**~Columbia University Fall 2017 Transfer Thread~**

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
41

Applied to Columbia as a transfer student for Fall of 2017. Posting this on all the transfer forums I applied to (that exist) for reference. Will report back come decision day, maybe even live in the suspense as it approaches.

22YO white male from Michigan
Also applied: Michigan, Michigan State, Stanford, Harvard, Brown, UPenn, Cornell, NYU, Vanderbilt

Major (1st/2nd/3rd choice): Neuroscience and Behavior, Psychology, Urban Studies

Objective
Currently Attending: Community College in Michigan
Credits: will finish with 88, which includes 12 from APs… I expect somewhere around 50 to transfer due a semi-difficult social work program I am completing that is nontransferable, as well as the APs being taken out.
College GPA: 3.95 (UW), 1 W in Fall of 2013
College course load: Sporadic courses from fall of '13 to winter '15. 17 CH’s in fall '15, 21 CH’s in fall '16, 22 this semester (never received lower than an A-, haven’t received A- since winter of '14)
Two gap semesters in winter '15 and winter '16
HS: Meh Public School in MI, ~1500 students, sends 2-3 students to Michigan every year and a student to an Ivy once or twice in a decade
HS GPA: 3.2ish
ACT: 28 (one and only sitting in March 2011)

Subjective
EC’s: Work as a “full time” school bus driver in addition to the 22 CH’s I’m taking, internship at residential juvenile delinquency rehabilitation program, another job in leadership role, the gap semester jobs and travel, serve on board of directors of local youth baseball league, run umpires program for the league for last three years. Passionate about them all.
LOR’s: I doubt they get any better than what they may have wrote. I didn’t see them, but the two professors absolutely loved me. Both hold PhD’s for whatever that’s worth.
Gap explanation: Really good. Solid reason, involved travel and learning
Why Transfer: Liked this essay the most, but it’s kind of supposed to be a lay-up for a CC transfer lol
Supplemental Essays: I’m a perfectionist, and I felt like there was something still to be said, but I know I’m a really good writer, so shrug

42

Hi Guys! I am wondering if applying as a transfer to Columbia for sophomore standing would be worth it with a GPA that is above 3.6 at Cornell after my first semester of freshman year? I am premed so I took courses such as bio, chem, and calc. Is it worth applying for transfer?

43

@mjr2013 you seem competitive! Generally, “great” chances would still be about 10-15% or so, haha, so I didn’t mean great in the actual sense.

44

@collegebusiness you absolutely should apply. You have a high GPA, and you’re taking rigorous courses at a rigorous university.

45

@collegebusiness

Would you enjoy life more at Columbia? Or are you happy with the groundwork you’re laying at Cornell?

We’re talking about an $85 app fee here, in the scheme of a $55,000/year tuition and a degree you’ll hang on a wall for the rest of your life.

If you’re saying you’d love to go to Columbia, but are worried your stats aren’t good enough, no one can say except Columbia’s adcom. You and we will never know unless you apply. They only accept 6% (or whatever). So are there those with stats like yours, and better than yours, that get rejected? Absolutely.

As an Ivy-Ivy transfer however, you stand just as much chance as anyone else to be in that 6% IF you want to be.

46

@mjr2013 Thank you for your reply! I really do not enjoy Cornell for a variety of reasons that are academic and personal in nature.
I too am interested in their neuroscience and behavior major at Columbia. Cornell does not offer that major but does offer a biology major with a neurobiology concentration. The classes at Cornell for neurobiology aren’t very interesting and do not really focus around what I am interested.
However, I would just like to clarify that I am not saying that Cornell is bad for everyone. Everyone has different experiences at college and one’s experience should not be the defining factor for someone else to apply to that college. I would like to wish everyone good luck in this process. Thank you very much.

47

@collegebusiness

In this case, then absolutely apply to Columbia. Depending on how unhappy you are at Cornell, apply to as many other universities as you can afford, Ivy League and not. Perhaps look into Michigan’s biopsychology/cognition/neuroscience (BCN) program. Personally, it’s one I love the idea of joining.

