervasive a mindset as nervous HS students. Yalies just want to get things done. Some lead, others don’t. It’s not a big issue.</p>
<p>Also as for housing, all sophomores are at the bottom of the heap. She won’t be any different than her peers. But even the worst Yale housing makes other college dorms look like the pits. Yale housing in general is pretty superior.</p>
<p>I don’t imagine transfer students would be treated any differently than another recently admitted student, i.e. welcomed enthusiastically and warmheartedly :)</p>
<p>Back in my day, the transfer students were spread evenly throughout the residential colleges. There were 20 or so transfer students and they tended to get singles or be placed in rooms together–they weren’t forced into suites with returning students. My transfer friends were warmly and quickly embraced into the community. I will note that people who transferred as sophomores integrated better than people who transferred as juniors. Perhaps this was because sophomores in 10 of the 12 residential colleges are moving into their college from Old Campus (where freshman live) and having that new experience together vs. being more settled in their college.</p>
<p>I have a couple of friends who are transfers. People treat them the same way they treat other Yale students, if not better because they’re curious about them. Life as a transfer should be easier next year because I believe they’re instituting a new program called transfer counselors (kind of like freshman counselors but for transfers).</p>
<p>My only advice would be for her to avoid telling people about things that were better at her original school. Seriously, she should have no trouble integrating.</p>
<p>Back in the day, a sophomore transfer student was forced into my senior suite when one of my roommates decided to take a leave of absence. It was a pretty good experience for everyone, I think. Primo housing for him – a huge room of his own, albeit one I had to walk through to get to my room, and seven seniors to show him the ropes. And we met a really nice guy who was totally different from any of us – a Catholic high school basketball star from New Jersey who had soured on his big-time southern program when the coach wouldn’t let him take lab courses.</p>
<p>Otherwise, transfers absolutely were at the bottom of the barrel, housing-wise, since sophomores had all selected their rooms before the transfers were even admitted. I don’t think any of them minded, however. The residential college system made it really easy to fit in. There was one transfer student in my class in my college, and I think by the end of the first month everyone in the cohort had had at least one meal with her, and she was completely integrated into social and academic life.</p>
<p>^Thanks for the inputs. My daughter will be visiting Yale again this week and needs to let Yale know if she will be attending by June 3rd. All of your comments are being read with intense interest and heartfelt deliberation.</p>
<p>What I know from D1 who was a soph transfer and who graduated on Tuesday:</p>
<p>Yes, there are a few people (at any selective college, not just Y) who think that transfers were not qualified as fr applicants and came in through the ‘back door’ a year or two later. But that doesn’t mean a transfer will feel displaced or have difficulty finding friends. D1 still has several good friends at her old school, but she’s glad she made the move and has made lots of friends at Y, many of which it was fun to meet this weekend. D1 was tapped for a society jr. year, and she’s not excessively outgoing or popular in the typical sense IMO.</p>
<p>The FOCUS program is great for getting to know NH and other students (open to all transfers and continuing sophs), it’s a week before school starts and students help with various volunteer projects in the community. D1 was a participant as a soph and a leader as a jr. Other than that, Y has not had any other programs to help transfers integrate, so the transfer counselor idea sounds good.</p>
<p>Except for this past year when all transfers were placed in Morris, they have always been spread out across the RCs, where ever there was room. D1 talked to a Dean recently and was told that they would return to placing transfers in different RCs this coming year. Your D should definitely ask about this when she visits. Every once in a while someone gets a lousy idea, and I think placing all transfers in one RC was one of them, just glad they realized it. </p>
<p>D1 had great roommates, I can’t remember why they had an extra bed in their suite. They all chose to room together jr year but this year she was a freshman counselor and so lived on old campus, her way of getting the old campus experience that she missed.</p>
<p>I don’t know of any barriers in attaining leadership positions, but can’t say much beyond that. I can say that froco positions are fairly competitive and this year in her RC alone, there were 4 transfers out of 10 positions; and I know one of her friends who transferred the same year was a froco for her RC as well.</p>