Chance Me for Transfer (Ivies, Stanford, Chicago schools, WashU)

Transfer Students
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I am hoping for a chance me!

Demographics: Currently a freshman at the University of Missouri - Columbia. Originally from Southern Illinois. I went to a public high school.

Intended Major(s): Currently I am a journalism major with minors in music and leadership and public service (probably German as well). I am seeking a different major in either environmental public policy, public policy, or environmental studies (with an emphasis in policy).

UW GPA, Rank, and Test Scores: My high school rank was in the top 6%. Unweighted GPA was 3.86/4.0. Weighted GPA was 4.25/5.0. College GPA is a 4.0. I am submitting a 33 ACT.

Coursework (college coursework for transfer applicants):

I am not sure what looks good for this. Maybe I could ask to turn regular classes into honors classes, but our honors selection is limited and I don’t think I am allowed to do “honors learning by contract” as a freshman.

I’ll give the level number (1000, 2000, 3000, 4000) instead of the exact course number.

Fall 2022 (15 credits)-
1000 Journalism: Principles of Journalism in a Democracy
1000 Journalism: Fundamentals of Written Journalism
2000 Philosophy: Environmental Ethics
2000 Anthropology: Introduction to Biological Anthropology
2000 Music: Studio Instruction for Non-Majors (Piano Performance)
2000 Honors Tutorial (small, application-based one-credit class): Literature in 1922

Spring 2023 (18 credits)-
2000 English: Intermediate Poetry
4000 Public Affairs: Program Assessment and Implementation
2000 Statistics
2000 Intermediate German
2000 Piano Performance
4000H History: Global History at Oxford (Study abroad program at Oxford)

After this year, I will have 60 credits at my current institution. However, I will have earned 33 credits at MU, 5 of which are honors. Since 2 classes were journalism and one was a 1-credit class, I expect to have 26 credits that are transferable. Some schools will potentially give me credit for a 5 on AP Literature.

Awards: I’m also not sure which things to include on my application, so if you have any advice, I will list everything I include on my CV/LinkedIn here.

  1. Semper Solaris Scholarship: won an essay contest about renewable energy
  2. Walter Williams Scholar: One of the top 50 incoming journalism students at my current institution
  3. Eagle Scout
  4. Girl Scout Gold Award
  5. All-State Musician
  6. Claudette Sorel Piano Fellow
  7. ELKS Most Valuable Student
  8. PEO STAR Scholar
  9. Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards

I am hoping to receive a few fellowships/mentor programs and I am waiting on results. I also hope to receive the Presidential Service Award before submitting applications, and join Omicron Delta Kappa in mid-March as a “top 14 freshman.” Fingers crossed!

Extracurriculars (incl. summer activities, competitions, volunteering, and work experience):

I’ll also list here what is on my LinkedIn. The three activities I’d maybe take from high school are Model UN president for 2 years, principal trumpet in band, and teaching piano for 5 years. Help with determining which of these are the most important would also be helpful.

  1. Staff Writer for an online magazine for 2 years
  2. Girl Scouts
  3. Scouts BSA
  4. 1 of 3 undergrads on a committee with faculty to improve the library system
  5. Founder of an educational and service-based website and literary magazine for 2 years so far
  6. Research fellow. I will be co-authoring a paper in March, but that won’t be available before apps are due.
  7. Leads a team that is collaborating with NGOs in Africa to alleviate period poverty. Received a grant from Roots and Shoots.
  8. Reporter for an environmental newsdesk promoting local reporting in the Midwest
  9. Ambassador for a national environmental organization
  10. Climate Advocate. Worked with Harvard researchers and gave a TedEd talk.
  11. Became a communication intern for that same group to promote a climate change education program
  12. US Department of State Green Leaders Fellow
  13. Has leadership in 3 clubs (secretary for an environmental journalism org, social media committee for an identity-based journalism org, and an alumni director for a sorority)

Schools: Recommendations for a good safety in environmental public policy with a great academic scene would be appreciated. Since I decided I want to switch majors, I do need to leave my current institution. Their policy program is very new, has few offerings, and no emphasis in environmental policy.

Looking to apply to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Cornell, Columbia, Brown, Northwestern, UChicago (maybe get off the wait-list this time), Georgetown, WashU, and maybe Dartmouth.

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How many of these schools did you apply to last year?

What is your reason for wanting to transfer to each of these schools? You’ll need to provide a compelling “why” in your application.

Stanford, and I believe Princeton, take very few transfer students - mostly non-traditional students. Maybe some others on this list too. So transfer chances are going to be very low.

And finally, are these schools affordable?

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All of them have a smaller student body that isn’t so narrowly focused on sports and partying. They also have a more balanced focus on a liberal arts education.

I am switching my major. Environmental public policy isn’t common. All of these are top public policy schools and contain opportunities for environmental policy.

Stanford would specifically give me access to a tech community that I could connect to environmental technology and implementation in a corporate setting in the future. They have a very strong emphasis on sustainability.

Cornell is known for its nature atmosphere and strong Ag department. Many people there go into environmental science or studies. They have a very specific policy program.

Harvard, Princeton, and Yale all offer specific environmental policy programs while having the best liberal arts offerings. All three additionally focus on undergraduate research and experiential learning in policy.

Columbia is known for having deep government/political connections. That one I am more iffy on.

Brown would let me explore more courses and maybe let me delve deeper into creative writing and foreign languages.

WashU is close to home, so I know specific opportunities to take advantage of. They do partnerships with our zoo and local animal sanctuary. They also run a lot of pollinator conservations in our city park in St. Louis. I also will have a policy internship in St. Louis this summer, so it would let me continue environmental work in St. Louis.

Northwestern has a phenomenal student atmosphere that also encourages experiential learning. I could also keep up with my music studies and maybe stay involved in journalism.

