There are a lot of myths about transferring colleges. Going from “good enough for now” to your dream school isn’t as easy as a semester or two of straight A’s, and that’s even more true if your dream school is one of the best schools in the country.
Over the past few years, Yale has gained a reputation as an Ivy League institution that’s open to taking transfer students from less pedigreed backgrounds, especially community colleges. In 2019, nearly half of the transfer students who matriculated to Yale came from community colleges, and most had already earned a two-year associate’s degree. Yale also likes first-gen college students and military veterans who may not have tried to get into an Ivy League school on their first time around. This is all really good news for students who believe they can hack it as a top-tier institution but didn’t break in as high school seniors…but we have left one really important thing out.
There were only 34 transfer students in 2019. So, yes, the fact that nearly half came from community colleges is true, but that’s all of 14 students.
Once students arrive at Yale, few leave before graduating — so there aren’t many openings for transfer students to fill. The transfer acceptance rate is under 2%.
This directly contradicts the pervasive myth that getting into a college is easier as a transfer than as a traditional applicant. This is rarely true, and never true for the most exclusive and hard-to-get-into schools in the United States. If you’re looking to transfer to Yale, you need to ready yourself for an uphill and unlikely battle and rally a team (like us) around yourself that can drastically raise your chances.
A few years ago, a student we’ll call Sara contacted us about wanting to transfer to Yale. During a gap year, she’d found a passion that completely upended her plans for college and a career, and in a really tough bind. She was at a great school, but it wasn’t a great school for what she now wanted to study. If she wanted to study under the best in her new field, she needed to be at Yale.
As you’re working on your transfer essays, you’ll notice that the questions they’re asking are distinctly different than when you first applied to college. They don’t ask you as much about your passions and hobbies, and they ask a lot more about why – specifically – you need to transfer.
We worked with Sara to craft an application that made a pointed and specific case for why Yale was the best place for her to be — and how she was ready to take on the challenge of the Ivy League.
When you’re writing your essay, be specific about what you want to study, and be even more specific about why Yale is the place to study it and how being at Yale would allow you to pursue your chosen field in a way you can’t right now. Be honest, but don’t be unnecessarily negative. Do not insult your current institution, professors, or fellow students. This may seem obvious, but we’re routinely shocked by the transfer essays students have pulled together before they start working with us. Talking down about where you are now doesn’t make you look more impressive; it makes you look petty.
If you find yourself struggling to stay on track, remember that any and all writing for your application, from “Why Yale?” to “What’s your favorite book?” should be tied to 1-3 academically-rooted reasons for desiring to transfer. If an essay doesn’t do that, it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
In addition to the written pieces of your application, you’ll be expected to submit two recommendations from current professors (so make friends with them!). Yale is test-optional for the 2022-2023 admissions cycle, and they also invite supplementary materials such as art, music, film, creative writing samples, and research papers, although it’s worth remembering that more is rarely better. That research paper you got an A on isn’t relevant if it isn’t in what you want to study. Let us know if you want our input.
One of the things Yale offers transfer applicants that isn’t standard is a video interview option, although “interview” is a bit of a misnomer. Yale allows transfer applicants to record a short video introducing themselves to the admissions team. It isn’t a real interview, but it can help put a face to a name, so it’s a definite must-do.
As you work on your transfer application, remember that Yale wants students who need them, not those who simply want prestige. Making the case for why Yale is where you need to be is critical to a compelling application.
If you are considering a transfer, send us an email. We help students like you defy transfer statistics to find their dream school.