Why aren't there more transfer applicants to top schools?

<p>It's hard to find a school whose number of transfer applicants approach 15-20% of the freshman applicants. Did the 85% (or a subpercentage thereof) who had X as a dream school become content elsewhere? Or do some people know transfer admissions is, in most cases, considerably harder, and therefore know they don't have much of a chance at Brown, so they don't bother applying? </p>

<p>It's hard to think of someone who has high grades in a lesser-known college not entertain the possibility of applying to Brown, or maybe even Yale.</p>

<p>Because being at a Top 10 school isn’t everything and it feels like a waste of money applying to a school that doesn’t even care about you (at least for me chances would be like 0.1%)</p>

<p>You think you have a miniscule chance? Do you have a really high grade at your current college? Do subpar SATs affect your calculations?</p>

<p>I think the process plays a large role in their decision: having to get teacher recs, submit scores, write essays, etc. You’re basically replicating your senior year application process with the addititon of having to tell your professor that you want to transfer (awkward). As a prospective transfer, I have not enjoyed the process and can see why many students avoid it. However, I felt that it was necessary in terms of finding a better fit.</p>

<p>Probably because of everything listed above and because of financial issues. Top schools = more expensive</p>

<p>Also stronger financial aid though. </p>

<p>And the process doesn’t seem that big of an obstacle because each individual step doesn’t take a lot of time at all. </p>

<p>For freshman admissions, published statistics (average admitted GPA range, percentage of students who were in the top x% of their respective schools, percentile scores) usually give applicants a good idea of how likely their acceptances are.</p>

<p>While the above is still available to transfer applicants, how much of a difference do you think a college GPA makes, either compensatorily for or complementarily to pre-college achievements?</p>

<p>Although a clear academic need is stressed, spots are still limited enough for other factors to play an equal role in admissions, if not greater.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Often but not always, from both sides of the equation, COA and FA. For instance, compare GWU & Yale: Y is higher ranked by just about any measure, COA is higher at GWU, GWU does not guarantee to meet full need and uses loans in FA packages, Y meets full need and gives no loans.</p>

<p>I’m not trying to say that finances aren’t a factor in transferring, they are, and rightly so. But the generalization that people don’t apply to the top schools due to cost is not always correct. As a matter of fact, many students take a shot at the most selective colleges that give great FA because if they are fortunate enough to be accepted, they are more likely to be financially able to attend.</p>

<p>I’m not sure I understand the OPs question, given the admission rates for transfers at top schools, I’d say there are an overabundance of transfer applicants to these schools.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Where is this information available for transfer admissions?</p>

<p>The admission rate is lower because spots for transfers is generally contingent on unexpected leaves, which schools with high retention rates don’t have much of. </p>

<p>But my question is, with Cornell serving as an example, of the 36k who had initially applied to Cornell as HS Seniors, 3k of them attend. Since Cornell has a 18% rate, that means between 6k and 7k were accepted, and it can be generously assumed that the other 3k went to other schools generally of Cornell’s caliber. </p>

<p>Even if none of those 3k regretting not enrolling at Cornell decide to reapply, what explains the lack of reapplication from the other 30k applicants who were rejected? Cornell only receives 3k transfer applications, comprising both reapplicants and new applicants.</p>

<p>Moreover, since new applicants comprise a considerable portion of a school’s transfer pool, why isn’t the number of them closer to, say, 15k for Cornell?</p>

<p>Also, I meant that transfer applicants still see that data, about hs gpa, SATs, etc. concerning freshman applicants, not that the statistics are of transfer applicants, successful or not.</p>

<p>Once you get to college, you realize how little going to a top undergrad matters</p>

<p>^^Agree. Whether C rejects get into higher, lower and similarly ranked schools, the vast majority will be happy where they are and not at all interested in continuing to chase some ‘dream’ school.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Have you gone through the transfer process?</p>

<p>In my experience, transfer apps take the same amount of work as fr apps, then add Instructor LORs, College Official report, customized essays and supplements for each school and the social and other issues that CB1 alluded to (eg. telling friends, figuring out housing for the next year when you don’t know whether you’re staying or leaving, etc.)</p>

<p>So the process accounts for the drastically fewer transfer applicants (again, not restricted to Cornell rejects) by 33k students, all of whom are content?</p>

<p>maybe they don’t want people to see it as a backdoor…idk. But I do know that for a fact many top schools have high retention rates so they won’t have a lot of space left for transfer students :/</p>

<p>If you have a high enough GPA, recommendations and can write convincing essays you might as well give it a try. I’m surprised that so many students are intimidated by top schools.</p>

<p>I’m intimidated by the applicant pool myself and not so optimistic about my chances at some schools, but I never thought about not applying.</p>

<p>It is a big hassle to transfer.</p>

<p>Mentally, physically, and financially. You have to complete applications WHILE maintaining a good GPA at COLLEGE, not high school anymore.</p>

<p>As a corrollary to what Ace posted, the attempt to transfer is one huge emotional rollercoaster that some people would rather not experience. I’m a robot with an adimantium endoskeleton thus making me impervious to silly emotions.</p>

<p>To the people that are transferring and call it a huge hassle, I’d really like to know if you are at a state school, private, etc. I am currently in the middle of transferring from community college and the process has been a joke it’s so easy. Yeah, you have to get a few papers filled out and some transcripts sent off. That isn’t hard at all. I spent more time on my essay then the entire process combined. You can do virtually all of it online or, gasp, have to <em>ask</em> for a letter of recommendation. How time consuming!</p>

<p>The name of the game is just planning. Once I decided to transfer I gave myself adequate time to prepare, researched the process and applied well in advance of the required dates, all while out partying with my friends and pushing a relatively high GPA with good courseload. (Chinese, Logic, etc)</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Translation: Johnny is better than all of you.</p>

<p>well at community college youre taking max 200 level classes arnt ya? im taking 3 400 level classes as a frosh, playing a varsity sport, and transferring…</p>

<p>its alot harder than HS lemme tell you that, in HS my counselor did 1/2 the work!</p>

<p>@eyethink</p>

<p>Not sure if trollin or if you are serious, lol. I said I was in community college and said planning was what enabled it. (Not to mention it took like 10 minutes to do all the online stuff.) Your comment makes zero sense. If someone doesn’t want to do the legwork to get out of a situation they think is bad, then they really don’t terribly want to transfer. For my school at least, the legwork was almost non-existent. </p>

<p>@mcfuggie: That makes sense. That was why I asking whether the people replying were state school, private school students etc. I can only speak from my community college experience. My original point still stands though, unless there is just some incredibly significant amount of work in contract to CC. If someone wants to go to another school, having to do the legwork to transfer out is the most ridiculous reason to NOT transfer. If someone is that lazy, then they will simply have to accept where they are.</p>