<p>I am from a California CC and will probably end up at a UC, but am wanting to apply to some other schools to add the possibility of leaving California. My CC GPA is just above 3.8, with all As and one C in Calc 2 (long story), and I have completed my schools honors program with a 4.0 and 18 honors units.</p>
<p>I intend to major in Economics, possibly focusing in econometrics, finance or quantative econ. I have my own vintage guitar/amplifier resale and restoration business mostly thru ebay that I started in HS to support myself, investor, play golf for CC, will be a first generation student, and have lived in a single parent household due to death of a parent since I was very young. </p>
<p>The only schools I am definitely applying to so far are USC (for Bus Admin, allows me to focus in Finance), Northwestern and Pomona College in Claremont, which has priority for California CC students who have completed an honors program. I also am considering Duke, I heard that they are going to be more "transfer friendly" this cycle. </p>
<p>Is there any other schools I should consider applying to that I would have a chance? I wanted to apply to some Ivy Leagues such as Dartmouth but I don't know if I even have a chance, especially with a C. My HS GPA was 3.9, and 32 ACT. I didn't really apply to anywhere except some UCs out of HS (I got into UC Davis and University of San Diego).</p>
<p>The chance you need is a safety school. You haven’t told us of one in which you’re interested. There are hundreds of business schools that would love to have you. Do your homework and come up with a couple safeties that you can afford to attend (one of the CSs or UCs at which you were accepted last time?) and want to attend should you not get into your top schools. Maybe one of them can be from some place you’ve always wanted to live. Now be aware that some schools rarely take transfers, but you’re looking for schools that more often lose students between one year and the next, schools that are looking to fill in for a student they lost. (My memory is that Pomona, for instance, [but small schools in general] lose very few people between one year and the next). </p>
<p>BTW, I know a young woman at USC who transferred from Loma Linda CC; she lost her mom very young and talked about what that meant, not knowing her mom but being surrounded by family and family friends who did. I’m not saying USC was particularly sympathetic to her application but writing well about this situation did not hurt her application. My friend is doing very well at USC, and I wish you the same success wherever you go. (I have no affiliation with USC other than this one.)</p>
<p>Before agreeing to attend any of these schools, find out which credits the school will accept from your cc. Finally, apply to Dartmouth if you want to, but see the caution about smaller schools (Dartmouth takes 20-25 out of 750 transfer applicants!).</p>
<p>My safety schools are UCI, UCSD and UCSB. I also have completed a transfer program with UCLA that should get me into my alternate major, Math/Econ if I am not accepted for my first major, Business Econ. I have completed all the requirements for these schools and all my classes will transfer directly to my selected majors at these schools. Financially, the UCs will all be affordable as I’m in state and qualify for the UC “Blue and Gold” tuition assistance.</p>
<p>For other schools, I am mainly interested on being in Chicago or the East coast. UC Berkeley for Econ is my top choice right now. I guess I am looking to apply to more “top-tier” Econ schools that I’d still have a chance at because I still have very good universities available to me in California if those don’t work out.</p>
<p>Is there any connection between your interests in finance and your family loss? Emotional experiences like this loss can create a healthy passion for certain intellectual interests. I don’t want to know the answer but to follow up on my intimation about the application essay.</p>
<p>Chicago, obviously, is another place you’d want to be if you could. I believe you could google the information you need about transfer applicant success for many schools–just as I did for Dartmouth. In addition to the ivies, there’s MIT, CMU, UMich, (and Stanford) at the top. Your grades are one thing. You’re not getting into any of these schools without a 3.8 (probably). What you need to know is individual school transfer policies and its stats on transfers. Anything you could find out about possible over-enrollment from year to year at each school would help you read the tea leaves. I’d say don’t count on any of these eastern schools you and I have mentioned, and if you get in you can make a decision then. At least you’ll have the Cali schools to cover yourself, and they are not slouch programs. I’m sorry I cannot be more helpful. I’m looking forward to seeing what others can add tomorrow, particularly someone like ucbalumnus. But what about costs, OP?</p>
<p>Try to take multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations before transfer. Some of the schools noted for economics like Chicago, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley (Economics 101A/101B/141 option), etc. require some of those math courses for their intermediate microeconomics and econometrics courses. Check their course catalogs for prerequisites.</p>
<p>Such math-intensive economics courses are preferable if you intend to go on to a PhD program in economics; in addition, more advanced math like real analysis and upper division probability and statistics is recommended for this path.</p>
<p>I will have Calc III and LA done, unfortunately I took a semester off of math so I can’t take DE (Calc 3 is a prereq). No matter where I go I do want to take as much math as possible. </p>
<p>UChicago has a really abysmal transfer rate as well as Stanford, but I know Stanford tends to prefer people for Community College. MIT requires two SAT II subject tests, which I haven’t taken and don’t really have the time or resources to take them. Maybe for grad school though! I looked at UPenn but for some reason their aid from their aid calculator was really poor (triple the price of any of the other schools I’ve checked out, including USC). </p>
<p>I think I would have a chance if I can really write a compelling essay explaining my reasons for transfer, possibly talk about what you brought up jkeil911 (the family link), my business and my interest in pursuing a PhD in Econ. I just think it is hard to address this in a prompt that is essentially “Why do you intend to transfer?”.</p>
<p>Those are standard sophomore level math courses for math-heavy majors, although those who took calculus in high school may take them as frosh. Economics aiming for PhD study is a math-heavy major. Some schools (e.g. Chicago) may have a special version for economics majors, though the regular version (that math majors take) is also accepted.</p>
<p>However, many schools’ undergraduate economics courses are not as math heavy, requiring only a semester or year of frosh calculus. Even at such a school, a pre-PhD student should take more math courses, since PhD programs look for strong math background; see <a href=“https://www.econ.berkeley.edu/grad/admissions/preparation[/url]”>Preparation; for an example. Some schools where the usual undergraduate economics courses are not that math heavy have advanced mathematical economics courses as electives (Minnesota?).</p>
<p>Seems like an easier question to answer coming from a CC, since you need to transfer to complete your bachelor’s degree (unlike transfer applicants at four year schools). However, the school may really be asking “why this school?” and (for transfer applicants at four year schools) “why is this school a better school for you than your current school?”</p>
<p>I think what makes it difficult from a CC is that you are obviously transferring to get your bachelors, you can’t stay there forever. I was considering talking about how I ended up at CC and what it has done for me.</p>