<p>I'm from Melbourne, Australia and am going to start my second year of university. At the end of this year, i plan on submitting a transfer application to a few elite US universities - Harvard, Stanford and Yale. I'm aware that those universities allow a maximum of two years of uni education for transfer, so please be aware that this will be my one and only chance.</p>
<p>For high school, i was in the top 1.5% of all graduates and i currently attend Melbourne University (ranked no.1 in Ausralia). I'm studying a double degree of commerce/engineering and after a year, i am currently riding on a first class honours average (equivalent to the highest 4.0 GPA i think). I hope to maintain this average through my second year of uni. I have yet to do any SATs. I plan on doing them at the end of this year.</p>
<p>What really sets my back is perhaps my lack of extra-curricular activities. I have done various volunteer work and have participated in sports events, however i have never really achieved any distinguished positions, eg. leadership. I'm willing to pursue many extra-curricualar activities this year in an attempt to build this up. I understand they make up a very important part in elite college admissions, but i am worried about that they may be time consuming and may lower my grade average.</p>
<p>Could i please receive some advice on my chances of transfer admission with my current state of things (marks, etc).</p>
<p>Also, what kind of balance do you advise i should have between uni and extra-curricular activies.</p>
<p>Just something to add. I've always taken the most rigorous courses available to me. Eg, two foreign languages in high school. The hardest maths classes in uni. I've taken accelerated classes - i skipped one year in primary school, and another year in high school, so i am around two years younger than everyone else in my year level.</p>
<p>Another question: what kind of Sat scores should i be aiming at to have a good shot at admission?</p>
<p>Chances of getting in Harvard, Yale and Stanford as a transfer are never good, but if you can break the 1500 on the SAT and if you make a good case for why they should accept you, you have a chance. Stanford accepts just 7% - 9% of transfer applicants. Harvard and Yale are even more difficult. Princeton does not even consider transfers.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies.
I'm planning on majoring in a commerce-related field.
I'm studying a double degree right now, with an equal balance of engineering and commerce subjects. However if i succeed in transferring, i'll only transfer the commerce part of my course.</p>
<p>Also, if it wasnt too clear in my post - i do have quite a lot of extra-curricular activities. I'm involved with the deaf community. Also, i plan to start a marketing type company with a few friends mid this year. What i'm worried about is just that i dont have many things that scream 'leadership' or 'outstanding'.</p>
<p>I read somewhere that the average SAT scores for harvard is 1490. I think it was for freshman admissions. Would they expect higher for someone like me transferring in second year uni? I did a recent practise sat and got 800 math, 660 verbal. Not exactly flash, but i've got a whole year to improve on that (1550 is achievable i think with a year of decent study). I noticed that a new sat is coming out...not sure if thats good or not.</p>
<p>Chevron, be sure to know what you want to study. Harvard, Yale and Stanford do not offer any Business/Commerce related majors to undergraduate. The closest thing to it that they do offer would be Economics. </p>
<p>For Commerce, I think the University of Virginia has one of the best programs in the US. If you want to major in Business, look at Wharton, Michigan, MIT, Cal, NYU, UVA etc.... </p>
<p>However, if you are indefferent between Econ and Commerce/Business, then it does not matter where you go since every elite university in the US offers Econ as a major</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies Alexandre.
I'm indifferent to my major...it's as long as i get in!
The finance i'm studying now is closely tied with economics so i really wouldnt mind majoring in that instead.</p>
<p>Just a thought...if my gpa dropped to around 3.5 - 3.7 at uni after second year, but i had good ec's...lots of volunteer work, etc, would you rate my chances for better or for worse?</p>
<p>Also, in transfer applications, do second year uni scores carry more weight than first?</p>