How much does the college you transfer from matter in transfer admissions process?
Depends on the college you are trying to go to. For many it doesn’t.
@“Erin’s Dad” For schools of IVY level (including schools like Duke, Stanford…)
Every year, a few excellent students successfully transfer into top institutions from community colleges and lower-tier 4-year colleges/universities. So No, you don’t have to go to an Ivy-peer to be able to transfer into an Ivy-level.
However, you need to know that very selective institutions are very selective for transfers as well as for freshman applicants. If you applied and weren’t admitted as a freshman, it isn’t likely that you will be admitted as a transfer.
@happymomof1 My question is more of how much leverage do you get coming from a school like Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins…
Not much at all. Remember that in many cases, the departments at top institutions such as XYZ and ABC are essentially interchangeable, so it can be very challenging to find a good way to write the all important “Why ABC” essay if you are currently studying at XYZ. Remember, your reason for wanting that transfer is supposed to be academic, not “I want an Ivy instead of a mere Ivy-peer.”