Chance me please? Transfer student

Colleges and Universities A-Z Wellesley College
1

<p>hi, I'm looking to transfer to Wellesley, and I know I probably don't stand a chance, but I'd like to ask your opinion on chances.</p>

<p>During my High School Years, I switched schools often, so I was not able to really engage in an exceptionally challenging curriculum filled with AP's and IB's, or take college classes as I would have liked. Instead, I embraced the opportunities given to me, and spent my time immersed in China picking up a new language, volunteering to teach English in schools, self-studying guitar and graphic design, and learning traditional Chinese martial arts. </p>

<p>I applied to the following colleges last year:
Brown - Denied
Trinity Coll - waitlisted
Swarthmore - denied
Wesleyan - waitlisted, then denied
UChicago - denied
UPenn - denied
Wellesley - first choice, applied EE, received "possible" then denied
Scripps - denied
Safetyschools:
Boston University - accepted but financial aid package was not as impressive as DU's
University of Denver - accepted and enrolled</p>

<p>As you might tell, I was very disappointed that I didn't even make it into one of my dream schools, so I determined that I would use my chance at DU to the best of my advantage, and then apply as a transfer to a school that would hopefully take me as a sophomore. Crossing my fingers!</p>

<p>Year: Freshman
Institution: University of Denver (mid-size, private university, ranked mid 80's on US NEWS)
Major: International Studies, reason for transfer.
Current GPA: 3.97
Enrolled in University Honors Program</p>

<p>SAT I: 2300 (800 R 750 M 750 W)
SAT II: Chinese w/Lst 750 Math 2 800 US HIST 700
ACT: 32 (Best individual scores) - Englisht 34 Math 34 Reading 34 Science 30 Writing 31
No AP's/IB's b/c attended a distance learning high school for majority of high school career (cringe)</p>

<p>Main reasons for transfer: Would like to pursue an East Asian Studies/Chinese language major, not offered at DU. Pursuit of </p>

<p>a more academically rigorous and intellectually stimulating program in an area of interest.</p>

<p>Fall Qtr Courseload:
Geography 1264 - Global Environmental Change I (Honors Science sequence) - A
Chinese 2100 - Conversation and Composition - A
First Year Seminar: Soundscapes - Music in Multicultural America - A
INTS 1700 - Introduction to International Politics - A-</p>

<p>Winter Qtr Courseload (current):
Chinese 3101 - Advanced Conversation and Composition
Geography 1265 - Global Environmental Change II (Honors Science sequence)
Advanced Writing Seminar (Honors Writing Prerequsite)
Sociology: Understanding Social Life (Honors Social Science)</p>

<p>College EC's:
President of Wushu Club (newly formed)
Member of Asian Student Alliance
Volunteering with Admissions Team (overnight visits, student panel discussions, etc.)
Writing for School Newspaper this quarter
Mandarin self-study
Tutoring (part-time job) in Chinese and ESL
(should I put work study or my intramural Broomball team on my application)</p>

<p>High School EC's: (all independently initiated, since my high school career was rather disjointed)
Wushu/martial arts practice at Taoist UNESCO World Heritage Site Wudang Mountain (extremely rigorous, live-on training - 1 </p>

<p>year total or 8 months/4 months)
12 hr day 7days/wk job teaching TOEFL/SAT english in China
Volunteer teaching/tutoring English in rural Chinese elementary and preschools
Immersed self in rural China, acquired basic fluency and literacy in Mandarin Chinese
Acoustic Guitar self-study
Graphic design self-study
Choir</p>

<p>High School Awards/Recognition:
APIASF Scholarship Recipient
Legacy Scholarship Recipient
National Merit Finalist
Questbridge Finalist
National Society of High School Scholar
National Latin Exam Silver Medal (Magna Cum Laude)</p>

<p>Essay:
Focus on reasons for transfer, and assets of why wellesley's EAS/Chinese program matches my passion, and why wellesley as a women's college is a source of empowerment</p>

<p>If there are any exceptional colleges that you think would be a good idea to apply to that have a program that matches my </p>

<p>interest, please let me know. I'm looking for a need-blind school with a prestigious Chinese/East Asian Studies program. </p>

<p>Thanks so much in advance!</p>

2

<p>I can only say to look at Fiske’s guide. They rank schools on quality of academics by major. You have an intense resume, so I hope you the best. It would be great to meet a girl like you, yet their acceptance rate is pretty brutal. Your essay might be helped with a personal element, though not reading it, I can’t really judge. I’m sorry for not being more helpful, I just haven’t had any contact with transfer students here since the retention rate is so high.</p>

3

<p>wudanglady, personally I think you stand a chance.</p>

<p>You have a very strong academic record.</p>

<p>I do know of one transfer student. She started at Boston University as a music major, and decided she wanted a more academically intense environment and major. She successfully transferred into Wellesley, also took a year off in between schools.</p>

<p>P.S. does Wellesley have a prestigious Chinese/East Asian studies program?</p>

<p>Editing to add – and I do believe Wellesley has a Wushu club…</p>

4

<p>Yes, Wellesley does have a Wushu club. They’d certainly love to have you.</p>