<p>I’m currently 2 months into my first year at college and I would be lying to myself if I said that transferring hasn’t been on my mind.</p>
<p>Academically, my experience has been excellent thus far at my current school. My midterms have me pointed towards a ~3.7-3.8 GPA, and my professors/classes have been great for the most part. The undergraduate business program I’m in is also an excellent fit for my major/pre-professional interests (finance and economics).</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I can’t exactly say the same thing about my social life. Though I am not entirely miserable, there is a lot left to be desired at my current school. While most of the students are generally friendly and book smart kids, it is a very homogenous population. Prior to coming here, I already knew that it would be pretty WASPy, but my concerns about “landing a high salary job” took priority over anything else. I have made an effort to find a niche, and am involved in several clubs, however there's a certain culture here that I just can't assimilate myself into.</p>
<p>I realize that it’s still early to be having a decisive mindset, however the transfer app deadlines are in March-April, and I should probably start my applications in December. The schools I’m looking at are top tier and very selective (Georgetown MSB, NYU Stern, Cornell AEM, Columbia, Northwestern, Brown, Penn), probably even more so for transfers. However, I would only really be willing to transfer if the school offers better or at least similar prospects in finance as my current school. As I said, I am not miserable at my current institution, and I could certainly tough it out for 4 years as long as my GPA is high.</p>
<p>Are there any things that I should keep my mind as transfer app season approaches? How should I approach the prospect of transferring? I have read Transfer 101 and it provides a lot of good insight, but there are some certain particulars that are not addressed.</p>
<p>Also, for what its worth, I graduate Cum Laude (at least top 25%, HS didn’t rank) with 8 APs and was accepted to schools like: Michigan, Boston College, USC, Wake Forest, and wait-listed at: NYU Stern, Emory, Rice. SAT: 2160 (1420 M+CR) and 2 720+ SAT Subject Tests.</p>
<p>I think it’s too early to call. I’ve been thinking about transferring, too, but there’d be no financial benefit since I wouldn’t get any benefit. I’ve had struggles in my mind with this school being too far, was it worth it, wishing i chose another school, etc., but I know that I have to at least do my best until end of semester or even end of year, it’s just an adjustment period. I mean if you are absolutely sure that you want to go somewhere else and it’d be better, you can prepare for transfer applications. It wouldn’t hurt to apply. But I think maybe it’s just that we’re not really settled in yet, there must’ve been good reasons you chose this school. Give it time, unless you are sure you want to be somewhere else</p>
<p>Not sure if you actually read through my post. I said I was admitted to BC, Mich, USC first time around and will not be applying to them again. I have no intentions of applying to WUSTL or Emory either.</p>
<p>Also “I would only really be willing to transfer if the school offers better or at least similar prospects in finance as my current school.”</p>
<p>Sounds like you’re using your social life as an excuse to justify trying for an upgrade in prestige. You’re going to be throwing away your application fee at most of those schools. But since you seem very stubborn, you should just apply anyway and come back in June, and we’ll see what schools you have been accepted to.</p>
<p>“Sounds like you’re using your social life as an excuse to justify trying for an upgrade in prestige.”</p>
<p>Not really. Prestige is a pretty important factor in the industry I’m aiming to work in, and I don’t want to sacrifice that solely for the sake of a better social environment. I wouldn’t see it as any different than saying “I want to go to a more liberal school with a stronger pre-medical program.”</p>
<p>“You’re going to be throwing away your application fee at most of those schools.”</p>
<p>I’m well aware of the fact that they are very selective. Though I’d appreciate some more useful heads-up or guidance rather than your unnecessarily presumptuous attitude. Thanks anyways.</p>
<p>Prestige is important in every industry everyone is trying to work in. The social life part, once again, seems like an excuse to justify transferring upward. You can transfer into lower-ranked colleges with better social environments. But since ALL of the schools you are considering are in the top 25 and above, I don’t think you even care about the social scene at all. You’re just reaching for reasons to convince admissions counselors into thinking you’re moving for reasons other than the name of the school.</p>
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<p>Hundreds of students who failed to get into their top 25 dream colleges try again for transfer. You are just the same as them. The admissions rates tell the truth, very few people succeed (unless their dream school is Vanderbilt/Notre Dame). There is little guidance anyone can provide other than to take as rigorous courses as possible in your major and get as high grades as possible. And since you have yet to finish your first semester, there is little reason you should be making those list of schools until you have your final grades. I don’t care what you have now. Things can change very quick by final exams.</p>
<p>But I digress. I’ll come back to this thread in January to see what grades you’ve received and what schools you’ve applied to.</p>
<p>“But since ALL of the schools you are considering are in the top 25 and above, I don’t think you even care about the social scene at all. You’re just reaching for reasons to convince admissions counselors into thinking you’re moving for reasons other than the name of the school.”</p>
<p>Calm down kiddo. If I didn’t care about the social aspect of the school I would’ve considered places like Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Dartmouth, and Duke which are culturally very similar to the school I currently attend, but are more “prestigious”. I’m sorry that you think I’m simply blindly applying to T25 schools for the sake of attending a T25 school, but that’s not the case. Stop making assumptions.</p>
<p>“There is little guidance anyone can provide other than to take as rigorous courses as possible in your major and get as high grades as possible. And since you have yet to finish your first semester, there is little reason you should be making those list of schools until you have your final grades.”</p>
<p>Deadlines are in March/April. Final exams take place in later December. Seeing that Sophomore transfer is apparently more heavily dependent on HS than first semester freshman year, I don’t see how it hurts to spend a little more than three months to draft a list.</p>
<p>“I don’t care what you have now. Things can change very quick by final exams.”</p>
<p>I didn’t ask you to. But thanks for getting severely off topic.</p>
<p>Similar story here… except my current school, Midd, doesn’t have the major I want (journalism). Of course, NYU, Georgetown and Cornell aren’t better than my current school. Since I’m not “trading up”, would I fare better?</p>
<p>I think Bettercallsaul makes a very reasonable point here, I find myself I a kind of familiar situation. Hope someone can help who has been in this situation and has actually transferred.</p>
<p>And Sometransfer, what are you trying to show here? Trying to show your knowledge of the human nature? What is wrong with chasing a dream? He knows it will be hard, he asks for additional advice not for a confirmation of what he already knows.</p>