Should Successful students at "non-targets" transfer to targets?

The network at good schools is WAY better and one of the few valid reasons to go to school = solid networking opps. I would never waste time going to a school without extremely strong networking opps.

Assuming you could transfer, get a high gpa and make friends then it is worth it. Going to a school Like UPenn will change your career trajectory and provide a network that is filled with alumni in IB, MBB etc however if you transfer, end up with a low gpa and can't fit in then you're worse off than staying at a non target.

The mixed answers already on this thread should tell you. It is a question of tradeoffs. I transferred from a public non-target to a semi-target 7 years ago and still can't tell you if it was really worth it.

Pros of transferring:

Better OCR

Prestige

More successful classmates/network (this one was not really true at the upper-middle end for me when you consider how much larger my old school was, a decent # placed into MM or BB IB and other solid F500 roles, but on average students at my new school were more successful)

Cons of transferring:

Harder classes resulting in lower GPA

Transfers have to be very outgoing to make new friends, no one will be actively trying to become your friend. Finding a friend group is doable but a challenge (I had one and ended up doing better socially than my old school, but would say half of the kids I transferred with never really found a group they fit in with and regretted it)

I think it really depends on your school and goals.

If the nontarget is East Bumblefuck U and you want to get into IB then you have to transfer. If you go to a "good" State School - Illinois, Indiana, Texas and want to do Corp Fin or Consulting or the like then I'd stay.

The reality is its usually a grey area where you have to decide if its worth the personal sacrifice of losing friends, losing your network and starting over at a potentially harder university in upperclass courses. Personally, I LOVED college and my friends, I wouldn't give that up to have gone anywhere else

If your option is to transfer for the start of sophomore year to a target school from a non-target, then it is most likely worthwhile for the OCR access and better branding going forward. If you are looking to make the move to a semi-target, that would be a closer call and depend on what you think is possible from the non-target you are at.

If the option is to transfer later than the start of sophomore year, then the decision is a bit more challenging given IB recruiting cycles have pushed up so far.

Usually transfers to schools also can't receive the same scholarships as incoming freshmen....so it could be a very very expensive option.

Who said you have to leave your old network?

As others have said it really comes down to what your current school is. I can understand wanting to go from a totally unranked school so something along the likes of Wharton. But unless you’re really at that bad of a school, I think you should stay. If you could hussle and get a 4.0, you can also network your ass off and get the connections you need. The same can’t be said with happiness and fitting in. Stay in a good environment and keep working hard

Assuming the OP is referring to undergrad... Frankly, if a "target" is really that important to you or the career you think you want. Just go there for MBA, if you have a high GPA, then study and get the corresponding test score for the GMAT/GRE. Honestly, employers look at your last school, highest degree. Thus a UG degree + target MBA/MS will mean the same as two degrees from a target in school in most cases.

Sure, you have to wait to get the network benefits, but the cost is much lower and you love the current school. So I don't see the need to transfer (I was non-target, and frankly, very happy with my trajectory in RE, plenty of target people want to work for me, so I will not complain).

If you can transfer to an ivy level school, and can afford it, you 100% should do it. Its wild how much cache an opportunities with those places have. I know people will say - yea bro its all what you make it you can achieve anything with hard work - sure fine, but its all about odds and risk mitigation. Its just easier to get your foot in the door and your network will be exponentially better. Not to mention surrounded by more like minded driven people.

I know a couple of people that transferred to Ivy schools and it totally changed their trajectories. Even at the "clean slate" bschool its not entirely true as kids from top schools are looked upon more favorably than other schools when recruiting for postmba jobs.

All that said, if you can't transfer, no biggie just work hard and try your best. Its easy to get sucked into the prestige game but ultimately your job doesn't dictate your long term happiness.

Depends on schools and how far in you are.

I’ve thought about this a couple times, but never really gave it much thought and just decided to stick it out instead. It would have made things easier for sure, but I was in a different headspace when I was younger. I solidified my friend group then (most of whom I’m still friends with post grad), and I think at the time I was thinking that I wouldn’t have felt comfortable with the kind of people that are generally assumed to have gone to the school I was thinking of transferring to. In the end, it’s still worked out well enough for me, but there’s no denying I probably would have had a better professional network had I transferred.