<p>I am a college sophomore and I go to a top-10 liberal arts college in the northeast.
I have a 3.6 ish GPA and I have done some research at a prestigious institution this summer and presented my research at several national meetings.
I am also the president of a club for people interested in med school; I volunteer and do a few other ECs. I speak 5 languages.</p>
<p>I want to transfer to either Stanford or Harvard;
Stanford because it's close to my home and I would like to be closer to my parents and family.
Also, the science program there is really strong and I think I will be able to get sufficient funding for a good honors thesis. Also, I want to go to Stanford Med. </p>
<p>Harvard because it has a language program in s. asian languages that I am interested besides the strong sciences and I think I would enjoy the atmosphere there albeit competitive. </p>
<p>One of the dilemmas I face is I enjoy the college I am at (although it is very unknown !! even though it's top 10) but I do not like the atmosphere and the students are as involved and intellectual as I like it to be. One other thing is I already know several profs but hopefully ,I will be able to make good contacts at those two unis as well.</p>
<p>Also, can someone tell me more about the quarters schedule at Stanford; if it is more stressful that a semester or what's the difference? Do you basically cover the same stuff in a quarter as you do in a semester ???</p>
<p>I'm goingn to focus first on your "I don't know whether I should transfer". Here are some things to think about:
1. Do you need or want financial aid? You might find that transferring yields stingier aid.
2. The two schools you mention have very very minute transfer acceptance rates.
3. Since you want Stanford Med, you should check acceptance rates there (and other med schools which appeal to you) from your current school vs. coming from Stanford undergrad. Often, those top LACs have really excellent track records in med school admissions.
4. Since you mentioned that your current school is "hardly known", I don't know whether that's playing into your thoughts re transfer. I wouldn't call any of the 10 top LACS "hardly known." If you mean are they a household name for the man on the street? Well, most aren't. If you mean are they known by those who keep current on quality higher education in this country... well, they are all quite well known and respected.
5. There are going to be some "less involved and less intellectual" students at any school you choose, including Harvard and Stanford. So, it is more about doing what it takes to find the type of peers and activities that interest you.</p>
<p>All in all, I've seen students with far stronger reasons to transfer. Doesn't mean they will be successful and you won't - you still very well might be. But transferring involves its own stresses and you might want to continue thinking about how much you really want to transfer, vs. "bloom where you are planted."</p>
<p>I have attend Stanford (B-school), as well as Cal-Berkeley, Wellesley. I can't remember (lol) which were semester and which were quarter programs at the time (Dark Ages). But I have been both on the quarter and semester systems, and liked some aspects of each.</p>
<p>For better info on the pros and cons, you might start a thread with that heading (quarter vs. semester systems) -- because that part of your question could get lost here.</p>
<p>I agree with Andale. Start a thread about the attributes of quarter and semester systems. You'd find out a lot more.</p>
<p>Quarter systems are quickly paced, oftentimes with the terms lasting for ten weeks. (Though I do not go to Stanford, I do attend a California college with roughly the same quarter system.) </p>
<p>Honestly, stress is a given with heavy courseloads, but the quarter system can move you beyond normal performance stress due to the anxiety of being rushed. You should note, however, that it is possible to thrive and obtain excellent grades in a quarter system. </p>
<p>That said, the joke around here is, "you wake up, and it's time for midterms." =P</p>