I am a first year at Mount Holyoke College and I am a spring admit so I’m starting in January of 2018. Because I am behind a semester, I’d apply for transfer to another institution in March of 2019 but I’d still be considered a sophomore transfer. I want to transfer to one of the Ivies, particularly UPenn for its well-known business program and Columbia since it was my dream school and I was waitlisted to Barnard (kinda related but tbh idk lolz). I am a Canadian citizen so I am considered an international at my college and I also received a lot of financial aid. If I get into any of those schools as a transfer, will I be eligible to receive financial aid?
Any particular reason you want to leave a well regarded LAC that’s giving you great financial aid to study there?
To answer your question, the schools you mentioned offer need-based aid to transfers, but there is no guaranteeing that it’ll be anywhere near what you’re receiving now. If you don’t have truly compelling reasons to leave Holyoke, then I’d suggest staying.
Do you like Mt Holyoke enough to stay for all four years if your transfer applications don’t work out? Think that through very carefully. You might be best off not starting there in the first place.
If you go into school already wanting to transfer, it might not be the best mindset. My daughter is a Firstie there now, and if she had her choice between Barnard, U-Penn and MoHo, she would pick MoHo, she LOVES it there. Some of her classmates picked it over Brown and Harvard. It is very diverse and friendly. On some rankings the professors and classroom experience are rated in the top ten. Give it a chance.
You are a first year and you have not even began. Give it time. Just because it’s not an ivy does not mean it is not a good school. You can catch up and be “on-time” if you work hard.
If you want to transfer to be “on time” there is a strong chance your units may not (will not) transfer perfectly. That means you will be even more delayed.