Simple question, but im currently undecided major at my current school and am applying for transfer to the ivies. If I get in is the “primary interest” major binding, or can I still switch majors as a transfer? Any differences between the ivies in this matter? Thanks for all the help, means a lot!
Yes there are big difference across the Ivy’s. You should already know that. This is true in general and it is true about majors. Why in the world would anyone apply indiscriminately “to the ivies”.
Well if you read my question fully, you would see I’m not asking about the difference between the ivies. I’m asking, as an undecided transfer major, when I fill out the common app and it asks me for my preferred major, second preferred major, etc, if those decisions are binding. Currently, as stated previously, I am undecided as to what I want to major in, so am asking if I am accepted as a transfer student if I can switch majors if the one I put as my top choice does not work out for me. The second part of my question was whether or not there is any policy differences on this across the ivies. For example Brown University is much less restrictive in regard to choosing classes than the other ivies…Regardless how about you read the whole question before writing a response that does not make sense and derails my thread.
no easy answer. If you are applying to transfer as a Soph then yes, intended major matters so that they can see if you have completed the prereqs for that major. (They don’t want to admit someone as an incoming Junior transfer who will need more than two years to graduate.) Otherwise, they generally won’t care if you transfer majors, IFF there is space in that major, and as long as you can get out on time.
btw: the Ivies generally accept very few transfers each year.
Thanks for your response I’ll keep that in mind. Anyone else have any thoughts on the matter? Are certain majors(polisci/gov, bio/biochem, Econ) not as likely to be accepted as transfers or do they not even care what ones major is? Once again thanks!
It depends on each school. It’s probably harder to transfer to Penn Wharton econ than Penn CAS econ.
Actually, you need to think this through, because the very selective colleges are looking for WHY you want to transfer to them in particular. They are acutely sensitive to the fact that a lot of students would like to transfer ‘up’. They will look at your explanation about what they have that your current college does not (besides, obviously, prestige). If you don’t know what you want to study, how do you know that you can’t do it at your current college, and how do you know that their version of it is the right one for you? That’s your bigger challenge.
Within a college unit (eg, A&S, Business, etc) and between overlapping subject groups it is typically not hard to refine your choice, esp as a 2nd year.
I think as an undecided major you’ll have a particularly difficult challenge transferring to an Ivy League school because it will be difficult for you to express to them your specific academic need to transfer. Harvard looks for a “A clearly defined academic need to transfer,” and Yale states: “Transfer candidates should have particularly compelling and well-defined academic reasons for wishing to attend Yale.”
I think most other Ivy League schools will also want to know what you’re looking for academically that is not available at your present school. If you’re undecided, how would you know?
Best of Luck!
I’m aware of the need to establish a major/why I need the academics at such and such university vs my own and that’s the reason I’m transfering. What I’m asking is wether or not switching a major would be possible once accepted, and also how does ones intended major affect acceptance. Would a more common major at the university be accepted more often as a transfer, or would a less common major at the university be accepted more often as a transfer. Thanks for all the input though.
You probably won’t get a better answer than “it depends” given the Ivy League is comprised of eight universities with multiple colleges of hundreds of different departments with unique policies; and unique university and departmental needs that can change with each admissions cycle.
If anyone can give you Ivy transfer admission tendencies, make sure to account for athletes, peer-to-peer transfers, and transfers from two-year colleges like Deep Springs.
Best of Luck.