Chance me, please.

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hello. I'm currently in the middle of working on transfer apps., and the cost is really starting to build up. I'm looking to shave down my list of colleges so I can afford to apply to the ones I have a good chance with. Here are my stats:</p>

<p>High school GPA: 4.09
College GPA: 4.00
ACT: 33 (reading: 36, English: 35, math: 28, science: 33)
SAT: 2200 (reading: 800, English: 750, math: 650)
Extracurriculars: News Editor of the campus newspaper for a semester, Publications Editor of the Math and Computer Science Club for two semesters, involved in campus gender issues zine, involved in general college literary magazine, member of UWS Students for Obama, Editor-in-Chief of my high school literary magazine (HS), Knowledge Bowl two-time State competitor (HS), member of Math League and Chess Club (HS), Junior Rotarian (HS), National Honor Society Officer (Corresponding Secretary for a year, Reporter for a year) (HS), attendee of the Carleton College Summer Writing Program, attendee of Louis Jenkins poetry workshop, and a couple others.</p>

<p>My rec. letters are going to be very mediocre, I think, except to the schools which encourage letters from high school teachers/community members. I haven't made much of an impression here in one semester, and each of my professors I've had only for one semester. I'm also transferring from a small state school, which isn't too impressive.</p>

<p>I wrote my transfer essay about how I left the fundamental Christian church last year and became a rationalist. It's a little bit narrative, a little bit about my personality and interests, and a little bit about why such a change has made me wish to transfer schools. I think it was a risky move, but at least it wasn't dry. </p>

<p>The schools I'm applying to/have applied to/am thinking about applying to are:</p>

<p>UW-Madison
UM-Twin Cities
U-Chicago
Dartmouth
Boston University
Brown
Stanford
U-Penn
Columbia
Carleton
Swarthmore</p>

<p>I had MIT and Yale on the list for awhile, but they were such ridiculous reaches that I cut them out. I'm still holding a candle for MIT, though, since my desired focus is linguistics and their program sounds great. What do you think?</p>

2

<p>With a 1.5% transfer acceptance rate last year, Stanford is no less reachy than MIT and Yale. Your HS stats look pretty good, do you have a track record with any of these schools from last year (where did you apply and where were you accepted?)</p>

3

<p>I thought Stanford had a rate of 5.1%? Anyhow, you're right about the reachiness. The reason I left Stanford on but cut the other two was because I wasn't applying to any schools in the west, I think, which demonstrates the preliminary nature of this list. :) The only schools I've actually applied to so far are U-Chicago, UW-Madison, UM-Twin Cities, and Dartmouth (because the app. is very simple). Oh, and Boston U.</p>

<p>I don't have a track record with any of these schools. I wrote in my essay how my worldview at the time interfered with the college application process (in my sect of Christianity it was seen as disobedient and, to a degree, sinful to dedicate oneself to "earthly knowledge"), and I'm hoping that will open the door a smidge further for me.</p>

4

<p>No, I'm afraid the 5.1% is from fall 2006. As you can see from some of the most recent comments on the rate thread, only some of the colleges have been updated for 2007. But like you say, either way it's small.</p>

<p>I'm not familiar with transferring to UW and UM, but am guessing these are pretty sure bets with your HS and college GPAs. There is some discussion that D is going to be very tough this year as they over enrolled the class of 2011. I guess depending on how many more applications you can afford, try to have a balanced list. I know this sounds vague, but trying to assess transfers is much more difficult than freshman year, as there are more variables and less past data to base predictions on.</p>

5

<p>I would be VERY surprised if you weren't accepted at Chicago.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the comments so far. I forgot to add that I'm a National Merit Finalist and was valedictorian of my (very small) high school class. I know that some schools take NM stuff into account, so I thought that might help.</p>

7

<p>Your record is very solid, but mediocre recommendations will not be good, as they are heavily weighted for transfers. Though, I wouldn't stress about them given the strength of your other stats. Good luck!</p>