<p>Since it seems like the majority of threads are centered on admission, I'd like to ask you guys about what I am the most worried of in the transfer process: the transfer "environment". Do you guys feel like certain school types - small/large, urban/suburban/rural - make for an academic mileu that is more accepting of late comers, or is the seemlessness of the transfer integration process merely up to the individual? I am specifically curious about the so-called "top privates" such as Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, Georgetown, and Yale. Thanks a lot guys.</p>
<p>me too...but not limited to those schools...</p>
<p>Damn, I was hoping this thread would generate a lot of discussion. I guess only the "Let's celebrate how awesome we are because we got into X,Y,and Z" can do that.</p>
<p>precisely
there aren't too many transfers to harvard, columbia, or yale (35!) i'm not sure about stanford and georgetown. if you are a friendly person, you should be able to make friends anywhere. but ya, it makes it harder when there are only so many transfers.</p>
<p>Georgetown is very accepting of transfers. From the moment we are admitted, we receive the same, if not better, treatment than frosh. New Student Orientation has its own transfer section, so transfers are immediately placed into an environment where they can meet other transfers. There are also events intended only for transfers. The transfer students themselves, at least in my group, were amiable. Several of them are now good friends of mine. </p>
<p>The excellent part about Georgetown is that it is almost impossible not to feel welcome and not to make friends. I am an introvert, and I try to avoid befriending people simply because I enjoy my own space; however, during NSO I inevitably made acquaintances and they developed into friendships.</p>
<p>Georgetown's campus is specifically conducive to socializing, since it is small and students usually walk on the same paths toward class; for instance, nearly everyone will pass through Red Square at some point in his/her time at Georgetown in order to reach class. Since there are various student groups that table in the square (nearly every day of the work-week), the Red Square is one way to make quick friends. In the College, students are not competitive, so it is easy to make friends through group projects or by working on homework assignments. In fact, professors encourage such collaboration: our linguistics professor allowed us to collaborate on homework so long as we listed the persons involved.</p>
<p>Georgetown, and I think most top 25 institutions, makes you feel like you are in a community of students. At larger schools, you are yourself competing among others. If you want help, you can obtain it easily, and there are many persons to befriend. I think Georgetown is different, however, in that students seem enthusiastic about helping and contributing.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot. I would imagine Columbia would be similar, as it too is a great university in its own section of a bustling city.</p>
<p>i know at william and mary they have like this ceremony thing where the frosh cross over and enter W&M land and blah blah blah...they have it for bonding purposes and all that jazz...are there any other top schools that do stuff like that?</p>