<p>yeah, I completely agree with you...but coming from top schools can hurt us too...I just read an article in Yale's paper about how they're actually tougher on candidates coming from other Ivies and top schools because they have to make a greater effort to justify why leaving one top school is worth it since the curriculum/standards at the top schools are very similar. Plus, there are all sorts of people in the applicant pool; it's not just a bunch of talented freshman who want a chance at their top choice again. There are people who dropped out of the school and want to come back, single moms, international students from places like Oxford and Cambridge, and amazing life stories (like setting up an AIDs clinic in Africa). It's slightly scary because it makes me think "how am I supposed to compete with people like THAT?"
Nevertheless, have hope...your GPA is really high and I'm sure you'll have good reasons for transferring to Columbia. Either way, it's a win-win situation unless you're bawling in the corner of your dorm room every night which I'm sure you're not. lol.</p>
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Very few are from very selective schools. I think it helps to be from a place like Duke and have such high grades from high school and good test scores.
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<p>I hate to break it you, but even though the fact that you are coming from a top school counts, your grades count significantly more. That one cannot seem to earn outstanding grades just demonstrates that the he/she hasn't really advanced academically since he/she last applied.</p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that many of the transfer admits at H last year did not come from top 25 schools. I am almost positive that the applicants from top 25 schools outnumbered the 85 or so students they did admit.</p>
<p>yeah guys, i think you guys are right that we are competing with cray life stories and stuff, making it really tough, but yeah our good schools should help i believe. i mean, at least if nothing else it shows we are qualified. i know a person who transferred from columbia to harvard, so clearly its doable. the trick is to not think that we have it in the bag or anything, realize that there is a glimer of a shot. i wish we could see like the rofiles of serveral studnets who got accpeted transfer, so we know what we are up against and stuff</p>
<p>hey nspeds, i am just wondering, where do you have the basis to make these claims? i mean i appreciate it and all, but how to you know that they value one thing over another?</p>
<p>idk if nsped's comment was directed toward me, but i had a 3.9+ GPA, if harvard thinks i need a 4.0 to be worthy of admission, then i guess i will not be admitted,</p>
<p>yeah, i think nspeds comments was talking about hs grades, not college grades...i think, in any case i still don't see what makes him the authoritative figure on this matter.</p>
<p>Wow...there's a lot of misinformation being spread on this board.
I'm a Harvard sophomore who transferred from Northwestern. If there are any questions, please PM me. I'm not reading essays but I'll take some transfer questions. </p>
<p>Let me clarify a few things:</p>
<p>1) I was weight listed at Harvard my freshman year.
2) "Last year, 85 out of 964 transfer applicants were accepted: that's an 8.8% admit rate." Those numbers on College Board are out of date...it was 75/over 1000 this past cycle.
3) “Also, keep in mind that many of the transfer admits at H last year did not come from top 25 schools. I am almost positive that the applicants from top 25 schools outnumbered the 85 or so students they did admit.”
The first sentence is true, the second is false and inherently wrong. Of the 50 transfers that entered in the fall, most WERE from top 25 schools. I'd say at least 75-80%.</p>
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The first sentence is true, the second is false and inherently wrong. Of the 50 transfers that entered in the fall, most WERE from top 25 schools. I'd say at least 75-80%.
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<p>I'm not sure how that contradicted my statement. I stated that the number of applicants from top 25 schools far outnumbers the number of admitted students. The statement was meant to imply that attending a top 25 school doesn't guarantee admissions, or pretty much anything else. That the prepondance of the entering class comprises students from top 25 schools merely means that they have a better chance than both; however, this does not mean that GPAs are not regarded.</p>
<p>Pulkit and foryourenjoyment: I was not talking to either of you in my previous post. I was referring to bluedevil's college GPA. The fact that she is coming from Duke will not raise her GPA from a 3.5 to a 3.7 Her grades count. Period. There is no way anyone here can argue that the school counts more than the grades, or that grades don't count at all.</p>
<p>okay, you've mentioned my low GPA like three times in a row, nspeds.
"That one cannot seem to earn outstanding grades just demonstrates that the he/she hasn't really advanced academically since he/she last applied." Yeah, the fact everyone in my school has a 1500+ SAT, a 4.0 GPA, at least 10 APs with fives, and amazing extracurriculars? Hold your tongue before you go judge someone and say they haven't "advanced academically". It's rude and discouraging. I worked really hard this semester with a lab work-study and 3 hours of marching band practice everyday, not to mention playing at the games every weekend. Two of my classes had a good number of grad students in them. My chem class was brutal. It was curved to a C- and these are all kids who received 5s on the AP Chem exam (that's the pre-req to be in the class). Honestly, for kids coming from Duke, Harvard is not looking for the top kid because they know anyone in the top third is incredibly well-qualified and many of our kids did get into places like Harvard, Yale, and Princteon. Maybe that's why both the students who applied for transfers from Duke last year got in, even though neither had above a 3.6.</p>
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I worked really hard this semester with a lab work-study and 3 hours of marching band practice everyday
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<p>That does not constitute academics!</p>
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Two of my classes had a good number of grad students in them.
