Transfer to Yale after Straight A’s Elsewhere?

Archive Ask The Dean Archive
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Question: I am a high school senior, and Yale has always been my dream school. I have a high B average which I know isn’t going to get me in, and my extracurricular activities are good but not amazing. I do attend a really prestigious prep school and could probably have a 4.0 if I’d gone to my local public high school, but I also know there are people in my class who have higher grades than I do who will be applying to Yale, so I’m not optimistic about my chances. So here’s my question: If I attend another college and can get straight A’s there, do I have a decent chance of being accepted to Yale as a transfer after my freshman year or is it better to try to get straight A’s for two years and then apply to transfer?

WHAT DID “THE DEAN” SAY?

See http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/transfer-yale-straight-elsewhere/

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A 3.0 from anywhere is way below Yale level unless you have huge hooks. I would recommend being realistic.

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See since you have about average grades at a top prep school. you will probably get into a very good college, but not nearly the level of Yale. You have probably had the best education and had to study hard. you will probably be given the benefit of the doubt in college admission. So it is really unlikely that you will suddenly get all As when you have been getting Bs. It isn’t like you went to bad schools, your record and/or education was messed up by something, or you didn’t apply yourself. If you do get really high grades in college, you can apply to transfer up, but Yale might not be realistic.