Transferring from BCM Neuroscience to MIT BCS?

[Kore123]

Hello, this is my first post here: I am attending Neuroscience PhD program at Baylor College of Medicine. However, I would like to try for more reputed schools in the coming year. I am considering some schools, including MIT BCS in particular. I have a good background in terms of grades, test scores, research, and publications. So if applying, I hope to get invitations, at least for the interviews. But I'm bit confused of how wise it would be to apply. And, if end up get admitted (a long way to go though!), will it be a smart/dull decision leaving BCM Neuroscience for, say MIT BCS? I greatly appreciate your suggestions. I need to fix my mind as early as possible. Thank you so much.

[hj2012]

Depends. How supportive would your current adviser(s) be of your desire to transfer?  You'd need recommendation letters from your current professors, and the desire to "trade up" is not usually looked upon fondly. It would be best for you to frame changing schools in terms of evolving research interests, if that's at all possible. 

[ss2player]

Agree with hj2012, unless you can make a STRONG case, this will not come to fruition and even if it does, you will be torching bridges left and right. You'd be essentially dropping out of Baylor and starting over again; how do you think MIT will see that? How will you address this in interviews? Most academics will take it as a huge red flag that you cannot finish what you started.

The only time I have heard of people smoothly transitioning is if their PI moves to another institution and takes some grad students along with them.