<p>On the whole, there seem to be some good reasons to keep options open, if Cornell is appealing to your daughter for sound reasons: e.g., she likes the size and course offerings and can see herself making friends and finding a niche she likes at least as much as she likes Oberlin. But a downside to signing up for the transfer option, apart from the effect it has on your daughter’s attitude as a First-year at Oberlin (e.g., if she is distracted by the idea of transferring in a way that detracts from her experience as a first-year student) might be that her course choices will be affected by the requirements for the transfer, and any anxiety about maintaining the required GPA. Take a good look at what those requirements would be. One of the best first-year offerings at Oberlin is the first-year seminars; it would be a pity not to be able to take one in a subject that interests her.</p>