Transparency in why I'm Transferring Essays

Transfer Students
1

While not all institutions ask why you’ve decided to transfer (many I’ve seen why their institution), I wanted some advice on whether or not to be fully transparent.

While some reasons I fully plan to disclose (Lack of research opportunities, not the right academic fit, want to be challenged more, stronger programs at other institution) there’s one I’m a little uncertain.

I’m an openly gay male, and my school has a ton of homophobic incidents, with a few being brought to the attention of the school, with a freshman this year (I’m a sophomore) even being bullied enough to move off-campus this year. The administration gave a very lackluster response, however, to their defense the student body and the students the school attracts are the issue (in my eyes at least). Obviously not everyone is homophobic at my school, but I rather not spend the rest of my college years there.

Is this smart to mention? I don’t want to just sh*t on my current school in my essay, and plan to bring attention to the positives of the other schools instead of focusing on the negatives. I thought maybe a brief line like comparing resources? (keep in mind, I was apparently the first underclassmen to live in gender-inclusive housing which had no regulations or pre-written guidance).

Any advice appreciated!!! (sorry i’ve posted twice, but thought it would make more sense for these two different topics to be separate)

2

Hi! I just went through this entire transfer process and had different crappy experiences at my former school. The last thing they want to hear is negative stuff about your old school, but it is important to mention and entirely depends on how you word it.

You probably thought of this already but maybe mention how the school you’re applying to has a certain club or student spirit that is more welcoming to the lgbtq+ community and that you would want to be involved to help other students while this is not exactly the case at your school? And how you think you’d fit in better with the existing community at new school and add to it? So it’s mostly positive but explains how your old school was lacking in this area.