<p>Hello everyone. I'm starting as a Freshman at Purdue University on Monday (yay!) I am a Genetics major, and will be taking 18 credits/7 classes this semester. These are the classes:</p>
<ol>
<li>Biology Resource Seminar</li>
<li>Biology I: Diversity, Ecology, And Behavior</li>
<li>First-Year Composition</li>
<li>Biotechnology Laboratory I</li>
<li>Precalculus- Functions And Trigonometry</li>
<li>Elementary Psychology</li>
<li>Introductory Sociology</li>
</ol>
<p>... yes, the precalculus kinda' throws me off I guess, but my high school refused to let me take pre-calc even though I had passed an advanced Trig course. Sure, I could have self-studied, but I didn't have much time. Don't kill me ;P The Psych and Soc, my adviser recommended those classes since I plan on going to med school. I'll be honest- I'm a Freshman and this is a difficult schedule so I might drop one or two courses, but I'm trying not to do that. Also, I might get a job working in a lab on campus, and I do plan to be involved in extracurriculars.</p>
<p>So, here are my stats:</p>
<p>Weighted HS GPA (my school doesn't give unweighted): 3.8
Each year I'd get a harder schedule so my grades would be a little off, but my grades show an upward trend overall. Took lots of honors classes and more classes than I needed to graduate. APs:</p>
<p>AP English Language and Composition (Junior Year, 3)
AP US (Junior Year, 2)
AP Studio Art (Senior Year, wasn't allowed to take the test)
AP English Literature (Senior Year, 2)
AP Microeconomics (Senior Year, 2)
AP Latin (Senior Year, 3)</p>
<p>And while we're on the topic of suckish test scores, my SAT superscore is an 1830. Math, 600, and either Reading or Writing at 610 or 620. On all my SAT IIs I scored below average. I don't plan on retaking them and I'm hoping that, if I excel in my college classes, the colleges I apply to will overlook my test scores.</p>
<p>High School ECs:
-Volunteered for an eco company in Poland and have been published by them in artwork and writing... twice.
-Key Club, 3 years
-Green Club, 1 yr
-Latin Club, President, 3 yrs
-Bridge to Medicine, 2 yrs, Vice-Prez
-School Magazine, Editor, 3 yrs
-Sexual Orientation Unity League, Executive, 1 yr
-School Leadership team, a year and a half (it counted as a class and I was forced to drop it because it conflicted with another class)
-Math Team, one year
-Arista National Honors Society, 2 years
-Archon Honors Society, 2 years</p>
<p>Awards:
-I've received TONS of scholarships from Purdue, but I THINK they are mostly need-based, I am not sure. I do know at least one is merit, it's a Presidential scholarship.
-I have received an award for working on the school magazine two years in a row
-Chancellor's Honor Roll for Art, Senior Year
-Silver Medal in the National Latin Exam, Junior Year</p>
<p>That's all I can remember off the top of my head... now, the schools in question:</p>
<ol>
<li>MIT</li>
<li>Harvard</li>
<li>Yale</li>
<li>UPenn</li>
<li>Cornell</li>
<li>Duke University</li>
<li>Brown</li>
</ol>
<p>Yes, I bet you're all laughing... but it's worth a shot. Yes, I know I am in a good school already, but I have a lot of good reasons for wanting to transfer. One... I want to go to a better school. Sorry, but I'm being bluntly honest. Two... correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe these schools are more generous in terms of financial aid, and although Purdue has given me tons of scholarships, I still might be taking some loans and would like to avoid that. Three... I kinda'... didn't realize how far from home I was going, or that I would miss it. No, I do NOT want to go home, but I would like to be a bit closer. Now, specifically for Cornell, one of my closest friends goes there and I would love to go there with her. As for Duke, it's in North Carolina... and I've just wanted to go there. Hehe :P</p>
<p>I would rather try transferring now as opposed to waiting another year and not have all my credits transfer over. However, if I wait, there is the possibility that my grades will go up and I might be a more appealing candidate for these schools. There's also the chance that the opposite could happen. Great. Do you guys think I should try not- because I really think I should- or wait a year?</p>
<p>I also admit that I basically did nothing this summer. Why? Well, I was preparing for college and I was also sick a lot... didn't have much time for a job. Maybe that's a bad excuse, but that's all I've got.</p>
<p>I have also heard that Purdue is known to be a tough school with lack of grade inflation, and I think the average GPA is 2.98 or something. I have no idea whether these schools will take that into consideration. So, of course, I'm scared, but regardless I have to try if I want to go to med school.</p>
<p>And finally, I'll admit that I may like Purdue and in the end decide not to transfer. I'm already slowly becoming attached. But I still have my mind set on these schools and in case I don't change my mind, I don't want to regret anything.</p>
<p>This is long, but thanks to anyone who bothered to take the time to read this :)</p>
But if I do want to transfer I think it’s better to do so earlier before all my credits don’t transfer over. I would like to transfer for Fall of 2014, not Spring… just to clarify.</p>