Transferring - worth it?

Hi everyone,

Current freshman at a non-target (IU) and on pace to get around a 3.8-3.9 GPA my first semester. Been wondering if it's worth it to transfer out as getting into the Investment Banking Workshop at IU is a huge gamble and would really suck ass if I spent all this time grinding towards it and didn't get in. Is this GPA good enough to transfer to a higher tier college like Cornell, UVA, or NYU? Also any other good transfer recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks

 
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This may be the first time someone actually at IU Kelley referred to it as a non target

 

That’s exactly what I mean, that usually they’re deluded into thinking it’s a target

 

Doesn’t hurt to apply and keep options open. I transferred target to target, but met plenty of kids who came from random state schools. Several of them are now going into banking. Hustle for opportunities at IU also.

 

It was a personal thing that had nothing to do with the school

 

Your GPA is good enough to transfer. I'd recommend it as NYU / Cornell > UVA >> IU when it comes to recruiting. 

 

If you give the stats a quick look all three of those schools have transfer acceptance rates above 20%+ 

 

Just apply and then evaluate your options when you hear back. No point in debating it now. 
 

It also seems early in the semester to know where your GPA will land up. 3.8 is definitely on the low end. Most of these schools are harder to transfer into than they are to get into from HS. If you are serious about transferring, I would aim for a 4.0. 
 

Just apply to every Ivy ex-HYP and then uchicago / duke. Maybe JHU / Williams. 

 

Yes, definitely transfer. The unfortunate reality is that you carry your undergrad name throughout your career. During the first few years it really makes a difference for not only undergrad recruiting, but on-cycle, lateraling, B-School, and even other kinds of exits. Even beyond that, having a large successful alumni base in the industry is helpful. This isnt to say nontargets cant have incredibly successful careers, but it’s just more of an uphill battle. The transfer process sucks ass, but you won’t regret it. 

 

Definitely worth applying and you can decide later on, late spring or summer even. As a sophomore year transfer they'll still consider your high school grades/SAT along with your college GPA, so the below list assumes you had solid performance in high school.

I'd add UMich Ross (caveat that I'm not sure if you can transfer directly into Ross these days) and Georgetown to your list, and potentially one or two of Duke/Columbia/UChicago (low transfer acceptance rates, less worth it if you have to write a ton of essays or recommendations for any of those). Penn Econ may be worth a look too, less competitive than Wharton.

Cornell and NYU are great, although NYU Stern transfer rate is literally 2%. TLDR here is apply as widely as you can.

UVA won't let you transfer directly into their business school unless you're a sophomore. Great school, but you're still going to be gambling there to get into McIntire, especially as a transfer who is competing with the rest of the school.

 

Went through the transfer process and am now at Columbia. I would say that the school has less of an impact than people think, plenty of people break into the industry from non-targets. If you have other reasons for wanting to leave tho (can't imagine Illinois is very fun) then I'd say go for it.

 

Would you be willing to elaborate more on where you transferred from and your stats?I think the most difficult aspect of being at a non target is there is "no light at the end of the tunnel" whereas being at a target gives you some assurance. However, networking and developing relationships is key.

 

wait I thought kelley was the lowest of the semi-targets, but a semi-target nonetheless. Am I wrong? Im a high school senior so im not exactly sure if it is or isn't. 

 

It depends but for the most part its a nontarget, if you get in the IBW program though it becomes a mid/low semitarget

 

NYU arts&sciences may be worth as well (if there is some sort of contingency option to the application process to stern or you if you want to play it safe), plenty end up at solid banks/funds

 

I know someone who transferred to my target from IU Kelly. He's been doing pretty well for himself, got a BB job, so I'd say yes if you get into a good target school

 

might be biased but transferred to USC from a non-target and broke into NYC BB IBD, alumni network is really strong and it's pretty easy to get in as a transfer imo

 

Transferred from a T50 school to a T20 school. The differences in recruiting are absurd. At my old school, I had to hustle for every opportunity. Now, I can just use Handshake for everything and get interviews with zero networking. With that being said, there is a lot more to school than career placement. Make sure the atmosphere/student life are what you are looking for. Additionally, in order to transfer after your freshman year, you need to have had very good high school stats. If your high school stats aren’t great, apply for junior year transfer, get an SA opportunity while at IU and then recruit full time from your new school. 

 

Transferred to an ivy (not SUNY Cornell) from a nontarget. Major difference in on-campus recruiting and networking email response. After that, its all on you.

During my recruiting season, a friend of mine at an extremely nontarget A-10 school got an offer from a top bank that didn't even give me a SD. It's all about the hustle.

 

Public party school east of the Mississippi is all I'll say

 

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