Chances for top schools, will chance back

Transfer Students
1

<p>Alright, I know that I should wait until my first semester grades are in to do this, and I know that I posted a similar thread not too long ago, but the colleges I'm considering have changed radically since then and I need to know if I'm being realistic this time around.</p>

<p>Some stats:</p>

<p>Top 6% of high school class
GPA: 3.85 UW, 4.34 W
7 AP's, five 5's, one 4, and one 2 :(
SAT I Composite: 2160
(Here comes the bad part)
Breakdown: CR 780, M 580, W 800
SAT II's: 740 US, 760 Lit (or possibly the other way around, I can't remember which is which at this point since the scores are so similar), 440, 620 Spanish (I took it way before I was ready the first time)
ECs: VP of debate team, 100 hours of community service, NHS, a youth facilitator program</p>

<p>Predicted College GPA (1st semester): 3.75
ECs: Student Health Leader, volunteering at homeless shelter, plan to participate in intergroup dialogue, another leadership program
Recs: Both will hopefully be good, one possibly brilliant</p>

<p>Right now I'm looking at:</p>

<p>Columbia
Barnard
Georgetown
Vassar
UVA
William and Mary
URichmond</p>

<p>I'm from VA, and both my dad and my stepmom both went to UVa if that counts for anything. I didn't apply anywhere in-state as a freshman because I was naive and thought that I could handle the loans, but now I'm starting to realize I need to at least consider it as an option. </p>

<p>What do you guys think? Am I still aiming too high? I know Columbia's an uber-reach but I just can't let it go, I'm so in love with that school. Any advice would be very much appreciated, and I'll certainly chance back if you want!</p>

2

<p>Also, I go to NYU if it makes any difference. Any input would be very much appreciated!</p>

3

<p>Well, considering you go to NYU, all of these schools will probably give you more money.</p>

<p>I still think Vassar (LACs have low acceptance rates for transfers), Columbia and Georgetown are still reaches. I went to a school similar to NYU, had similar stats, and was rejected by Columbia and Georgetown. But, I think if you write an amazing essay, you still stand a chance. </p>

<p>I think Barnard and UVA are low reaches. Not sure if state schools take legacy into consideration (especially for a transfer). But, it does help a lot that you are in-state. </p>

<p>William and Mary would probably be a match for you.</p>

<p>Richmond is a low match. </p>

<p>I saw your first list, and this list is definitely more realistic. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

4

<p>Thanks so much, itransferred11! I felt kind of stupid about posting another chances thread so soon after the first one, but I really wanted to get feedback about whether I have a shot at these schools so I can have a chance to visit them all and write great essays. Thanks for giving me encouraging but honest feedback…twice. :)</p>

5

<p>Hey! I’m trying to transfer out of NYU as well. However, I’m gonna do a junior transfer while you’re looking at sophomore. TBH, you can never “guess” your GPA. Finals count for a lot, and basically determine the whole year. </p>

<p>If you’re applying as a sophomore, your high school grades still count a lot. One semester of college isn’t going to totally vanquish your high school achievements. With that being said, I think Columbia would be a reach. Although, I could see you getting into Barnard. Good luck! </p>

<p>PS. What don’t you like about NYU?</p>

6

<p>Hey, didn’t see this until now. I recognize that finals are going to be important, but I feel fairly confident about mine based on my midterm grades. As long as I don’t totally bomb Spanish, I think I’ll be fine. </p>

<p>It’s funny you say that because I think my high school career is actually stronger than my college one, haha. Obviously my SAT isn’t the best, but I had an upward trend all through high school. Thanks for the advice, though. </p>

<p>I already stated some of this on the other thread, but I just don’t feel challenged here. That could potentially change if I transfer to CAS (I’m in GLS) but money is also an issue. I just feel very strongly that I need to give myself more options.</p>

7

<p>Oh jeez, NYU, the amount of loans that school wanted me to take out… “financial aid package?!” more like financial debt package. anyway, </p>

<p>I basically 2nd Itransferred11. </p>

<p>Columbia - always a reach, for anyone. I don’t think that it’s unreasonable, but as you know, all the ivies are random. </p>

<p>Barnard - ah, forgot to mention that i’m also applying there! i don’t know what your need is like, but my problem with it is that it’s need-sensitive. Your stats are good for the school though and I’d say it’s more of a reach than a target. at the same time, the issue of it being a small liberal arts college and having a high retention right does come up. Fortunately and surprisingly, it has a similar acceptance rate as freshman admissions - around 25% I think? Good luck to us both! </p>

<p>Georgetown - also a reach, same as Columbia </p>

<p>Vassar - Vassar seems to be quite concerned about fit. I have a friend who had a much lower SAT/ranking than me but was accepted (and attends) but I was wait listed and eventually rejected. The school is perfect for her though. Also, they’re need-sensitive (if finances are a factor for you) for transfers. It’s a beautiful school though! Absolutely stunning. </p>

