We’re just going to start off by saying, transferring into an Ivy League is hard. There is a common misconception that you can go to a state school or community college for a year, do alright, and transfer into an Ivy. That’s not the case. Students who might be able to get into an Ivy as a transfer are kids who were already qualified to go when applying the first time around, but didn’t quite make the cut.
Transferring to Penn
The Upenn transfer acceptance rate was just 7.8 percent in 2020. That’s 196 candidates out of 2.506. The rate is normal for a school of this caliber. The reason is that schools don’t really reserve transfer spots. They give spots to replace those students who left. And schools like Penn don’t have a lot of kids dropping out. So, transferring into an Ivy League school shouldn’t be part of your initial application strategy in high school. If you aren’t happy where you ended up your freshman year or you really are just dying to go to Penn, you’re going to need to ensure your application is top-notch. If you must apply to transfer, we always recommend applying to two Ivies, simply because the statistical probability of getting into one is so low.
Reason for Applying
Remember when we said above that you can apply if you’re really not happy where you are? Well, if the motivating reason for your transfer application is that you’re unhappy, you have to have a much more specific reason than that. As with everything related to applications, the most important part is academics. When applying, you’re going to need to identify a highly compelling academic reason. The most obvious choice is that the school where you ended up doesn’t have the right program you want to pursue academically and Penn has the best in that field. You need to do heavy research on the program. Find out all there is to know because your essays are going to be about this. You’ll also need to speak very specifically about why you are a great fit for this academic program and how the academic niche you pursued throughout high school has qualified you to be here. You’ll need to demonstrate what you bring to an already full table. Get to know about the professors and the courses they offer and write specifically about why you’re interested in the research those professors are conducting.
At the end of the day, you should manage your expectations. While it’s not impossible (after all, someone has to get in), it is highly unlikely. Before you invest a ton of time and energy into the transfer application, you should take time to really reflect and think about whether or not it’s what you want. If you’re laser-focused on a particular career-path and Penn offers the best in that field, then you have a good reason to apply.
Need help with your college essay? Call us. We’re experts at heling students write standout essays.