lovelycat

Someone get in Stanford with so low gpa and grew, but I still congrats for his/her success. But showing off with such low stats on the page with saying my third choice is really disgusting.

I think the pushback is not against transferring to a 'better' program, but enrolling in a program with the intention of leaving after getting your MA. I think those are two different things.

I got my PhD from a small department where transferring was rare (though did happen) and work at one where transferring is pretty common.  You run into the occasional faculty member that gets offended, but most folks I've met understand these decisions.  It can be comparable to changing advisers or committee members in that respect.  Read the room first, but at the end of the day you need to do what's best for you. 

In general, professors don't care about you, and certainly not in the first few years. They don't care enough to be "extremely angry." If you are important enough to them (as a co-author, for example) they will understand a well-reasoned argument for leaving. Admissions committees at higher-ranked schools see this regularly, and know how to evaluate applicants in this situation (according to their own criteria).
 
But it is much easier just to start at the highest/best place you can. Even putting it off for a year if you only get into low-ranked/poor placement programs.

I have heard of professors getting "very angry" with would-be transferers.  When I made a decision to transfer, the professors were quite gracious about it, though I did have some extenuating circumstances.  How this maps into "quitting then leaving," I don't know.

When you put it that way, most of the other reasons to leave seem pretty feeble, too ;-).  I wouldn't have transferred to placate an SO.  Then again, I am equally unattractive everywhere.

No it isn't.  Graduate School is an apprenticeship.  This is a business as well as an educational agreement and the students are entering with far less knowledge and power.  Again, I reiterate that students should apply for Ph.D. programs because they will be valued more by the professors, the program, and the university. Why in the world would you put yourself at a disadvantage vis-a-vis your peers?
 
More importantly, I don't think you have any understanding of ethics and norms in post-graduate studies.  If you haven't done it, you're talking out of ignorance.

Placement
 
When looking at graduate programs, I strongly suggest applying for the PhD, even if you have no desire to move past the MA.  It will increase your chances of funding and the investment that your program will put into you.  You can always change your mind and get the PhD, which you are already set for.  Going into an MA program only, will almost always come without funding and will alter the value you bring to the department.  
 
I strongly suggest leaving for a better program following your MA if you were not directly admitted to your PhD program.  The worst thing a better program can do is say "No" and you can continue as normal.
 
My research on placement can be found in the following articles:
1)  http://gppreview.com/2012/12/03/superpowers-the-american-academic-elite/
2)  http://gppreview.com/2013/08/21/pushing-up-ivies-institutional-prestige-and-the-academic-caste-system/
3)  http://gppreview.com/2013/09/15/placement-efficiency-an-alternative-ranking-metric-for-graduate-schools/
 
Comprehensive paper)  http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2303567
 
Power Point Presentation)  https://www.academia.edu/4266759/Honor_Prestige_and_the_Academy_A_Portrait_of_Political_Science_Tenured_and_Tenure-track_Faculty_in_Ph.D.-granting_Institutions_2012-2013_
 
The first three are quick reads, the fourth is a comprehensive paper.  The final link is a power-point presentation that I gave at APSA.  The most important point, however, is that this method shows the competitiveness of these programs.  Yes, it only looks at placement in R1 programs, but that's by design.  I strongly caution you to pay attention to anecdotes and numbers (statistics without citations) from Profs or programs.  If they don't have hard data, it's for a reason - the data doesn't reflect positively on them.
 
Many people will tell you a "truth" they want you to believe.  I think that you should look at the numbers, read up on it, and decide for yourself.  The absolute worst way to enter graduate school is unable to think critically.
 
Good luck to you all.

Waiting on BU...Still no news....

Who can claim the latest UVA acceptance and offer more details about it? Thanks!