<p>burningbright…it is true that when a freshman applies, the colleges do not know for sure that the applicant will attend if accepted since the applicant will conceivably have more than one acceptance. But colleges DO care about YIELD. They try to ascertain a student’s interest in their program and if they feel that student would attend as they want to get the highest yield possible. With a DePaul potential transfer applicant who is applying ONLY as a back up in case they are cut from DePaul but may not transfer EVER to any school, the college cannot put a lot ot confidence in that the student may attend if accepted. In both the freshman applicant scenario I presented (or even a regular transfer applicant0 and the DePaul transfer applicant scenario (applicant auditioning just in case they could be cut from DePaul), there is risk in accepting the student and no guarantee the student will attend. HOWEVER, the risk to the college is GREATER for the DePaul transfer applicant who not only may have several acceptances like the other freshmen or transfer applicants but may not even be EVER transferring since he/she will stay at their current school if not cut. I would imagine a school will surely weigh the odds and proceed accordingly with the risk factor if they care about yield. It surely cannot help a student to be in this scenario as an applicant. They can’t truly say they will attend if accepted where at least SOME of the other applicants (either freshmen or regular transfer ones) that have the school as a first choice will indicate that they will attend if accepted and they will be going to a new college in the coming year. </p>
<p>The other points you bring up about transfer students being older and having training under their belt (ex., a DePaul transfer applicant) are true, but that is true of transfers from other BFA programs and so on too. A DePaul transfer applicant is a risk that he/she is not truly a real applicant in the first place and may never really go to ANY new college. </p>
<p>I cannot imagine going to college and hoping to stay at that college but all the while, having to spend time, energy, thought, and money toward transferring and auditioning just in case I can’t stay. It is one thing to transfer because you WANT to. But if you want to stay, you WILL have to put some attention and money toward leaving if you attend DePaul. It won’t be a choice. That time and money would be better spent directed toward their own college, DePaul, in my opinion.</p>