Ivy League schools are prestigious historical universities known for their competitive selective process, educational excellence and promising professional opportunities for their scholars, because of its reputation and notorious selective process many students who have previously erred to get into Ivy League tend to seek the opportunity to transfer even while in other colleges. let’s see “How Easy Is It To Transfer To An Ivy League School?”
So whether you want to change majors not available in your college, your current college doesn’t feel just right or you’re seeking the countless career opportunities and challenging educational experience an Ivy League school has to offer, the great news is the process is an achievable but demanding quest and has been explored by students all over the globe both previously and now who were successful!
Studies have shown there are reasonably fewer transfer applicants than regular freshman applicants. Hence strategies such as focusing on getting great grades in your current college, crafting a remarkably compelling story, stellar recommendations and strong extracurricular are key steps to take for an irresistible application when considering transferring to an Ivy League college.
What to Do To Transfer to an Ivy League School?
Before starting a transfer application to an Ivy league school one needs to access some fundamental points such as;
- Evaluate and be sure you have strong intentions why you are seeking a transfer to an Ivy college over your current one.
- Search for the top two Ivy League colleges which can provide for your need and research their application process components and acceptance rates to weigh your options.
- Seek an area of interest you would love to pursue and explore possible choices and focus on those areas to gain mastery and engage yourself to be exceptional.
- Be sure you are reapplying at the right time, not too early to gain experience and improve your application portfolio and not late when you’re about to graduate from your current college. Sophomore or junior students are advised to reapply.
Transferring into an Ivy League school is a viable option to achieve your goals, it doesn’t quite fix that initial pain of rejection but it does have its perks and an outstanding application is achievable. The following steps are proposed for an excellent application when transferring to an Ivy League school;
- Recognize And Fix The Problem.
Although most universities will not explain why an applicant was rejected. However, being able to analyse and point out where your application was weak through personal research or with the help of a specialist or community and then working on those shaky areas to strengthen them is the first step to a successful transfer process.
- Improve Your Grades
Ivy Leagues expect their applicants to have strong and exceptional grades to qualify while enrolling. Be sure your transcript in your current school is excellent and you take interesting courses that will stand you out.
- Develop an Outstanding Statement of Purpose / Personal Statement
The importance of an outstanding personal statement can not be overemphasized for a strong application, especially as a transfer student you need to write a compelling and interesting statement on why you want to go to that school and what area an Ivy League can benefit you that your current college can’t and at the same time opening their eyes to what is significant to you as an individual.
- Take Extracurricular Activities
You can participate in extracurricular activities that are of impact to your field and let them see the passion and enthusiasm you have in the activities you do. This shows you are hardworking and dedicated and will be a great addition to their institution.
- Provide Exceptional Recommendation Letters
Ivy Leagues require at least two recommendation letters, thus someone like a teacher in current college or an employer in a relevant field who have personal experience with you, your dedication to work and aspirations is advised. Informing your recommenders on time and providing them with relevant documents such as CVs, cover letters and full transcripts will help them craft a better recommendation letter for a killer application.
- Take Standardized Tests
Taking and retaking required standardised tests is advised as it makes your entire application stand out. Tests like SAT or ACT are either required by Ivy League as it is used to access your knowledge and ability in key subjects
- Prepare For an Interview
Some Ivy League schools require an interview as final stage clearance to get accepted and one is required to go for it.
Passing such an interview needs coordination, respect and sincerity as these help the institution der to know you not just as an applicant but as a person.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Transferring to an Ivy League School
Benefits
- Gives you time to improve your grades and general GPA in a lesser-known college thereby setting you as a passionate applicant who is ready to learn in the Ivy League transfer process.
- Being in your current college will give you time to save up funds and plan for financial aid as Ivy League colleges are very expensive. Working part-time in your current college can also help you save up.
- The phase of rejection and transferring provide time to clarify, explore options and choose the academic path you will pursue after being transferred to avoid being rejected because of a lack of direction which can tell in your application.
Drawbacks
- Poor Admission rate compared to intake of first-year students.
- High tuition fees in Ivy League schools require one to have a cost-saving plan or financial aid options when seeking to apply.
Ivy League Transfer Rate
The below table shows the rate of admission for students seeking to transfer to an Ivy League school;
| College | TransferAcceptanceRate | Location | First-yearAcceptanceRate |
| Harvard University | 1% | Cambridge, MA | 6,755 |
| Columbia University | 6% | New York, NY | 6,300 |
| Princeton University | 1% | Princeton, RI | 5,422 |
| Yale University | 2.5% | New Haven, CT | 6,097 |
| Dartmouth College | 4% | Hanover, NH | 4,459 |
| Brown University | 6% | Providence, RI | 7,160 |
| Cornell University | 13% | Ithaca, NY | 15,052 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 6% | Philadelphia, PA | 10,019 |
Source: Harvard University, Columbia University, Princeton University, Yale University Dartmouth College, Brown University, Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania
Conclusion
Will we say transferring to an Ivy League school is easy? Maybe it is. Although transferring to a an Ivy League school can be a challenging and demanding process, it is attainable milestone to achieve and require lots of courage and dedication which will all pay off as you enter into the school of your dreams!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What’s the easiest Ivy League School to Transfer Into?
Cornell University have the lowest retention rate and thus accepts more transfer students out of all the Ivy League schools with up to 13% acceptance rate.
- Can you Transfer to an Ivy League from a Community College?
Yes! Community college transfer students are accepted into Ivy League as transferees if they have completed their degrees or not as far as they fulfil the recommendations required to get in.
- Do I require a Specific Course before I Transfer to an Ivy League?
Usually it is identified clearly what transfer credits will be required. However it is advised to take basic general education courses before researching the school you wish to transfer to and how much credit you’ll earn.
- What GPA is needed to Transfer to an Ivy League?
Ivy League GPA aren’t usually stated however you should work towards getting a 3.5- 4.0 GPA for an average of 4.0, this is crucial as acceptance rates are lower now compared to previous years.