Don’t stay somewhere you’re unhappy and look back in twenty years asking yourself, “what if I had just transferred?”

If you’re interested in the behavior aspect, and you do end up staying at Cornell, perhaps look into Cornell’s Biology and Society degree. Integrates social science into biology curiculuum. Intrigues me at least. Best of luck!

48

How are you guys approaching the common app essay? I’m not sure if my biggest focus should be on my reasons for transferring (which I’d rather leave for the columbia-specific supplements) or share a story related to why I want to transfer (more similar to what we were expected to write in HS).

Also,
Can anyone chance me? I applied as a senior in high school and got waitlisted (obviously I didn’t make it) so I’m re-applying.

Major: Economics (maybe double major w/math)
SAT Score: 1420 (2140 with writing section)
AP Calc BC: 5
AP English Lit: 5
AP English Lang: 4
Cumulative HS GPA: 3.65
College: Top 20 LAC
1st semester GPA: 3.85 (took two 200-level courses)
Financial aid: Yes (I’m an international student (latina), so I’m worried about my financial aid part of the application)
Work as a research assistant for a professor at my current school
HS ECs: MUN, VP for a charity event (2k+ people), HS student government, TEDx Youth organizer
College ECs: Finance committee on student government, logistics/event planning for a volunteer group, writer for the school newspaper, debate club

Thank you, and best of luck to everyone!

49

Hey @trmx97, I think you have a very good chance, thought I don’t know much about aid. I would focus on general reasons for transfer in the common app essayx specific reasons Columbia appeals to you in the suppmement. Good luck to you!

50

@SeinfeldFan1 thank you! good luck to you too!

51

Does anyone know the transfer statistics?

52

@texaspg about 5-9% acceptance rate, Columbia writes specifically that it’s typically sub 10%. Suggest GPA of at least 3.5, and emphasizes that high school credentials DO matter, “especially for applicants with sophomore standing.” Sorry to post this general link, but in this case I think it’s pretty helpful.
https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/apply/transfer

53

Thanks @seinfeldfan1. I was looking for numbers admitted in 2016. I see 2012 numbers when I google from transferweb but nothing else pops up.

54

@texaspg oh true that makes sense. I have not ever really seen specific numbers, besides some on college board.

55

Hey everyone, I’ll also be applying to Columbia as a sophomore transfer. As for high school ECs, are we supposed to include them in any extra slots in the activity section? Also, would it be better to include a more impressive high school EC (such as head of FBLA), instead of something mediocre in college (member of Entrepreneurship Club) if we have already filled up all the activity slots?

56

@JackShort On the activities section, you can list activities that you participated in 11th, 12th grades from high school. I would definitely include the “impressive high school EC.” If you do run out of space in your activities section, you can always opt for the additional information section.

On another note, if there are any freshmen applying for transfer, is it seen as negative by not having any leadership roles in college yet? Thanks!

57

@collegebusiness not necessarily. Colleges primarily want to see that you have taken advantage of the resources you have, so if there was no real opportunity or reason to pursue a leadership role, I don’t think it would be seen as a negative.

58

@SeinfeldFan1 Thank you very much!

I also have another question. Let’s say I participated in a one time activity, meaning that I volunteered for a week and thats it because the event only lasted for one week. How should I relay this information on my CommonApp? Should I write it in my additional information section or should I write it in the activity section?

59

I have yet another question to ask you all! Sorry for being a bother. I was just wondering if the students whose schools have a GPA scale out of 4.3 would be treated differently from the students whose schools have a GPA scale out of 4.0? Thanks!

60

@collegebusiness I would put the one time event on the CommonApp if it means something. As for the GPA question, officers always consider the context of your school. For example, they will look at schools different that: don’t give plus minuses, give A+s 4.3, etc. If a school doesn’t award A+ grades, for example, the student will not be penalized. Additionally, to combat the inconsistent grading scales, I believe admissions officers look at LORs and test scores. My two cents.