<p>UVA - You’d know more about this school than i do, but I think you have a fair shot at it considering you’re in-state and are a competitive applicant in general. </p>

<p>William and Mary - target - more artsy than UVA right? </p>

<p>URichmond - never heard of this school…assuming it’s less challenging than NYU and you probably won’t want it unless for a safety.</p>

8

<p>Thanks for replying, danielise! Ugh, that statement about the aid at NYU is so true. It’s sad because there are some aspects of the school that I really love (the emphasis on study-abroad, for instance) but the debt is just crazy. Anyway, enough said about that.</p>

<p>Honestly, I’m flattered that you don’t think Columbia is unreasonable…as much as I love the school I’m starting to feel like it’s a mistake to even apply if I’m just going to get crushed again. Did you mean to say Barnard was more of a target than a reach? Sorry if I’m interpreting what you said wrong, it’s just that it seemed to flow more naturally with what you said directly before that statement. I didn’t know it was need-sensitive, that’s problematic. Especially since I think they have significantly less spots available for transfers this year, which is bad for both of us. </p>

<p>Do you think Georgetown is as much of a reach as Columbia? Sorry to be so specific, I’m only asking because they have a much higher transfer rate and I feel I might have stood a chance for freshman admissions had my essays not been so incredibly rushed (the worst of the bunch since they’re not on the Common App). I won’t make that same mistake again, though. </p>

<p>I’m not sure about Vassar, either. I want to visit and there’s really no excuse for not doing so considering I live an hour and a half away, but the fact that it’s need-sensitive makes it seem like it might not be worth the train ticket/application fee. I really like it, though, so we’ll see. </p>

<p>Honestly, I don’t know that much about William and Mary. I never visited since I was so fixated on the out-of-state urban environment, which I realize now was a mistake. I hope so, though. As for URichmond, it ranks pretty high on the LAC list for US News and World Report, but I’ve heard mixed reports. We’ll see what happens. </p>

<p>Thanks for the feedback.</p>

9

<p>A potential problem with Columbia, financially, is this:
“Columbia is need blind when admitting transfer students. However, Columbia has a limited financial aid budget for transfer students. As a result, we are unable to meet the full need of all transfer admits.” [Myths</a> about Financial Aid | Undergraduate Financial Aid and Educational Financing](<a href=“http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/finaid/eligibility/myths.php]Myths”>Myths about Financial Aid | Columbia Financial Aid and Educational Financing) </p>

<p>Yes, i did mean more of a target than a reach, whoops. I think it’d really be ideal because it’s a small liberal arts education inside of a larger and more prestigious university…the need-sensitive thing sucks. I talked to Reed College, where I’m also applying, and they said they’re need-sensitive for transfers too but I’m hoping that since my stats are way higher than their average I still have a fair shot. I’m not quite as confident about Barnard though since we’re more target…the financial thing could mess us up. Ugh. </p>

<p>No, I think Georgetown would be a little bit easier than Columbia. I haven’t looked up its transfer acceptance rates but I know it’s a bit less competitive and perhaps more predictable for freshman admissions, at the very least. </p>

<p>Good luck with Vassar, but I would encourage you to look into more liberal arts schools that are a bit more friendly to transfer students. Like for me, I’m doing Middlebury and Swarthmore since they have better endowments/promise to meet 100% fin need for transfers and are need-blind.</p>

10

<p>Thanks for responding again, I really appreciate the help. </p>

<p>As for Columbia, this is where it starts to get kind of sad. Despite the fact that no one in my immediate family has any money whatsoever (we’re talking maximum Pell Grant, EFC = 0 here) my dad assured me back in the high school round that if I got into Columbia, we’d find a way to make it happen somehow. My great-grandfather is somewhat wealthy, and I’m sure if I went to him and was like “Hey Grandad, I got into an Ivy League school, can you help me out?” he’d be willing. And yes, that is kind of messed-up and unfair, but hey, that’s life.</p>

<p>Reed is a cool place, but be careful assuming things about admissions there based on stats. I got waitlisted there last year with higher numbers than the freshman profile, and I eventually came to realize that when they claim to be fiercely independently-minded regarding admissions, they actually mean it. I still think you stand a good chance, but it’s just something to consider. </p>

<p>Thanks for the advice about Georgetown/Vassar. I was looking at Swarthmore initially but ended up crossing it off my list because I was overwhelmed by the seeming brilliance of the students there and didn’t want to add another reach to my already reach-heavy choices.</p>

11

<p>“Reed is a cool place, but be careful assuming things about admissions there based on stats.”</p>

<p>Right. For frosh admits, GPA + SAT/ACT + rank together count for only 20% of admission criteria.</p>