<p>I am about to enter my sophomore year at an American university in Europe, but I really want to transfer to Harvard or Yale for my junior year. At this stage, what do you think could I possibly do to maximize my chances of getting in? Grades should not be a problem, as I have a 4.0 GPA and am a dean's lister for the past two semesters. Thanks!</p>
<p>Don't know what to tell you, and I doubt many other people know either.</p>
<p>Well what do you think go you in, WindCloudUltra (if you don't mind sharing)?</p>
<p>It's funny, cuz i was discussing this exact topic with some fellow transfers one day sometime earlier this year...we all had different theories on why we got in. I know some people had connections; I certainly didn't. Maybe it was my essay? I had decent grades freshman year I guess. Anyway, the point was, we never came to a satisfying conclusion (basically, no agreement on a universal aspect) on why we got in. </p>
<p>Therefore, I don't know what to tell frinta to "maximize" his or her chances. If anything, same old: keep grades up, have a compelling reason within reason, get good recs, etc etc. Nothing new under the sun.</p>
<p>Maximize = $25 million dollars donation. That is the only 100% fool-proof method. Other than that, it's good old sweating and crying.</p>
<p>Befriend the gardener of a rich alum.</p>
<p>College GPA is probably the most important factor, but there are so many others. Recommendations, ECs, performance at high-school. They all matter. Did you see the Harvard/Yale transfer rates? Under 5 percent, it's all a draw.</p>
<p>Sorry for being anal, but you say you have a 4.0 GPA. This implies that you have never recieved a grade below an A/A+ (otherwise its impossible to have a 4.0) Yet you have been on the deans list only 2 semesters out of 4. Despite having a 4.0 you couldn't make it?</p>
<p>he/she is an incoming sophomore--he/she would only have two semesters of work and could only qualify for two deans lists.</p>
<p>What sort of Ecs are available?</p>
<p>Pray a lot</p>
<p>not to be discouraging (b/c that is not my intent), I think you should focus on perhaps some less selective schools. If you narrow in on some less selective places like NYU, Brandeis, Emory, Vanderbilt, etc, you will probably get some better results. Right now, you are trying to transfer from a tier II school to Harvard!!!!! Good luck!</p>
<p>Well does it really help all that much to be from a tier 1 school?</p>
<p>get strong recs from professors who are alumni of yale or harvard(seems to work for some students on here)
spend a lot of time on your essays</p>
<p>good luck and apply to any and every school you want to go to....</p>