<p>Now that most decisions have been sent out and received, I have been looking through the "official" transfer threads and taking note of what I see as trends in certain schools: Cornell seems to be harder on Engineering and CAS applicants, Penn seems to be somewhat more transfer-friendly than other top 10 schools, and, despite their claim that their admission process is need-blind, Brown does seem to take FA into consideration, among other shallow observations like these of other schools. However, I have been unable to find much of a pattern for Harvard or Yale.
After an extensive survey of the Harvard thread, the best I've come up with is that several athletes were admitted, as well as their apparent fondness for founders of non-profit organizations. However, I only saw one case of a non-profit founder and the person that posted the data about the athletes seemed a little less than certain. Because of this, and in an attempt to prevent myself from reading the entire Harvard thread (which I'm probably going to end up doing anyway), I ask the age-old question to whoever has been admitted, whoever has been denied, and whoever is thinking of applying for Fall 2012 as I am: how do you get into Harvard?
Have you noticed any trends? What seems to increase your chances? What seems to lower them? Don't restrict yourself to Harvard; feel free to post the same of any other ridiculously selective school you have in mind, as I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering how they can get into their dream school, in or out of the Ivy League.
Before I'm told that "no one can no for sure", let me state that I know full well the unpredictability of transferring into a top school. I am only asking for opinions- anything helps. </p>
<p>If you are curious, I am considering Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Duke, Brown, Penn, Cornell, Rice, Northwestern, Emory, and UNC. Throughout the year, I will eliminate schools until I am down to six, which is why I'm thinking about it from so early on. I want to make sure I have thought my choices out well.
Sorry for the length, I'm a little anxious after going through these threads.</p>
<p>You are right. I just checked their website again, their need-blind policy applies only to freshman applicants. I must have overlooked that. Thanks for setting me straight.</p>
<p>Wow. I knew it’d be difficult to get any feedback on a question like “How do I get into Harvard?”, but I expected something by now. Come on, anything helps including tips for the other schools I listed.</p>
<p>Well, honestly I think that’s because it’s a rather ridiculous question. There were over 1500 transfer applicants to Harvard this past year, and 12 available spots; 6 of them went to student athletes. That leaves 6 for us “normal folk.” I’m sure the number of students with 4.0 GPAs, 2350+ SATs, absurd extra-curriculars and impeccable essays who were turned down is mind boggling. Go ahead and send in the application and application fee for the sake of peace of mind, but for most intents and purposes Harvard doesn’t have a transfer program. Unless you have inconceivably deep pockets and inconceivably deep connections there, I’d say there’s a snowball’s chance in hell of getting in. Not trying to be a downer, but that’s just the way I see it.
Yale and Stanford aren’t QUITE as hopeless. They still have about 2% transfer acceptance rates, but “normal” people HAVE gotten in, I believe. Yale is tricky because they place so much emphasis on community college students, so I think it’s tough to transfer from another four-year institution; in fact, on their website they caution most people away from even bothering to send in the application. Stanford similarly stresses CCs, but more emphasis on West Coast than anything else. Again, worth the shot I suppose.
I don’t know much about Cornell, but given the volume of traffic on here it seems that they have quite a large number of transfer students, and that it isn’t TOO too difficult to transfer in. Penn similarly has a highER transfer rate, around 15% (similar to its freshman admit rate). Dartmouth is notoriously difficult to transfer into, and obviously Princeton has no transfer program. You covered Brown’s FA situation, but it seems that (due to the dual options of fall and spring enrollment), Brown’s acceptance rate probably hovers in the 8-10% range; according to a friend who goes there, the perception is that it’s easier to transfer in than get in as a freshman (so not true -_-). Columbia received a spike in applications this year after going common app, so overall I’d say its acceptance rate is probably in the 2-5% range. Now, I may be biased because I’m going there, but I’d say it’s the most selective of the schools that still remains accessible to those of mortal stature. That’s my two cents.</p>
<p>@peg92 - The answer? Be stunningly amazing.</p>
<p>Is my answer too vague? It’s meant to be. You ask the question as if there’s some kind of formula on how to get in, but there’s not. Nobody really knows why those 6 people make the cut. I’m sure if someone with the same exact application applied in a different year, they could just as easily be rejected instead. It just varies. There’s no kind of rhyme or reason to it. All you can do is do the best you can and hope Lady Luck favors you.</p>
<p>ananapp, that was actually a pretty helpful and complete answer. The question might be ridiculous but it was apparently sane enough to receive an intelligent reply, albeit one that didn’t change much.
