Worth transferring from Columbia to Harvard?

[yjkimnada]

To begin with, I am fully aware that I am in a very fortunate spot in life and I would emphasize that I am truly grateful for being where I am now.

I'm finishing up my first semester of college at Columbia and ended up doing very well despite going for a rather heavy course load. I matriculated at Columbia because it was my third choice and I was not admitted in the end to Harvard or Yale, my other top choices. I entered Columbia believing that I will stay here and have fun and grow as a person and a scholar. I thought that going in salty and ready to transfer without giving Columbia a shot was simply foolish.

My parents initially pushed for the idea of transfer. However, seeing a few of my high school friends who also were not admitted to their top choices get ready for transfer applications, I began wondering if that was a valid option for me. My performance this past semester madder me consider it too (around 4.25 GPA since Columbia considers an A+ a 4.3; otherwise may just be a 4.0 if A and A+ are the same). And also a host of extracurricular stuff.

But my real question is: is it worth the (what I assume to be) rough transition and the odd friend making process? Is it worth losing the connections for medical research I have made throughout high school (also was in New York)? In the end I would be losing this for prestige and a few other intangibles.

For instance, I am planning to go into medicine. I know that top medical institutions like Harvard are notorious for admitting a great amount of their own undergrad students. Or help in future job prospects. Intangibles like these would be what makes the transfer worth the costs.

I mean I do have my gripes with Columbia. I don't really like the Core and prefer the more flexible general requirements of Harvard or Yale. Also not too impressed by NYC since I've been here since high school. But who wouldn't have gripes with their college their first semester.

What do you guys think? Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[bananafish94]

In terms of medical school admissions, I sincerely doubt it would make any kind of a difference. Do whatever makes you happiest (assuming transferring is even possible/feasible). For the record, I went to my "safety" school for college and after a semester or two would never have wanted to go anywhere else.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

But did you get accepted to Harvard though? Isn't this question premature?

 

[WGSgrad]

But did you get accepted to Harvard though? Isn't this question premature?

I feel like in honor of your avatar, you should have done something more with that last question...


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[WhittyPsyche]

I feel like in honor of your avatar, you should have done something more with that last question...


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Heh heh...Damn it...

 

[ChymeofPassion]

What makes you think you could get into Harvard now if you couldn't 6 months ago (unless you already did in which case gratz)?

 

[valenceoctet]

Currently a grad student at Harvard, and your primary concern should be fit at your undergrad institution, not potential postgrad "connections". Happy to discuss specifics over PM. I worked at my UG admissions and as a freshman counselor, so I know a lot about transfer processes and the things you should think through beforehand.

 

[RunawayGrape]

But my real question is: is it worth the (what I assume to be) rough transition and the odd friend making process? Is it worth losing the connections for medical research I have made throughout high school (also was in New York)? In the end I would be losing this for prestige and a few other intangibles.

I think in the context of medical school admission, Columbia is essentially as competitive as Harvard when it comes to prestige. As you said, you're certainly not starting on a back foot by any means, and if you're already doing so well, my recommendation would be to keep doing what you're doing and to turn those connections into publications. I went through the transfer process, and it's not very fun.

 

[TaroBubbleTea]

For the purposes of med school admissions, it doesn't matter. Columbia won't be holding you back. It seems like you are already doing well at Columbia. Why fix something if it isn't broken?

 

[aalamruad]

Lol good luck, Harvard accepts about 25 transfer students each year from about 1,500 applicants. It'll be especially difficult given that you don't have a compelling reason at all for transferring.

 

[Danny L]

Unless you want to go and do finance or a career where connections are integral to success there's no point in transferring unless you hate Columbia.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Lol good luck, Harvard accepts about 25 transfer students each year from about 1,500 applicants. It'll be especially difficult given that you don't have a compelling reason at all for transferring.

Most are from other Ivies/similar though.

OP, I wouldn't transfer unless you really dislike Columbia for some reason. Like really really dislike. If your reason for transfer is prestige or something similar, it's not gonna be worth it. That being said, there's no harm in applying just to see, but I wouldn't go in with high expectations.

 

[aalamruad]

Most are from other Ivies/similar though.

True, but almost every successful transfer applicant to Harvard is looking to get into a specific program that their current university doesn't offer, which isn't the case with the OP. Alternatively, some other transfers have Harvard faculty pushing for their acceptance (e.g. so they can work in their lab), which also doesn't seem to be the case with the OP.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Transferring simply for prestige usually does not go well. See: college app websites flooded with unsuccessful transfer applicants fitting that description.

