<p>I've noticed from freshman decisions that this year seems to be one of the toughest years on record to gain admission to top schools. So what is the prediction for us transfers? Will this also mark one of the most competitive transfer seasons ever?</p>
<p>At schools that do not meet financial need for transfers, this will possibly end up being the easiest year to get into many good colleges if you can pay full freight.</p>
<p>i agree with hmom5, especially if applying OOS to public uni’s</p>
<p>If only I were in that position. I no longer work and my mother is an elementary school teacher-- I’ll need some aid.</p>
<p>I do agree though, hmom5. I recently read an article on Bloomberg that Williams applications fell 20%.</p>
<p>what about at the elites though(Ivies, Duke, etc)? I am anticipating that there will be a surge in transfer apps since everyone thinks its easier to get in now?</p>
<p>The surge in transfer apps at the elites that meet need will also be likely to be a result of this economy–most offer great need based aid and are cheaper than state schools for those with low income families.</p>
<p>This happened with freshmen applicants already. Stanford with it’s new FA policy had a 20% increase in applications, Dartmouth about 10%.</p>
<p>hmom, are you saying that it will be harder to transfer into the elites then?</p>
<p>What about applicants that are not applying for financial aid, do you think that the admissions committee will greatly favor them and give them a boost because endowments have dipped so much?</p>
<p>
Haha, yes. This is part of why I’m applying to Stanford. My father, a factory worker, was laid off and has been hard-pressed finding a job, forcing the family to live on my mom’s modest salary as clerk.</p>
<p>xfer, i’m wondering the same thing. if you hear any answer from anywhere else, will you let me know? i’ve been asking around but i’ve been getting mixed answers and all sorts of different feedback, but i would really like to know.</p>
<p>Many of the need-blind elites will experience the surge, while the need-aware schools may level or decline. At least that is the way it would seem from Stanford being up 20% and Williams being down 20%.</p>
<p>what are the FA policies of Cornell, Brown, and Northwestern? advantageous to transfer students able to pay full tuition or the reverse?</p>
<p>It should be tougher this year. What does it matter though? The top qualified students will make it and the majority of other applicants won’t. No point in chewing it over now, right?</p>
<p>i guess it’s just for a little bit peace of mind.
anyway, being a full tuition candidate obviously will never hurt your chances, but it just might not give you any sort of boost in your app.</p>
<p>I was just wondering what people thought about this year’s ivy league pool for full tuition candidates. I think that they will definitely want to accept you more since they are low on funds these days, but the fact that there will be more applicants in total might balance out that advantage, and your chances are probably about the same as a similar candidate in previous years.</p>
<p>xfer, i’ve heard mixed things. you don’t have to answer, but are you applying for aid?</p>
<p>no, im not applying for any aid, but i will try to get a merit scholarship if accepted, although that looks doubtful as a transfer</p>
<p>I disagree with you xfer101. The Ivy League schools are hurting, sure. But they’re still doing far, far better than the vast majority of schools out there, and some of them have even stated that they’ll remain fully committed to their financial aid policies. I know Dartmouth is for sure, and they have even fired some individuals here just to make ends meet. Think of it as promoting a public image. When you’re talking about such high levels of endowment, the analysis boils down in a completely different way.</p>
<p>Anyways, as others have stated, I suspect that the number of transfer apps has risen for about the same number of seats. I really don’t know how colleges are going to structure things internally - perhaps more people will drop out for various reasons and whatnothavenot. No use worrying about this stuff…</p>
<p>Ok, but part of me is skeptical about that…I mean of course the Ivies will still claim that they are “need-blind” because they do not want to discourage low income applicants from applying…but I think in practice an Admission Officer might be advised to be more partial towards applicants not applying for aid…i mean how could they not. </p>
<p>This is just my hopeful opinion, to take the edge off :)</p>
<p>haha xfer, i hope you’re right. let’s face it: money matters. i mean i think it’s great that schools are really trying to accomodate students who need help, but i don’t know. part of me doesn’t have so much faith in the world, i guess.</p>
<p>Brown, I believe, is the only ivy that is not need blind for transfers. So paying in full will be an advantage there. I think the full pay candidates advantage is at the schools a bit below the ivies that are need aware for transfers.</p>
<p>But I will admit to being cynical about just what need blind means in times like these.</p>
<p>When you put it that way xfer101, then objectively speaking, you could be right. However, the distinction really gets interesting when you’re comparing a financial aid student who’s slightly more interesting and an applicant who didn’t apply for aid. I would be inclined to believe that the former would be preferred over the latter. Of course, if things were ceteris paribus (which they usually aren’t anyways), then obviously preference would be for the latter. </p>
<p>And ironicallyunsure, I really do hope that xfer is wrong; that those days when the privileged had disproportionate access to the nation’s top schools are behind us and that we can focus on merit. Because that’s the right thing to do, IMO.</p>