I will still probably apply to Harvard and hope that being an athlete really does help, but I won’t hold my breath.
I was not aware that Columbia had received a much larger number of applications than it had in previous years. Thanks for the update.</p>
<p>College: Rather well-known state school unfairly ranked about top 100, but that’s just my opinion. I am in the Honors Program.
College GPA: 3.9. One B. President’s List first semester, Dean’s List last semester. I came in with most of my pre-reqs and general education credits done through IB and AP, so I’ve been taking classes a sophomore would usually take.
Major: Biology, currently considering double majoring in English if I have the time. I am pre-med.
EC-
Varsity row crew. We’re not well-known, but we’ve been rather successful this past year. Hopefully we can do better.
Club Soccer (University-sponsored), will be on the starting eleven this coming semester.
Volunteer with the blood center regularly.
I’ve been invited to and have joined all sorts of honor societies, if only for resume fodder for medical school and for the chance at some scholarships.</p>
<p>High School: My high school record is disgusting in the worst way possible. I’m hoping that by applying as a junior transfer, they won’t pay much attention to it, or at least realize that I’m a different person.
I went to a rather highly regarded public magnet school. Top 26 in the country, or something like that, though I’m sure it won’t matter now.
GPA: Horrendous. Rather not share. Suffice it to say it does not reflect my capabilities or my current work. I didn’t really care when I was in high school and my GPA suffered. I regret this greatly now.
SAT: 2040. I took it when I was 16 because I skipped a grade and, once again, didn’t really care so I didn’t put much effort it.
IB Diploma Recipient
College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar
Lots of community service
Other scattered ECs and awards that probably don’t matter now.</p>
<p>Other things that might or might not count for anything:
I am a published writer; a couple of my short stories have been published in some literary journals.
Political refugee from a dictator-run country. Immigrated when I was 8.
English is not my first language; or, rather, it is not my native language. Some people consider first language to mean other things.
I expect my essays to be particularly good, as I used to be an English major.
Not so sure about my recommendations yet, but I know for sure that one will be spectacular.</p>
<p>Oh okay, yea I was just wondering because I plan on applying to Emory too. I’ll have a 3.86 when I apply after first semester. Also planning to retake the SATs and get some good EC’s going.</p>
<p>I would, and I’m sure I could easily break the 700 mark for all three sections at this point, but what I’ve heard from most is that for transfers, especially junior transfers, the SAT matters little because it’s a predictor of how you’ll do in college. With two years of college under your belt, you have little use for a prediction.</p>
<p>definitely apply to emory! can i ask why you’re not considering vanderbilt?</p>
<p>also, i would cross UNC off that list. i wanted to transfer there (i transferred to emory instead) but they were super weird about transferring my credits. something about their semester lengths being different. i thought it was super weird and just decided not to bother with it since i had so many credits and didn’t want to re-take those classes</p>
<p>Vanderbilt is notorious for grade deflation, especially in science and math classes. As I will be applying to medical school early senior year, I’d rather my GPA doesn’t take a dive in my junior year. I’m not saying I wouldn’t be able to keep my GPA up, I would just rather not take the chance.</p>
<p>Yeah, I heard about that. I’ve heard good things from my friends that go there but that and other factors are probably gonna make UNC the first school to be eliminated from my list.</p>