Academic Gap Semester/Year, then transfer?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Grinnell College
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<p>Hello all, it's been a minute since I've posted. :)</p>

<p>I'll be direct:
I applied to Grinnell, didn't get in. Appealed with the help of the Dean, but the had already met their enrollment. No go. ANYWAYS. I had a horrible sophomore year which wrecked my GPA (the reason I didn't get in. D. of admissions said my gpa made the admissions committee "nervous"). But, I honestly don't like the college I put my deposit down at (College of Wooster, in Ohio). It's a really nice school, and everyone that's going seems to be enthusiastic about it..but it was my last choice and I really just don't want to go. If I had to, I would, and try my hardest to transfer at the semester (Grinnell has that option), or at the end of the year.</p>

<p>BUT. Being a proactive/resourceful young lady, I know that I don't really want to do something my heart isn't in, and after 4 hellish high school years, it doesn't seem right..so I looked into other options. There are gap year (or semester) programs in China that I think I really want to do. I worked at an orphanage in China two summers ago, and I really loved the country. I would have the ability to further my mandarin studies, volunteer, and take classes at a Chinese university for credit (either Tsinghua in Beijing, or East China Normal in Shanghai).</p>

<p>So, the question: Would it be better to go study abroad, in a place I would like to be, doing things I would like to do, then try to apply again/transfer to Grinnell/Other schools I wanted to go to (with college credits)? Or should I just go to Wooster, and while not really happy, just take care of my business and transfer from there?</p>

<p>I thought I would ask here, just because I emailed admissions, but it was a little late to get his (specific person) response.</p>

<p>Oh, here are the programs I'm considering:</p>

<p>Study</a> Abroad - Semester / Trimester - Shanghai - China - ISA</p>

<p>Study</a> Abroad - Semester / Trimester - Beijing - China - ISA</p>

<p>gap</a> year abroad in china for U.S. high school graduates</p>

<p><a href="http://www.global-lab.org/programs/GlobalLAB_ChinaTibetSemester_2011.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.global-lab.org/programs/GlobalLAB_ChinaTibetSemester_2011.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I hope those links work...</p>

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<p>Wooster really could be a place where you might be happy (and I have no stake in it, my kids have gone other places, but I know some Wooster kids). Also no investment in Grinnell specifically, just out here because I have a kid who may apply.</p>

<p>Just curious, why is Wooster your last choice? You must have applied to more than 2 schools. Did you not get in (too many reaches)? Or were there financial reasons why you couldn’t attend schools higher on your list?</p>

<p>I would say a couple of things:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>The admissions officers DO have a very good feel for who is likely to be successful at their colleges. If they wouldn’t even waitlist you, they must have serious concerns. FYI, my oldest D did not get into her top choice (reach) school, and was waitlisted at another school similar to Grinnell that she really wanted to go to. Never got off the waitlist, and ended up attending an LAC similar to Wooster. Where she has thrived; now she says the admissions officers probably knew what they were doing. But she was very disappointed when it happened.</p></li>
<li><p>Taking a gap year is not necessarily going to improve your chances of getting into a college like Grinnell. Those bad grades from sophomore year are still there… and I personally don’t think classes from a college like Tsinghua (I have a friend who teaches there) are going to go far in convincing an admissions committee for a transfer app.</p></li>
<li><p>I have a niece who didn’t get into her top choice, ended up taking a gap year because she couldn’t face her alternatives (some of which were very good, some top 10 schools in the US), and is now sort of floundering at a 3rd rate program in another country in a major that does not suit her well. I would not recommend that route…</p></li>
</ul>

<p>I guess my advice is not to cut off your nose to spite your face. You are not owed admission to any program, but you can get a great education and have a great experience at a place like Wooster. If you are that good, you can be a big fish in the pond (that is what my D did). My advice is go to Wooster, and do it with an open mind. Give it a full year (a semester is not enough to settle in, in my opinion). If you are unhappy by next summer, look at transfer options. If you really want to spend time in China, see if Wooster has a study abroad option there, or plan to attend a summer program.</p>

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<p>@ Intparent
“Wooster really could be a place where you might be happy…”
-It’s a great school, just not for me :)</p>

<p>“Just curious, why is Wooster your last choice?..”
-Not liberal enough, not intellectual enough, not politically active as a campus, etc.
-on the other note, i got into all the schools I applied to, except for Grinnell, but i don’t feel like going into that…</p>

<p>“The admissions officers DO have a very good feel for who is likely to be successful…”
-I didn’t feel like going into it, and I had a VERY special circumstance. The dean of admissions is a friend of mine (not my family’s, mine)…and he really wanted me there, and thought I would be successful, as he knew me personally…but there was all this conflict and whatnot…anyways, don’t feel like going into it…</p>

<p>Also, I’m not just doing some “random gap year” to cut off my nose to spite my face. I’ve lived in China and have loved it there. The program I’m looking at oing is very good, and a a very good university in China.</p>

<p>I guess I should have added the advice “go somewhere else and settle” is not something I’m going to do. :slight_smile: I was specifically asking transfer advice. But thank you.</p>

<p>I already got an email back from the transfer office at G, though…so it looks like I already know what I’m going to do.</p>

<p>And wooster does have a many study abroad options in China, but not for freshman. And I don’t want to go to wooster.</p>

<p>~ Rose</p>

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<p>-I didn’t feel like going into it, and I had a VERY special circumstance. The dean of admissions is a friend of mine (not my family’s, mine)…and he really wanted me there, and thought I would be successful, as he knew me personally…but there was all this conflict and whatnot…anyways, don’t feel like going into it…</p>

<p>this sounds a bit like you’re having an affair with the dean of admissions…</p>

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<p>RoseBrigade, whatever you decide to do, I hope that when you reapply to schools for next year, that you have more than one “dream” school on your list. Every place has its pluses and minuses; no place is perfect! Please find a few schools where you think you would be happy.</p>

<p>On another note, while I"m sorry things didn’t work out for you, I am glad that if you were indeed friends with the dean of admissions, that he didn’t let this friendship influence his decision. That would be improper, IMO, and it speaks well for the school that this connection didn’t help you (I know it’s not good news for you…)</p>

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<p>First, let me say that the College of Wooster is absolutely intellectual and fairly liberal. Is it as liberal and politically active as, say, Oberlin? No. It’s a different kind of liberal arts college with a completely different history. </p>

<p>Why was the College of Wooster even on your list? </p>

<p>Second, if you do not want to go to the College of Wooster, then please do not go. Your attitude is not one that would be welcomed there by students, staff, or faculty. Go ahead and study abroad in China! It sounds like you’re quite interested in that and would be happier doing that.</p>

<p>As an aside–I wouldn’t describe Grinnell as more liberal than Wooster. I’m a big fan of Grinnell, too! I think you may be disappointed in ways you can’t even see right now if you do get accepted to Grinnell next year. I suppose that right now you’re just still reeling a bit from the rejection and all.</p>

<p>But please, don’t go to the College of Wooster!</p>