My top choices are USC, University of Maryland, Upenn, and Cornell
I don’t feel all that drawn to any other schools. I don’t want to say “I don’t care” but honestly if I don’t get into those schools I don’t think I’d be picky.
I will have taken calc iii chem ii and be doing physics ii by spring.
USC really is my dream, the school spirit, the location (for my other interest in the arts/creative)
Schools like UCLA and Berkeley are nice too but they have particular transfer requirements and I didn’t want to be shpaing myself just for a particular schools criteria.
My mom does not want to pay for a lot of applications so I want to narrow them down but is apply to just 5 schools for engineering transfer unrealistic? I don’t know what else I could do to make myself a better applicant, I’m a classical musician and have stellar grades (unless I don’t fare well this and next semester)
I feel like there needs to be more to add about me. A lot of the schools don’t want rec letters and don’t take a lot of supplements so is it most important that you have a good GPA and the course requirements? Any help or input is much appreciated.
I think you did yourself a disservice by not doing the recommended transfer program for UCB/UCLA engineering. Top grades and meeting the requirements for those programs would be a solid transcript to transfer to other selective programs as well. What engineering transfer courses did you skip?
If your mom doesn’t want to pay application fees, are you sure she’s going to want to pay to send you to the schools you listed? They aren’t exactly low cost choices. Make sure that you are both academically and financially able to go to the schools on your final list.
Is your mom good with paying $60K+ as an OOS student. That’s what UCB/UCLA would cost. As a CC transfer you need to have a top notch record to have a shot at ANY school on your list. What is your in-state flagship?
Just my two cents–I think you should research instate options, and do some further research on other engineering programs. UPenn and Cornell (among other Ivy League institutions) are hellishly difficult to enter into as a transfer, no matter how great your grades are.
@TransferStalker I’m from new jersey so the best school here is Princeton lol. The application fee thing isn’t really that big of a deal my mom just seems to think I’ll get into any school I apply to (she’s a professor but for some reason is not hip to how schools work in the modern age) my step- dad would be paying for my tuition but I have a great GPA so I would qualify for merit if its available
biomedical engineering. most of the schools I’m looking at do offer merit to transfer when they meet the deadline. I’m not all that interested in an in-state school especially here in jersey. maryland and upenn were the closest schools I was intrested in. States school further than that I’ve only heard about and haven’t been to physically.
To give an opinion on your original question: “Am I being too ambitious?”
If you are currently at a community college, or if you are really not happy where you currently are, IMHO Yes, you are being too ambitious.
If you are perfectly happy staying where you currently are for another year: no.
My impression from another thread is that you are currently at a community college. If this is correct, then I agree with @AroundHere: You should first apply to one or two in-state options. Only after you have done this should you be thinking about less likely alternatives.
I agree with @DadTwoGirls. You’re applying to a limited pool of schools, and by extension, you’re applying to a very competitive major. And it doesn’t help that the schools are extremely selective.
You should add safeties, as @AroundHere suggested, and look towards applying more broadly, as I stated previously. Look at some less selective schools with reputable engineering programs. Georgia Tech, UMichigan, UW-Madison all come to mind.
USC prefers you come from a community and lots of schools do so it doesnt look like theyre snatching people from 4 years so being at CC isn’t a big issue with the schools I have picked. My ambitious question is more about only having good schools as my top