Transferring to an Ivy league school questions?

Question

I know that transferring into the Ivy league is extremely challenging, considering the minimal amount of acceptances they admit per year. My question is whether it would be more advantageous to take 3 SAT II subjects or not. I know that they are not required for transfer students in most schools, but I would appreciate hearing from someone who really knows. I'm not sure whether I should concentrate more on SAT II's or on bettering my SAT I score, or on doing the ACT... Thanks!

Answer 1

The SAT and ACT are required for admission to college for new students who have not previously enrolled in college. When you are transferring into an elite school they are mainly interested in the courses you took in college and what grades you got, not what you did in a high school test.

If you check the stats on any ofthe websites, you see that the retention rate at the Ivies, Duke, etc are 97 or 98% from freshman to sophomore year. That means that if the class started out as 1500 kids, that no more than 30 or so have left. So that is the maximum number that can be accepted in by transfer. I think one of the admissions officers told me they receive about 400 transfer apps a year. So, that's how competitive it is. Mostly the kids who transfer in are either coming from some other very elite school where they did very well in their courses, or they are kids who were waitlisted at the school, went to another school and did very well and are now giving it another shot at the school that was their first choice.

It's all about your college grades in courses you took that were tough courses (physics with calc, not freshman comp!) Your grades in those college courses must show that you could handle the courses at the elite school and will not get into academic trouble if they allow you to transfer.

Answer 2

There's not just one way. It depends on which universities and programs you're hoping to get accepted to. So, that first thing to do is make a list of your top choices, and then contact each school's admissions officer or and ask if which are the criteria most valued there for transfer students. You'll be surprised by how much info some of them will share.