 

[eteshoe]

Honestly seems like a waste of your time

 

[coffeeandcodeine]

I understand your desire to transfer, but I really think you should give Columbia more of a chance. You may have gripes there, but if you transfer you'll have gripes at Harvard, too. Columbia and Harvard are both a really special places where the admissions team worked to put together an awesome, diverse, talented class. Not being accepted to Harvard doesn't mean you fell short in any way -- clearly you had to have an amazing app to get into Columbia -- it just means you weren't what they were looking for when they put together their class profile, while Columbia thought you'd be a perfect fit. It doesn't sound like you're miserable at Columbia, and your college experience will probably only improve. If you leave, you'll miss out on all the incredible experiences and friendships you could have had there. From personal experience, I was also rejected from the school that at the time was my top choice, but the place I ended up going to was an infinitely better fit for me -- I am now so, so glad that I was rejected from my top choice.

Obviously this is just one opinion, but I think you've been given an awesome opportunity, and you should take full advantage of it with no regrets going forward.

 

[aldol16]

Transfer students have a harder time getting into Harvard than normal high school applicants. If you weren't accepted the first time, the chance of you being accepted now is pretty slim. There really is no "prestige" difference between Harvard and Columbia outside of what stock lay people put in the name recognition. Now, I do know that Yale does show favoritism towards its own students in its medical school class (I'm not sure about Harvard). But you can get into Yale Med from anywhere.

 

[SValley]

It's gonna be a no from me dog

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

You have virtually nothing to gain accedemically from transfering. So I'd only consider transferring if you hated the culture at Columbia and loved the culture at Harvard.

 

[gamieg]

why was harvard your top choice to begin with? would you be certain that you would be happy there and that the initial reasons for it being your top choice would trump everything else?

 

[redsox93]

I feel like in honor of your avatar, you should have done something more with that last question...


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Are we still doing phrasing??

 

[Nommonnom]

To begin with, I am fully aware that I am in a very fortunate spot in life and I would emphasize that I am truly grateful for being where I am now.

I'm finishing up my first semester of college at Columbia and ended up doing very well despite going for a rather heavy course load. I matriculated at Columbia because it was my third choice and I was not admitted in the end to Harvard or Yale, my other top choices. I entered Columbia believing that I will stay here and have fun and grow as a person and a scholar. I thought that going in salty and ready to transfer without giving Columbia a shot was simply foolish.

My parents initially pushed for the idea of transfer. However, seeing a few of my high school friends who also were not admitted to their top choices get ready for transfer applications, I began wondering if that was a valid option for me. My performance this past semester madder me consider it too (around 4.25 GPA since Columbia considers an A+ a 4.3; otherwise may just be a 4.0 if A and A+ are the same). And also a host of extracurricular stuff.

But my real question is: is it worth the (what I assume to be) rough transition and the odd friend making process? Is it worth losing the connections for medical research I have made throughout high school (also was in New York)? In the end I would be losing this for prestige and a few other intangibles.

For instance, I am planning to go into medicine. I know that top medical institutions like Harvard are notorious for admitting a great amount of their own undergrad students. Or help in future job prospects. Intangibles like these would be what makes the transfer worth the costs.

I mean I do have my gripes with Columbia. I don't really like the Core and prefer the more flexible general requirements of Harvard or Yale. Also not too impressed by NYC since I've been here since high school. But who wouldn't have gripes with their college their first semester.

What do you guys think? Thanks!

Since you're already ahead in units, your best option by far is graduating early and applying to med school early rather than obsessing over undergraduate institution.

 

[RunawayGrape]

Since you're already ahead in units, your best option by far is graduating early and applying to med school early rather than obsessing over undergraduate institution.

Some schools may question a younger applicant's maturity in that scenario.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Are you male or female? If you transfer to Harvard after freshman year as a guy especially, you will face a difficult entree into the social scene.

What, do they give new guys overcooked steaks?

 

[takeurmeds02]

Yea, you'd more than likely be wasting your time. So long as you excel (which you're already showing promise) and do very well on the MCAT, you should be able to get into most any medschool of your choice. There are multiple paths to a career choice outside of following Harvard down the academic line; I can't imagine Columbia shutting any of those doors.

 

[Hospitalized]

Comical thread really. You and I live very different lives OP

 

[redferrari]

Poor you. I used to despise people like you. However, people like you make me so grateful for being the product of state schools.

