Chances to UPenn/Vandy/USC/etc.

Transfer Students
1

<p>So I currently go to a top 5 regional public and I am looking to transfer to a better school. My reasons include: need a more rigorous environment, a better campus life, and more opportunities (ie networking).</p>

<p>Here are my stats (credit to who I copied the format from):</p>

<h2>High School</h2>

<p>GPA - 3.1W 3.0UW
SAT I - 2000/2400 1400/1600
SAT II - US History - 750</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: Student Government member, Red Cross member, Student Leadership member
Work Experience: Worked at a shoe firm as a secretary</p>

<h2>College</h2>

<p>GPA - 3.8/4.0 (Straight A's + 1 C in biology)
-Very rigorous coursework (Taken 3000-level Political Science, Math, and Econ courses, 4000-level Political Science Course, and Honors courses in Micro + Macro Econ, and Political science -- All A's)
Honors College: Yes
Major: Econ w/ Double Minor Math/Poli Sci</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
* Top 5 position in student government (out of 160 members...I led my own committee, etc... I'm writing my EC essay on this)
* Vice-President of the Political club
* Philanthropy Chair at my fraternity
* I have an on campus fellowship that involves interacting with students, fostering dialog etc...we went to WUSTL during the summer and our key event this semester was an Occupy Wall Street Debate that I led</p>

<p>Work Experience:
-I worked over the summer at a large non-for-profit where I created contracts resulting in about forty jobs for the disabled and I brought in $4 million of revenue for the company</p>

<p>-I currently work at a tech startup which allows students to get scholarships (everyone on this site will probably use this service eventually)</p>

<p>Honors and awards:
* 2 school-wide scholarships
* Nominated for Emerging Student Leader award from student government last year
* Got the fellowship that I spoke about above</p>

<p>Volunteering:
* Coordinated + Directed a holocaust movie project in which I led a team of about 15 people...we filmed holocaust survivors/veterans and constructed a movie (~50 hours)
* Teach personal finance to high school seniors + under-resourced college freshman (~30 hours)</p>

<p>Schools: USC (Marshall?), UC-Berkeley, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Washington University in St. Louis, UMiami, UPenn (A&S)</p>

<p>Misc: Will hopefully be getting an extra recommendation from my boss at my tech startup who is a Harvard grad and Wharton MBA grad (Palmer scholar). I'm Jewish middle-class (~90k a year). </p>

<p>I will have completed 2 years here at the time of transferring.</p>

2

<p>You’re in at USC. UPenn depends on the school you’re applying to. With some strong essays and recommendations you should be good for A&S (50% chance I’d say). It’s unlikely you would get into Wharton. UCLA should take you as well. UMiami is a safety for you. You’re also in at Berkeley unless you screw something up.</p>

<p>Vanderbilt and St. Louis might be a little difficult. But you should have more than a 50% chance.</p>

3

<p>I would apply to Wharton but I’m short 1 pre-req ( ACC 2).</p>

<p>Thanks for the response :)</p>

4

<p>I’m not super familiar with the non-California schools, so I won’t comment on them, but I think you’re good to go with USC. Their average GPA is 3.7, and since you have a 3.8 plus extracurriculars, you should be good to go.</p>

<p>UCLA’s average GPA for Econ is about 3.8-3.9, and I believe Berkeley’s transfer students average GPA is about 3.6-3.9, so you fit the GPA requirement at both schools, but again, I think you should be good to go on both schools. I mean, nothing is guaranteed unless you TAG, but I think you have very good chances at these schools :)</p>

5

<p>I think you have a good chance at Vanderbilt and a good chance at USC. However, at UPenn that “C” is gonna stand out as a really eyesore. Also your SAT score is low and you should retake it.</p>

6

<p>Do you really think it will make a difference? I haven’t been in high school for 1.5 years…2 when I transfer.</p>

<p>In regards to the C, I’ve been told conflicting opinions. Some say that it isn’t a big deal since it’s isolated, first semester, unrelated to major, etc. and others say it will ruin my chances. I really don’t know what to believe…</p>

7

<p>It doesn’t make any difference. Your SAT is irrelevant if you’re transferring as a junior. In fact, when I called Harvard they told me NOT to take it again. Their reasoning was that if I already have an excellent GPA taking it wouldn’t be beneficial as the intended purpose of the SAT was to predict success. </p>

<p>They recommended that I took some SAT IIs, but I probably won’t do that either since its really too late to prepare for 'em. The UPenn transfer rate for all of the schools are 16%. A&S is probably closer to 20% and Wharton is probably closer to ~10%.</p>

8

<p>So, at the end of the day, what are my chances?</p>

9

<p>I can see you getting into Wharton. I understand that your GPA is good regardless of the C you received, but honestly there are so many applicants who have a better GPA with more consistency. In my opinion, it’s all gonna come down to the essays. I think your chances at A&S is much higher than Wharton, but if you want Wharton then by all means go for it man. You have nothing to lose. Your recommendations sound stellar by nature, and I think you have a strong chance at Vanderbilt, WUSTL, and USC. Penn is a reach for many people but give it a solid try. It’ll be interesting how your grade in biology is look at is all I’m saying.</p>

10

<p>I don’t think I can even apply to Wharton considering I’m missing ACC 2.</p>

<p>I’m okay with just A&S.</p>

11

<p>Well first off do you have 60 college level credits completed? If not UCLA and UCB will likely toss out your app no matter your stats. And are you instate for the UCs or are you out of state? That’ll matter a lot for Berkeley because if you aren’t I’d say it’s a 50/50. UCLA should be fine as long as you finished some of their prereqs which I’m betting you did. Penn maybe my brother has your same stats CA resident. Applied for fall USC was given spring admission. He’s finance though. He got denied to Penn as well your ECs are much better though. You are a very stron applicant I wouldn’t be surprised if you got admitted to most.</p>

12

<p>I will have over 60 credits completed by the time fall comes.</p>

<p>EDIT: I’m out of state.</p>

13

<p>I think you’ll still be fine you’ve got a lot going for you UCB shouldn’t be a problem</p>

14

<p>Anyone have any other insights? In particular, my chances at Vandy and WashU.</p>