<p>I am going to UTexas at Austin next year and am contemplating transferring after the spring semester (The end of my freshman year). I was looking at transferring to Harvard, Rice, or Vanderbilt and I had a couple of questions:</p>
<li><p>What do i need to do academically/extracurricularly in college (CGPA, XC’s) to have a good shot at these schools?</p></li>
<li><p>Do I need to retake my SAT I? (I have, right now, a 2080 composite score)</p></li>
<li><p>Do any of those schools give merit aid for transfers??</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks a lot.</p>
<p>Aye carumba...
You haven't even started college nor given Austin a chance (a GREAT school) and you're already planning on transferring?!?
Transferring is MUCH, MUCH more difficult than first-year admissions.</p>
<p>You will need EXCELLENT college grades (GPA > 3.7)
SAT scores matter, but not as much now that you have college grades.
You will need a strong letter of rec from a college professor, which is hard to get for freshman because first-year classes are usually large.</p>
<p>Harvard offers ZERO merit aid to anyone. PERIOD.</p>
<p>I sstrongly suggest you go to Texas with the mindset that you are going to be there for 4 years and throw yourself into the experience academically, socially, extracurricularly. The VAST VAST majority of students who plan to transfer before they even started end up changing their minds once they fall in love with the school they attend.</p>