It will literally make no difference if you plan to go into medicine. Not to mention transferring to an Ivy is nearly impossible. The people who can pull it off are usually the types who grow up to be Barack Obama, who is probably the best man of his generation.

You must be a lot of fun at parties. If you go to them, that is.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

It will almost certainly make no difference in your medical school admissions as all three of those schools are prestigious enough. New York sounds way more fun for undergrad than New Haven or even Boston. And undergrad is a time when you should have at least a little bit of fun you soulless ghoul.

 

[ChymeofPassion]

"Barack Obama, who is probably the best man of his generation."

 

[Superman69]

What about transferring to an ivy from a much less prestigious school than Columbia, like UCI? Would that make a difference when applying to medical school?

 

[Nommonnom]

What about transferring to an ivy from a much less prestigious school than Columbia, like UCI? Would that make a difference when applying to medical school?

Ya. UCB and UCLA have the only UC students respected nationally because they are heavy institutional feeders and thus "known commodities."

 

[aalamruad]

What about transferring to an ivy from a much less prestigious school than Columbia, like UCI? Would that make a difference when applying to medical school?

Probably, but it'll be incredibly hard to gain transfer admission to an ivy from UCI

 

[doctorbob23]

Follow your gut. No school will guarantee you a spot

 

[Dfndr]

Sounds like you still despise people like OP. As OP acknowledged, they are very fortunate to be in this position -- however, you don't know what pressures, familial or otherwise, they may be facing. I would refrain from judgment.

Poor you. I used to despise people like you. However, people like you make me so grateful for being the product of state schools.

It will literally make no difference if you plan to go into medicine. Not to mention transferring to an Ivy is nearly impossible. The people who can pull it off are usually the types who grow up to be Barack Obama, who is probably the best man of his generation.

You must be a lot of fun at parties. If you go to them, that is.

 

[Superman69]

Poor you. I used to despise people like you. However, people like you make me so grateful for being the product of state schools.

It will literally make no difference if you plan to go into medicine. Not to mention transferring to an Ivy is nearly impossible. The people who can pull it off are usually the types who grow up to be Barack Obama, who is probably the best man of his generation.

You must be a lot of fun at parties. If you go to them, that is.

Get your condescending ass out of here. It shocks me that you and so many other people on this forum would much rather pass negative judgement onto others rather than actual advice. You should not say such things just because your own goals are different from someone else's. Transferring to an Ivy is very possible, and just because you couldn't see yourself doing it doesn't mean you have to right to assume that others can't.

And if you really think that only someone like Obama can transfer to an Ivy, I will keep your future patients in my prayers.

 

[Nommonnom]

Get your condescending ass out of here. It shocks me that you and so many other people on this forum would much rather pass negative judgement onto others rather than actual advice. You should not say such things just because your own goals are different from someone else's. Transferring to an Ivy is very possible, and just because you couldn't see yourself doing it doesn't mean you have to right to assume that others can't.

And if you really think that only someone like Obama can transfer to an Ivy, I will keep your future patients in my prayers.

Well it is virtually impossible at most of them. But someone who gets four A+'s of five classes, with the fifth an A his first semester at any reputable school is pretty exceptional.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Poor you. I used to despise people like you. However, people like you make me so grateful for being the product of state schools.

It will literally make no difference if you plan to go into medicine. Not to mention transferring to an Ivy is nearly impossible. The people who can pull it off are usually the types who grow up to be Barack Obama, who is probably the best man of his generation.

You must be a lot of fun at parties. If you go to them, that is.

I loved your last line, didn't know we were still in middle school

 

[BadNewsBears2016]

I would say something about redferrari's misguided comments, but it seems others have done so quite satisfactorily.

Don't judge, folks. We're all in this game together.

To the OP, "was my top choice" isn't a good reason for transfer. Transfer if there's a highly specific reason. If not, make the best of your time. Columbia has an incredible amount of opportunities and I doubt you'll ever get close to exhausting them.

Enjoy! Don't wallow in the potential of regret!

 

[yjkimnada]

Ok I'm back after completing first semester and thinking long and hard over break. I apologize for any offense I may have given. I truly do recognize this is a very specific, narrow dilemma.

I have decided against transferring. Asking around, there will be no tangible differences in difficulty or admissions advantage. I would be wasting the connections I have here in the city, such as teachers and a lab I've worked at since Freshman year of high school.

Thank you all so much for the advice.