UChicago has a great academic environment and wonderful policy reputation. They also have an emphasis on urban development, which is something I am interested in exploring.

Then Georgetown would let me explore both my interest in international affairs and environmental policy. I actually think Georgetown would be a great fit if I am accepted.

Overall, I would love to go to Harvard, Princeton, or Stanford. They have great programs, a strong dedication to setvice and innovation, and an emphasis on experiential learning.

However, the ones I would really shoot for as potentially wonderful fits are Cornell and Georgetown.

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For a statistical view of this, Princeton, for example, indicates an acceptance rate for transfer applicants of 1.3% (1 acceptance for each 75 applicants) in it most recent CDS.

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Have you already turned in that many transfer applications, or are you thinking of doing so?

To me it looks a lot as if you are mostly trying to get to a higher ranked university. I would be surprised if this were to succeed.

I am concerned about your taking six classes, including two senior year classes, and at the same time trying to fill out all of those transfer applications.

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I haven’t submitted the applications yet. The public affairs class is actually an intro class for my school’s public policy major. The other is a special study abroad program.

I have good time management. I will be working on these applications over winter break. Hopefully they will only need small edits over the course of January and February. I am in a transfer support group to help write and edit applications as well.

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Is the study abroad program taking place at some point outside of the normal semester dates? My apologies that I did not notice that the study abroad is at Oxford. This sounds like great fun.

One daughter took a field course that was an intensive two (or 2 1/2?) week course at the end of the summer – I think that there was about a one week gap between the end of the course and the beginning of the semester. This was a very positive experience.

To me it sounds like you are doing well. The schools that you have mentioned as possibly applying to will all be reaches. Given your interesting background they might however be worth an application.

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It is for one week over spring break. I have a class for it during the semester, but it is just one day a week for two hours.

I am really looking forward to it!

Do you have any recommendations for safeties?

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I was wondering about UVM (ie, Vermont). I know that it is good for environmental sciences. Of course environmental policy is different. Also, it is a bit expensive unless you qualify for a presidential merit scholarship, and I do not know whether they give these to transfers. It might however be worth looking at. My best guess is that your chances for admissions would be quite good.

I might add that given how many universities you are considering applying to, you might want to prioritize where to get your application in first. While all are reaches, I have been wondering whether Brown and/or WUSTL might be slightly more reasonable reaches compared to at least most of the others.

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As an opinion, the weakness of your list is in its dearth of matches.

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I don’t understand your grammar. Could you please clarify?

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This perhaps reflects my personal preference, but a college list with lots of reaches (along with a likely admit or two) seems less desirable than a list with a higher concentration of matches. Specifically, in your case, I believe you would benefit from a list with more potential matches. Additionally, I’d say that some schools on your list do not appear to be generally receptive to transfer applicants, as might be indicated by their sub-5% acceptance rates for them.

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In that case, what are my matches?

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You’ve listed how those schools will benefit you, but you didn’t list what you bring to that variety of schools. Princeton, Harvard and Stanford are very different from each other. This list sounds like a prestige hunt.
You need to have a very compelling reason for transfer and, typically like to like school history. Your change of major, may be an issue.

Stanford’s transfer admits have been non-traditional students like vets, retirees, 2nd occupation students, etc.
All you can do is try to apply, but the chances will be limited.

Plus, you have to hope that a current student drops out in order for you to have a seat. That’s why seats are limited. Edited to add: recent transfer admits, have included athletes.

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I agree this list seems to be built with prestige in mind. I expect you can design an environmental
Public policy major at many schools that have public policy offerings, and as you learned on your other thread, people working in the types of kinds of jobs you want had many different majors.

You also received feedback and a number of transfer school ideas in your other threads…have you researched those schools?

If you are certain you want to transfer, you need some schools on this list that are matches and at a least one affordable safety…what are those schools?

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You will need to give an academic reason why you want to transfer…what you have posted above isn’t an academic reason.

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In my view there are only 3 compelling reasons to transfer: a change in academic goals that is clearly not achievable at your current institution, a change in finances that necessitates transferring to a more affordable college, or a change in personal circumstances that requires a move closer to home.

Your description indications the 2nd and 3rd options above are not applicable in your case. Those who want to move for academic reasons typically target a few (usually 2-3) schools where they are able to very clearly explain why a transfer makes sense. You, on the other hand, have a long list of prestige names and it’s going to be very hard for you to make a case why it makes academic sense for you to transfer.

I also asked in my earlier post if you had applied to any of these as a freshman. If yes, (and I assume you were rejected and are trying again) you are highly unlikely to get accepted just a year later.

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According to the thread in January, this is where the OP applied last year:

Here are the schools I applied to. I just want to know where I have chances of being accepted to or if I should just resort to my state schools. I’d really like to go to a private school, but I want to know my chances.

  • University of Missouri-Columbia (accepted to honors college and currently a semi-finalist in the stamps scholarship program)
  • University of Iowa (accepted)
  • Northwestern University
  • Yale University
  • University of Chicago
  • Washington University
  • Kenyon College
  • Grinnell College
  • Bowdoin College
  • Colby College
  • Wellesley College
    -Fordham University
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So to the OP….if you weren’t accepted to Chicago, Yale, Northwestern or Wash U last year, I can’t see any good reason to apply there to transfer. Your high school record will be what is used to determine your admission with only one year of college.

You have added 7 or 8 additional schools which are more competitive for admissions than the ones where presumably you didn’t get accepted last year. I’m having trouble figuring out how you will benefit from applying but I suppose go ahead and see. You never know.

I think you have just gone down the USNews rankings and made your list. That sure is what it looks like.

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I said that I want to switch to a different major that isn’t quite offered at my school.