<p>Hello all,</p>
<p>So longish story with a sad ending. I am a sophomore from Cornell who applied for transfer admission last year. I am enrolled in a very pre professional program at Cornell and was not really pleased with my educational experience, or the school in general. I was accepted to Penn, Columbia, and Chicago, and ultimately decided I wanted to enroll at Chicago in the fall. However, my parents refused to finance my education there; they didn't want me leaving a "safe" major and school for something as unique as Chicago's Core. I had to go back to Cornell.</p>
<p>This fall, I decided to drop out of Cornell. So I took the year off so I could not build up credits and have three good years at a new school. I was really not happy with my situation and wanted to apply to transfer again...and here we are.</p>
<p>Rejected at Penn and Columbia, and waitlisted at Chicago. I honestly think these schools didn't feel like I would attend if accepted so they decided not to even bother. My grades did not change (they were slightly better, actually) and my essays were essentially the same. I was accepted to Brown and Georgetown but I have my heart set on Chicago. So here is my question...</p>
<p>Is there anything I can do to push myself off that waitlist? I was accepted in high school also, so I've turned them down twice. I just really want them to know that if accepted, I will come. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I think you should explain the whole situation and try to appeal the wait list.</p>
<p>But who should I write to? How could I make sure someone reads it and that it doesn’t just end up in my file that will never be opened again anyway?</p>
<p>Wait, so how are you going to pay if your parents aren’t going to finance your education?</p>
<p>You are not saying what is really going here. What exactly is “a very pre professional program at Cornell?” Is that some business BS at the New York State College of Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS), ILR or other NY State “contract” college program at Cornell. If it is, then get out. Those things aren’t better or “safer” than UVA. Likewise, if you are in private “endowed” Cornell programs in architecture, hotel administration or engineering and don’t like it, get out. Arts & Sciences and Engineering are well know as the good parts of Cornell. You can or could have just transferred within Cornell to Arts & Sciences, if you’re not there already, and study something “unsafe” in the humanities or social and natural sciences at your parents’ supposed “safe” school. Further, you can always replicate parts of Chicago’s core at almost any good school. However, it appears you don’t like the scene at Big Red.</p>
<p>Secondly, what happened this fall? You decided to drop out? Is that withdraw, or not go back and took a leave of absence? What you are stating about Cornell indicates you would have hated Penn even more. Virtually everyone at and everything about Penn is “very pre professional.” If you were rejected by Columbia as a transfer, don’t you think your year off might be viewed as prejudicial? When you are talking about admission to Columbia College at CU, the odds are now 1 in 20 or lower. SEAS at CU is probably about 40% better, and GS requires 21 years of age with work experience. Your “safe” school obviously is no hot stuff to Columbia or Penn.</p>
<p>You really need to take a good hard look at what UChicago’s core is. You’ll find that much of it can be replicated at Brown, where there’s an open curriculum. There are things like the social sciences or humanities core that won’t match exactly, but you can come close if you try. Brown is also more of a college than Cornell, Penn, Columbia or GU and will be easy to get adjusted to.</p>
<p>Lastly, your story sounds bad. I am not certain that communicating it in its present version to UChicago would be beneficial. In general, admission decisions are made of a de novo basis. Are you aware that U. of C. has over admitted for its first years? It is likely there will be few, if any, transfers for the fall. Plan on going to Brown.</p>
<p>My parents have agreed to pay for anywhere I choose to go; it totally doesn’t help me now but at least they understand?</p>
<p>And I actually could have gone to Penn with the understanding that I take classes at Wharton. While I understand that my parents can’t MAKE me do anything I just didn’t want to keep up any pre-professional lifestyle. And yes, I was in ILR at Cornell.</p>
<p>I understand that I can “replicate” the Core anywhere, but I think the Core just really speaks more to the culture of Chicago. The kids who go there (for the most part) subscribe to the life of the mind attitude of the school, so I feel like I’d be more in line with them and get more out of the education. At a place like Cornell, sure you can take classes like those at Chicago, but there’s a less of a spark in the student body. I don’t know, that’s just what I’ve found; maybe I’m wrong/had bad luck in my classes, but I honestly believe that Chicago best matches my goals and personality. I know less about Brown but I’m sure I’d be happy there; I just really want to go to Chicago.</p>
<p>And what sounds so bad about the story? I haven’t sent anyone anything yet, so if you can explain to me why it might make me sound less appealing as an applicant I might not bother sending it.</p>
<p>I think you should contact your admissions advisor and explain your situation.</p>
<p><a href=“https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/contact/[/url]”>https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/contact/</a></p>
<p>It does not hurt to ask.</p>
<p>You should definitely leave out the rejected at Penn and Columbia part of your story. If it had been me, I would transferred to A&S within Cornell for the Fall 2011 just as a back up. I don’t quite understand why you parents think Chicago is so bad, when it’s well known in economics. Columbia has a core not unlike Chicago’s. So, Chicago is one of two “unique” universities.</p>
<p>I guess you just need to make it clear that your past family issues have been resolved by your taking a year off.</p>
<p>I am not certain anyone has done better than WL as a transfer at Chicago this year.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>