Should I transfer?

Hi all, current freshman at a Semi Target (I think) IU. Going to finish my first semester with a 4.0, and I had an excellent gpa from high school as well as a 35 ACT. Is applying to transfer worth it? I like IU but first and foremost I want a job in IB and if another school gives me a significantly better chance of doing that then I would definitely consider transferring. Thanks

12 Comments
 

Where do you think you'll have the best chance of standing out.

Can you be top of your class at IU (which does recruit for banking) or will you end up middle of the pack at NYU or Columbia. Ultimately, it's a balance of being a strong candidate and having a network.

I'm not an IU alum, but we've had pretty good success with the IU network and there are plenty of alum to reach out to. In my opinion, if you can be top of the class, stand out, network your ass off, stay at IU.

 

If paying tuition isn't an issue for you, I don't see why not. Undergrad name can play a part in PE recruiting as well, so if you think you can make it into a target, why not at least apply and see where you get in? It sounds like there is nothing for you to lose by transferring to a target (and prob a better named school) since you are only a freshman. If you care about prestige at all, this can help as well.

It seems like you are a competitive student, and you will do fine academically regardless of where you go if you put the work in.

 

Would highly recommend submitting the transfer application. Honestly Have seen plenty of kids transferred into Ivy and doing very well w recruiting. Just make sure you write a good PS

 
Most Helpful

If you get into the IBW you will be fine, and sounds like you will be as long as you don't bomb the interview. You just need to put the work in - network, get an internship for this summer.

Transferring to a target is ridiculously hard - both to get in  - the top targets have like 1% acceptance rate - as well as once you are there - you don't have a GPA from that school, are behind on involvement, harder to make friends etc. If you get into a top Ivy I could understand it, but huge effort for very low likelihood at those really top schools. I think your time is much better spent on involvement and networking.

 

IU Grad here.With a 35 ACT, you should be fine either way.Honestly, I would stay at IU and just get a 3.9+ going into recruiting.I personally wasnt in the IBW and had a 34 and 3.9 (dropped significantly after recruiting tho lol) and honestly had no issues getting interviews at EB and BBs. Even had a SD at CVP/EVR and ended up at a very solid tier 2 BB (Citi/BofA/Barc/JPM). The group im at doesn’t have many iu folks so i cant say I’ve actually ever been asked about the ibw.

For pe recruiting, the ibw is almost negligible. There are barely any iu people in umm/mf pe so this wont come up.

IBW only matters when networking with alumni who were in it (which pretty much only is dominant at Blair, BofA, Moelis, and a few others). When i had my SD at CVP/EVR And the BB I am currently at no one had any idea what the ibw is.

End of story, id stay if u have solid grades as transferring might throw u off

 

Transferred outta IU myself this year. I would recommend applying for transfers anyway and then seeing how it goes. The IBW is incredibly hard to get into regardless, and even worse if you’re non diversity. I’ve a few friends at IU who were extremely competent and they still didn’t get in.

 

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