Should I transfer from HYP to Stanford?

Transfer Students
1

I’m attending one of Harvard-Yale-Princeton this fall 2020, as part of the class of 2024. I was rejected by S this year in the regular round, but want to reapply as a transfer.

(Disclaimer: I know Harvard-Yale-Princeton are on the same level of prestige and education as Stanford, and that anyone would be more than grateful to be in my position of going to HYP. I also know most people would consider me pretty ridiculous to want to transfer from an Ivy to Stanford.)

Explanation of why I want to transfer:
I know in my heart that Stanford is the right place for me, and that I will be happiest there. The things I love about Stanford that HYP doesn’t have that much: Management Science & Engineering major (which is basically undergrad finance/entrepreneurship), better weather in November-March, fun on-campus biking, and entrepreneurial culture.

The ONLY drawback that I care about for Stanford is its terrible residential system; I don’t care about the STEM tilt, spread out campus, or any other “cons” that other people say. I also don’t care THAT much about the cons of having to be a “new student” as a transfer compared to other “regular” students who would have established friend groups.

I also know that if I enter HYP without having the mentality of wanting to transfer to S, I could potentially be happier at HYP. But I still really like Stanford. And who knows whats going to happen with this corona situation? Stanford might be accepting significantly more transfers for fall 2021 because of fall 2020 under-enrollment.

The problem is, if I put in the effort to transfer, I would have to do a COUPLE things just for the sake of improving my “spike” and case of admission—these are things I don’t particularly want to do, but am still OKAY with doing. This would impact my freshman year experience partially because I wouldn’t be doing everything I want to be doing, and I would be doing a couple things I don’t really want to do.

(Note: I’m being vague on purpose regarding my “spike” and which of H-Y-P I’m going to, in order to protect my identity.)

Cons of Applying to Transfer to Stanford:

  • If I decide to transfer apply, I’d probably put in at MOST 200 hours of work into my transfer application between October and March. (This isn’t actually that much; it’s about 1 hour/day for 6 months.) Who knows? I might put in 5 hours total into my transfer app if I end up really enjoying HYP.
  • It could ruin my mentality when I enter HYP for fall 2020. I might feel unsatisfied and constantly think about Stanford.
  • I’d be doing a couple activities for the sake of my spike. I don’t particularly enjoy these, but they’re not UNinteresting to me.
  • I would be spending a decent chunk of my first year on an application that I get rejected on.

Pros of Applying to Transfer to Stanford:

  • Everything I love about Stanford: Management Science & Engineering major (which is basically undergrad finance/entrepreneurship), better weather in November-March, fun on-campus biking, and entrepreneurial culture
  • I won’t regret not taking the chance to transfer apply. The worst that can happen is that I waste 200+ hours of my life and am slightly unhappier when I enter HYP in the fall.

Should I transfer apply to Stanford?

2

My 2 cents:
Sure, try transferring if Stanford is where you would most like to be, but there is no need to spend 200 hours on your transfer application or put most of your energy into the transfer process. As you and I know, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to admissions to these top schools. Attend HYP, do well, get a great GPA, and get to know your professors who you can ask to write recs. However, if you don’t get into Stanford, embrace your current (amazing) school. Maybe you can go to Stanford for grad school. Or maybe you will fall in love with your current school. Take it day-by-day and enjoy the journey!

3

I understand that you’re disappointed at not getting into Stanford, but frankly this is the wrong time to be asking this question.

And I have nothing against transferring.

4

In general I think it is a terrible idea to start one college with the intent of transferring out. This will stand in the way of your making meaningful friendships, developing relationships with professors, and getting involved on campus. Then if your transfer doesn’t work out as planned you will be really stuck. I’d go to the college you choose with the intent of staying all four years. It is fine to throw in a transfer application (which should be completed with way under 200 hours of work) but don’t count on it working out. I certainly would not cut into your freshman expereince (ex. doing things you don’t want to do) on the slim hope of transferring to Stanford.

For Stanford in particular I would not count on a transfer happening.
–If you look at the common data set Stanford accepted 24 out of 2,466 transfers in 2019 and 27 out of 2,352 the year before - ridiculously low numbers.

–It is unlikely you will do anything freshman year of college to change the school’s decision.
–It is hard to make the case that you cannot find academic fulfillment at HY or P.

5

Right. You forgot another con:

Dealing with not getting in (by far the most likely scenario) and all that sacrifice for naught.

Your thought process seems rather silly, TBH, and, well, the way I would expect a non-adult to think.
For one, you are not stuck in the Northeast forever. You’ll have plenty of decades to enjoy the weather and bike if you care to move after graduation.

For another, the entrepreneurial environment at Stanford would be available to you if you get in to grad school there.
For a third, Princeton, at least, has a finance center and Harvard is plenty entrepreneurial.

BTW, have you heard of the smoke and wildfires that visit CA every year these days?

6

You can certainly try, but Stanford’s previous yearly announcements about welcoming new transfer students suggests that its small transfer intake heavily emphasizes non-traditional students.

https://news.stanford.edu/2017/11/01/small-mighty-cohort-transfer-students-joins-stanford-community/

7

And there was a big earthquake too in October 1989. :lol:

Let’s see, the two largest in Northern California were the Mendocino Complex fire started in July 2018 and Camp fire started in November 2018. I live in the general vicinity of Stanford and I run and exercise vigorously daily. I wouldn’t let a few days or even a week +/- of poor air quality color your college decision.

Plus, you probably already own a mask, if indeed needed for any future fires.

Get out of the Northeast and wear shorts nearly every day of the year. :wink:

8

I’d be far more worried about the Coronavirus than wildfires right now anyway. Per 100,000 people:

  1. New York
  2. New Jersey
  3. Connecticut
  4. Massachusetts
  5. California (#32, if DC is included)

I think we all know where HYPS are located. :wink:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html

9

^ That means the urban areas of the Northeast are closer to herd immunity.

10

Do yourself a favor and move on. You obviously have a great acceptance at a peer school. The likelihood of a successful transfer application is slim. Go to CA for grad school or for your career.

IMO, you’ll be much happier fully embracing the school that loved you back now.

11

can anyone help me out here please?

im from the Uk and wanting to studying this the US in fall 2021. as an internationals student stanford, harvard and yale university are my top 3 but also got a few other university options to not just them. As here in the UK i have finished college and have enough credits to move onto university to undertake a degree. I fall in the US as a transfer applicant as i have college credits. what are your thoughts on my acceptance rate here, i know being and international student is alot harder to gain addmission.

Any advice or anything is more that welcome. Thankyou :slight_smile:

12

OP: I wonder if you were only accepted by Stanford if you would be reapplying as a transfer to H,Y, and / or P ?

Your stated reason for transferring (major offered by Stanford but not at HYP) shows that you did a poor job of selecting target schools when applying for admission as a freshman as a high school student. Or, it could also indicate that you really only chased prestige and were hurt by the rejection from Stanford.

Which other universities offer your desired major ?

If Stanford is the perfect school for you, then why didn’t you apply EA to Stanford initially ?