<p>Thanks for everyone's advice! I still really can't decide but I'll post here what I finally choose.</p>
<p>jym, from MIT's last four common</a> data sets:
Year Transfer admits Transfer applicants % admitted
2006 17 259 6.5
2005 11 231 4.8
2004 6 302 2.0
2003 5 319 1.6</p>
<p>I would agree with cellardweller that transferring to MIT is not really a viable option -- very, very few transfers are accepted each year.</p>
<p>Thanks mollie.
Since MIT has a high retention rate, the percentage of transfer acceptances is understandably low. But it is not virtually non-existent, as seems to have been implied in some posts. Does the common data set happen to share where the transfer students came from? That would be interesting to see.</p>
<p>The CDS will not disclosee that level of detail. As an EC for MIT I never heard of any "regular" transfers. Even though technically feasible, the cases of transfers I am familiar with involved exceptional circumstances with so-called "academic superstars" with major academic competition awards, Putnam Fellows and the like that MIT actively recruits. A substantial number were internationals who often have a stronger base in math and science coming out of high school. I don't believe MIT took more than a handful last spring and this year there may take none as the transfers would be joining the already oversubscribed Class of 2011.</p>
<p>I am confused, cellardweller. What degree of detail will the CDS not disclose??
Here is the detail from the last 2 years of the # of transfer applicants, by sex, who applied, those admitted, and those that enrolled
MIT</a> Office of the Provost, Institutional Research
MIT</a> Office of the Provost, Institutional Research</p>
<p>Their website also encourages transfer applicants for both fall and spring semesters, though only US citizens and permanent residents can apply in February. MIT</a> Transfer Admissions</p>
<p>What is an "EC"?</p>
<p>I just don't think it's a good idea to plan to turn down MIT and then transfer there, as an average of 3.5% of transfer applicants have been admitted over the past four years.</p>
<p>Advising a student to plan on transferring to MIT is as unrealistic as advising a student to plan to get into MIT as a freshman.</p>
<p>It doesn't matter because nobody from Rice really transfers out anyway. We make sure everyone falls in love with the school. There are plenty of people here who were in similar situations as you (choosing between Rice w/money vs. MIT, Stanford, Ivies) that now would gladly tell you that they would choose Rice even if it costed the same.</p>
<p>I was thinking the same thing, clendenator! I am not disparaging MIT in the least. It is a wonderful school! It is just a different kind of environment than Rice. Now, if you want a state-of-the-art health facility/gym, go to MIT!!! It is beautiful. And when they rebuild Autry (at Rice) in a year or so, it'll be great. But it is currently a pit. It is under renovations now, is it not, clendenator??</p>
<p>jym,
An EC is an Educational Counselor (I believe) -- but I do know they interview prospective applicants.</p>
<p>Thanks, countingdown. I think maybe the correct term is Educational Consultant. According to this poster's information, she not only had a dau at MIT, she is a grad too. Nothing wrong with that--that's wonderful. It explains the strong support of her alma mater.</p>