Aspiring Finance Major Seeking Guidance on T20 Schools as a Transfer from CC

Transfer Students
1

Hey College Confidential Community!

I hope this post finds you all in good health and high spirits. I wanted to introduce myself and share my aspirations as I embark on my academic journey. I’m an incoming freshman at a local community college right here in Seattle, and I’ve got my sights set on studying finance at a top-tier institution. However, I could really use some guidance on creating a list of colleges to aim for.

Let me give you a bit of background. Finance has always been a passion of mine. The intricacies of managing money, making strategic investments, and analyzing financial markets have always fascinated me. I’ve spent countless hours devouring finance-related books, following stock markets, and even dabbling in virtual trading to gain some hands-on experience.

Now, as I step into the world of higher education, I’m committed to giving my absolute best. I’m determined to work hard, excel academically, and actively engage in extracurricular activities to build a strong application profile. But here’s where I need your help - I’m not entirely sure which T20 (top 20) schools to set my sights on.

I understand that T20 schools are highly competitive, and the admission process can be incredibly challenging. Still, I believe that with dedication, perseverance, and guidance from this amazing community, I can make it happen. I’m open to applying to colleges nationwide, not just in the Seattle area, as long as they offer a stellar finance program.

So, my fellow College Confidential members, I’m reaching out to you for advice and recommendations. If you have any insights into T20 schools that have exceptional finance programs, or if you’ve been through a similar journey, please share your experiences and suggestions with me. Whether it’s tips on crafting a compelling application, opportunities to bolster my resume, or stories of your own successes, I’m all ears.

I’m truly excited about this path I’m embarking on, and I’m ready to put in the work to achieve my dream. Your support and guidance mean the world to me, and I’m eager to learn from your wisdom. Thank you in advance for your help, and I can’t wait to be an active member of this incredible community.

Let’s chase our dreams together!

Warm regards.

2

You mean top 20 finance programs because not all top 20s have a finance program.

What is your cost scenario/budget?

UW Foster is a great school btw.

Good luck in school this year.

3

Generally speaking the more information that you give us, the more accurate any advice is likely to be.

Your high school GPA and your budget would be useful to know. Whether you are a US citizen or permanent resident, versus an international student, and whether you are a resident of Washington State (or if not any other state) would also be useful to know.

Given that you are starting at community college in Washington State, I would be inclined to think of the University of Washington as a very good school to consider.

I do by the way know people who started at community college either because of budget limitations or because they had done badly in high school, who did very well at community college, and who transferred to very good universities and who continued to do very well. One ended up being a respected tenured professor at a university that they would not have been accepted to if they had applied straight out of high school. It is definitely possible to do very well after starting at community college. However, you will want to put in a strong effort starting the first day of college, and you will want to always pay attention in class and keep well ahead in your class work.

This is exactly the right attitude and I wish you good success.

4

Note that the importance of high school record is high for early transfers who do not have much of a college record, but becomes much less (or sometimes none) for those who will transfer as juniors after presenting a substantial college record with their transfer applications.

1 Like
5

Finance (especially analysis), more so than most other business subfields, relies heavily on mathematics for its foundation. For this reason, you may want to consider colleges at which you could study a combination of math and economics. In any case, you may find that many of the nation’s top colleges do not offer a finance major. For ideas for colleges with excellent economics programs, these sites may be helpful:

https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.uslacecon.html

https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.usecondept.html

6

They had clarified:

7

You have a world class university right there in your own city, and ample opportunities for internships.

I’d focus on clarifying the pathway to UW asap while exploring internship or work opportunities next summer.

There are a lot of financial analyst type roles in the tech sector in Seattle, aside from the more traditional finance roles at companies like Russell. Recruiting at UW for those roles is fairly robust.

Don’t focus too narrowly on what you currently think of as finance. There’s a big world out there and you likely only know about a sliver of it at this point.

2 Likes