<p>I am currently a freshman at a top engineering school (top 25 for engineerings schools by US News reports), and I am considering taking a shot at one of these very prestigious schools. I am not completely satisfied with my experience here thus far, but I would be fine with staying here for four years if I was not accepted for transfer elsewhere. Cornell was where I tried getting into, but was wait listed. I never applied to Yale, but it would be a dream school for me and would open many new doors. </p>
<p>I am making this thread to decide whether I should apply this March to matriculate next fall, or if I should wait to apply until I am in my sophomore year. I was hoping on getting a 4.0 for this semester, but this will not happen. I know my GPA will be over 3.5 for sure, it is a question of how close to 4.0 it will be. For these colleges, what is the minimum I should aim for? About a 3.7 mabye? I know that Yale is beginning to invest in a better engineering program, but it is not known for its engineering too much yet. As an engineer, is is somewhat easier to get into compared to someone applying as a non-engineer (I know it is still extremely selective).</p>
<p>I also have not built a strong relationship with my professors. I sort of know them, but not nearly as well as I know my high school professors since these colleges classes have nearly 100 students in them. How important are the recs for these colleges? </p>
<p>So I guess my main issue is whether or not I should wait. Does getting denied this yea hurt my chances for if I were to reapply my sophomore year? Am I better off waiting until my sophomore year if I have a chance of building a better relationship with a professors and improving my GPA?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>don't waste your time for studying here! Get a 4.0 first, and then we can start to talk about it!</p>
<p>I'm in the same boat, I'm an NYU freshman applying to Cornell for soph (Fall '09) transfer. I know my chances would be higher if I transferred junior yr instead, but naturally I want to go asap, as I prefer cornell to my current college. </p>
<p>Applications for next fall aren't due until March 15th for Cornell, Penn is probably similar. My advice is find one professor who likes you. I hear a good rec will boost your chances for transfer. If I were you, I would find one class, preferably a smaller one, in a subject you do really well in. Participate your butt off, stay after class to ask questions, seek out professors in their office hours. Make them think you're a studious little nerd in love with their class. </p>
<p>I'm doing the same thing. I actively participate in a boring class so the professor knows me really well and thinks I'm deeply interested. Whenever I do the reading, I always make up at least 1 question to ask in class that day that makes it sound like I've done some deep thinking about the subject and am genuinely interested. The professor loves me by now. No one else cares about that class. </p>
<p>good luck!</p>
<p>You need to read the thread at the top of this forum: Transfer Admissions 101. The major difference between transferring as as soph and jr is that as a soph transfer you will be assessed more on your HS record and test scores than your college record; while as a jr transfer, your college grades, LORs and ECs will outweigh what you did in HS.</p>
<p>Unless you're a URM or possibly female, getting into Y will be just as difficult as a engineering major as any other major.</p>
<p>IMO it's extremely difficult to "transfer up", particularly to a very selective school like Y, as a soph if you weren't a competitive applicant in HS.</p>
<p>There's no GPA minimum for Yale. If they believe you'd be an asset to them, they'll accept you with 3.3, if they think you won't, they'll reject you with 4.0.</p>