1st Year College Student at University of Massachusetts (not Amherst campus)
Asian Male with 3.93 first semester and 4.00 second semester
Current Major(s): Engineering-Physics and Finance
Was interested in applying to transfer to Vanderbilt, Dartmouth, Cornell, Boston College, Washington University st Louis and Rice.
This yr I only applied to Boston University Questrom, University of Southern California Marshall, and UT Austin McCombs as I wanted to apply to the 6 schools of my interests with 2 years of college since my HS GPA was below avg.
I have just found out I was accepted to BU with full tuition covered, but I know that if I transfer from UMass, my chances of “double-transferring” to the schools I was actually planning to apply to will be very unlikely admits (since the double transfer is looked down upon).
What should I do?
Stay at Umass and apply to my schools that also cover need up to the level of BU or take what I have and risk not getting into those other schools.
*perhaps it is worthy to note that attending a top MBA school is very important to me; I am looking for an undergrad program with a strong startup culture (not necessarily tech-startup-related); and I am also looking for a school with strong MBB consulting ties as if I do not enjoy Mech engineering, I will be able to take econ or business and break into MBB consulting.
@Arnold_Zegris if this is screen name is your real name, I would urge you to change it. You will need to send an email to the following…include your current screen name and what you would like it changed to.
I’m of the “a bird in hand is worth two in the bush” school of thought and would go to BU. If you go to BU I would not consider pursuing a second transfer.
MBB jobs coming out of undergrad are few and far between regardless of your school. You should expand your horizons.
In terms of a MBA you will not be hurt in the least by attending BU. Do keep in mind that for top MBA schools you need: an excellent undergrad record, at least 2 -5 years of work experience demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility, excellent GMAT scores, and strong LORs/essays.
Are you saying you would only go to BU with the intention of transferring…again?
If so…here is my free advice.
Stay at UMass and either finish your bachelors degree, or apply to transfer for the start of your junior year (understanding it might then end up taking longer than 4 years to complete your bachelors)
Go to Boston University and stay there…and finish your bachelors degree.
Transferring twice during your bachelors degree is not a wise idea…in my opinion.
To me…it sounds like the BU option is a great one…since you are not at the main UMass campus. Where are you?
Sounds like you’re viewing BU and the other schools you applied to this year as just a stop on the way to the other schools you really want to attend. I’m sorry, but this strategy doesn’t make sense to me. Why apply to BU and the other schools if you won’t be happy attending?
I agree with the “bird in the hand” assessment.
There’s not a big difference, IMHO, between most of the schools on your preferred list, and BU… and the most competitive/prestigious of those are tough transfer admits. (But just for the sake of argument, I’ll ask: financially speaking, if you run the NPC for those “dream schools,” would your out-of-pocket there be as affordable as BU is with the scholarship? And, to @CCName1’s point re: UMass Isenberg as another strong transfer option, how would your costs there compare to BU and the others?)
Even if there is a desirability gradient between your most-loved schools and BU, I don’t think it’s large enough to overcome the following:
The uncertainty that you’d get as good an offer in next year’s cycle
The opportunity cost of spending another year at your UMass campus rather than getting to spend three full years at BU, making connections and building momentum in terms of your endeavors there
The time and energy you’d have to put into another round of applications, when you could be investing that same time and energy into moving forward and building your resume toward your stated goals
It sounds as if everything you want is available at BU, and you have an enviable offer - congratulations!
Also, is it a merit scholarship or financial aid from BU? I agree with everyone that this is a wonderful bird-in-hand.
In the unlikely event that you are accepted to one of those schools next year (unlikely because they accept very few transfers and most will be as qualified as you), are you sure that you can afford it? Does a NPC work for transfer students?
NPCs only work for transfers IF they specifically ask if the student is a transfer student. Otherwise…NO. They typically are set up for first year freshmen.
My scholarship was need-based since BU does not give merit to transfers. The schools I listed would likely also cover 100% of my need since they follow the “income being under a certain threshold, cover full tuition” rule.
I am paying 7k at Umass and I applied to these schools so I could ask the question that I am asking now. *I also have not received my decision to USC or UTA yet so my plans may change
Boston Campus. Decided that it would be in my best interest to live at home for a year or two(being 15 minutes away from campus) and focus on grades and ECs.
I did not say that I wouldn’t be happy attending. I would love to attend UTA or USC if I get in for the right price. I have wanted to go out of state for quite a bit and I was really just seeing what BU has to offer.
Love this response. I think that is a very good point.
The cost would be similar since the schools on my list(I am not sure about Cornell) cover 100% of tuition for students with parents earning sub 80k.
As far as losing time to make connections, If I did transfer again next year, I would intentionally not transfer some credits in hopes to spend 3 years wherever I do end up to have time to make connections, build momentum, etc.
I don’t think that’s a choice. When you apply to transfer, the college will require all transcripts for all college courses you have taken. The college(s) will then determine which courses will apply towards your major.