Hi there! I am an Asian female from the east coast currently enrolled at Villanova University. I’m hoping to transfer to Lafayette College either in the Fall 2017 or Spring 2018. I was rejected the first time around but Lafayette has been my dream school since I’ve visited. I’d appreciate any criticism or advice on improving my chances to transfer!
Here’s a little about me:
I am currently majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Spanish on the pre-med track (I realize I am all over the place but I’m just interested in a lot of things!).
Fall Semester Overall GPA: 3.82
Fall Semester Technical GPA: 3.89
Honors: Dean’s List Fall Semester
ECs:
ASL Club
Relay for Life
Society of Women Engineers - I helped organize a networking dinner
Pre-Med Club
High School Stats:
GPA: 3.80 UW
Standardized test scores: My SAT super-score is a 2010. CR: 670 Math: 720 Writing: 620.
I only took the ACT once and my composite was a 30.
Honors/Awards: National Honor Society, graduated with Honors (A- average or above)
ECs: Mock Trial: sophomore, junior and senior year - no leadership positions available but we made Semi-Finals in the states every year
Indoor/Outdoor Track all four years
Student Council: VP freshman and sophomore year. Senator junior and senior year
Relay for Life: all four years - I am now a senior leader.
Volunteering:
I do ConnectiKids at my school all four years - I sit one on one with a second grader and help them out with homework
I also volunteered at a hospital my sophomore year for 70 hours.
I am hoping to transfer into the Engineering school at Laf; however, on the common app it asks for an additional academic interest but gives me the option to select chemical engineering again… should I treat this as a second major option in the case I do not get accepted into the engineering school? In that case, I am between selecting chemistry or math.
My biggest concern are my scores from high school. I feel like my academic results from my first semester are strong though. Any constructive criticism would be great! I would love any input on how to improve my application.
Lafayette does not have a separate engineering school. I would be very surprised if you did not get in as a transfer if your second semester grades are similar to your fall semester. Villanova has a very respected engineering school and by doing so well there I think you gave proven that you can handle the work. Honestly, as a Lafayette Engineering alum, I don’t know why you want to transfer from Villanova when you are doing so well there. I loved Lafayette and my experience there, but I don’t think the engineering education is any better than what you are getting at Villanova. But if transfer is what you want good luck and I wish the best for you. You sound like a talented young woman.
If you want to study engineering, then put down engineering. There is no reason to transfer if you won’t be able to study what you want. Villanova is a great school as well.
I personally think you are an excellent candidate! From what I have read they take very few transfers, so don’t let that get you down if it doesn’t work out. Would you stay at Villanova if you don’t get in or are you applying elsewhere? I agree, put down engineering if that’s what you want to do. When do you think you will hear?
It’s very tough to get into Lafayette as a transfer (think around an 11% acceptance rate). That being said, I think you’re a highly qualified candidate with a good chance to be one of the few the admissions office accepts.
Question: would you be transferring in as a sophomore or a junior?
Thank you for all your encouraging responses! @NJbaseballmom I would stay at Villanova if I don’t get in. While, I don’t mind it here at Villanova, Lafayette has been my dream school for a very long time. I’m not sure when I would hear back. I’ve heard response times has been 2 weeks to 2 months (from my other friends who decided to transfer to other schools). @limitsbylaw I would be transferring as a sophomore! I wish there were more stats online regarding Laf’s transfer stats and rates but I have also heard that Laf does not accept lots of transfer students (crossing my fingers they accept me this time around!).
Also I tried clicking ChemE under “Additional Academic Interest” and it let me select chemical engineering but will only let me choose B.A. as the degree choice instead of B.S. (which is what I chose for the primary academic interest). I don’t know too much about a B.A. in engineering so would it be better to select math or chemistry as a secondary interest?
I believe the B.A. will give you more of a liberal arts curriculum to support your Chem E degree. The B.S. will give you a much heavier science/math/technology path to go along with the traditional engineering path. Why don’t you give the school a call and let them know you are preparing to submit your application and have a question about the second choice for major. If anything, the phone call will be noted as demonstrated interest (which helps at a small school) and you will get the best answer for you future career path! One of life’s greatest lessons is that it never hurts to ask.
@NJbaseballmom I’ll give them a call! I have a friend there whose father is an engineering professor at Lafayette (Electrical Engineering though not Chemical); do you think it’d be worthwhile to maybe try and ask her to introduce me to her father? I don’t know if it helps to know a professor at all in this process.
I know this thread has been dead for a while, but I figured I should update it with my admission decision in case any students in the future who are wishing to transfer to Lafayette happen upon this thread. I got in! After a month of waiting, an admission counselor called me to welcome me into the school
my son was accepted to both Nova and Lafayette and decided on Lafayette. What do you consider the pros and cons of both schools in generally and engineering specifically.
@regretful, you should make a new post on this - you may not get many people who’ll see this buried at the bottom of another post.
I have a daughter at Lafayette who LOVES it but she isn’t in engineering. And after much head scratching, I just realize you probably meant Villanova as the other school and I don’t know anything about it so can’t weigh in. Hopefully you’ll get some people who can if you repost. Good luck to your son and congratulation on his acceptances.
@minxxx Congratulations! I really thought you would get accepted. Best of luck to you at your new home. I hope your experience at Lafayette is all that you hope for. It is an awesome school and community.
