Something New for Transfers...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I am a Canadian citizen currently in my senior year of high school. I will be attending the University of Toronto this upcoming semester, and will attempt to transfer to Harvard's Political/Social Science program during my first year. (The year when transfer application spots re-open - 2011) What exactly, are the required courses I must take at U of T to be eligible for transfer to Harvard? I have read the "Eligibility Requirements", but it does not specifically state anything about the courses required of foreign students?</p>

<p>I have a few questions and concerns:</p>

<p>My high school marks weren't good. Not at all. At least my junior years. The average was probably around 60%, which I am not sure what it is in GPA (we use percentages). My senior year, though, the year I am currently in, all my marks are above 95% (That should convert to at least a 4.0 GPA, correct?). There is a reason for this though. My family went through some serious problems during my junior years. My parents almost got divorced, and a bunch of other things happened that I'm not going to go into (e.g. family deaths). In the end, I overcame it and got my life back on track. Would this be enough to justify the low averages? </p>

<p>If I work my ass off in college, get recognized in ECs, get fantastic recommedations, and the like, how much of a chance do I have? </p>

<p>Some more details:</p>

<p>1) I was classified as "gifted" during my early years and was invited to take an IQ test in which I scored a 157.
2) I was on an IPP for gifted students until my marks dropped like hell during my junior years.
3) I have played a musical instrument (piano), for over 10 years and have achieved a Grade 10 level.
4) I have taken 2 second language courses. (4 years French, 10+ Years Chinese)
5) I am a first generation College student.</p>

<p>Forgive the incoherence, I typed this really fast.</p>

2

<p>Bump please?</p>

3

<p>To my knowledge, Harvard has not stated that they plan to allow transfers for 2011. Have you found any official statement on the admissions website?</p>

<p>According to the current admissions website for Transfer Students, it states there are no transfers for 08-09, and 09-10, it does not say it will "open up" for 10-11.</p>

4

<p>Oh my bad. =&lt;/p>

<p>But it does seem that they do not intend to keep transfers closed forever, or else they could have just said they weren't excepting any more transfers. </p>

<p>"Harvard College will be unable to enroll any transfer students for the next two academic years, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010."</p>

<p>If they were going to keep it closed longer, why not just say three years? Four years?</p>

5

<p>Well, they certainly could open up transfers, but with the current plans to close one House every year for extensive rennovations, there is simply no guarantee. </p>

<p>Some students are piled into bunks in tiny walk-through rooms, with barely room to breathe, and others are living in Common Rooms fashioned with partitions, undermining the House experience considerably. </p>

<p>Hopefully, there will soon be space for everyone, including transfers!</p>

6

<p>I agree with fauve that there hasn't been a statement yet that transfer admissions are coming back. That would be great, for some applicants, but those were always long odds in the beginning.</p>