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<p>Wooptiedoo!</p>
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My chem class was brutal. It was curved to a C- and these are all kids who received 5s on the AP Chem exam (that's the pre-req to be in the class).
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<p>...and if you cannot handle that class, who's to say you can handle a similar or harder course at Harvard?</p>
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Honestly, for kids coming from Duke, Harvard is not looking for the top kid because they know anyone in the top third is incredibly well-qualified and many of our kids did get into places like Harvard, Yale, and Princteon.
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<p>If you just want to look at who would be qualified to do the work, then, as the former president of Harvard once said, anyone above a 650 on each section of the SAT would work out pretty well.</p>
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Maybe that's why both the students who applied for transfers from Duke last year got in, even though neither had above a 3.6.
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<p>This is an absurd statement precisely because it assumes that GPA is the only factor in the decision; your argument is that Duke, as a name with a reputation, put them through (I think). I am arguing that the name won't save you as much as you think: there are far too many other factors in the equation that are far more important than the school: recommendations, reasons, essays, and extra-curriculars. You have no idea what those students did in those categories, and you have no firm basis for arguing that their lower GPAs were legitimized by Duke.</p>
<p>Last I checked, you came here for answers. When the answers pleased you, you never bothered to check whether they were factually true; when they didn't please you, you accepted the answers that pleased you and their false entailments as fact, and decided to argue against me. That is wholly question-begging.</p>
<p>By the way, Duke is not one of the schools recognized for being harsh on its students. If you had a 3.6 from Chicago, Reed, or Swarthmore, I would think you had a good shot at Harvard.</p>
<p>Duke is nothing special outside of the fact that it is a top 25 school. Georgetown also places many students at Harvard (heck, I know one who got into both Harvard and Yale as a transfer). The fact that you are coming from a top 25 school will help; however, the fact that you are coming from Duke will not help any more and, more importantly, the fact that you are coming from a top 25 school will not help as much as you think.</p>
<p>I maintained previously that there are many students admitted who do not originate from top 25 schools, and I also maintained that the amount of applicants from top 25 schools far outnumbers the amount admitted. Therefore, there will be students, and probably many of them, from top 25 schools who will be rejected. </p>
<p>You should apply and see what happens. Do not, though, think that Duke will be your ticket to Cambridge. You are only well off because you come from a top 25 school. That a student from Duke got in with a 3.4 means nothing other than that he got in with a 3.4; for all you know, he could've started an AIDs clinic in Africa during a summer. For all I know, that is probably more significant than marching band.</p>
<p>"That does not constitute academics!" <--- that's not the only thing they look at.</p>
<p>I never said Duke would be my only way in. I frankly don't think I have a good chance either. Duke is, in fact, probably my weakest point. You're the one who thinks a high GPA is everything. I'm sure both the guys who got in last year were extraordinary, regardless of their GPA. You seem to miss the point that other people may be, as well. You don't know everyone's stories or accomplishments or what it even took to get wait-listed at the school in the first place. When you simply say "Your GPA is too low", it's ridiculous because people get in with less than 3.6s.</p>
<p>Plus, why should it not matter that two of my classes were offered in graduate schools? The students in those classes were above undergraduates and it's an important distinction that any school would take into account. </p>
<p>Also, the Northwestern girl noted that not all your info is correct; you're not an admissions officer or anything.</p>
<p>its actually a Northwestern guy lol</p>
<p>idk, the deal about GPA....i have a 3.9, so hopefully that is enough for columbia or stanford</p>
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You're the one who thinks a high GPA is everything.
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<p>I never said that. A high GPA is definitely important, though.</p>
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When you simply say "Your GPA is too low", it's ridiculous because people get in with less than 3.6s.
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<p>That is not the rule; that is an exception to the rule. I hope you keep that in mind. I know people who got into Harvard with less than a 1300 SAT score; would you call that the norm?</p>
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Plus, why should it not matter that two of my classes were offered in graduate schools? The students in those classes were above undergraduates and it's an important distinction that any school would take into account.
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<p>They wouldn't really care; that is the norm at top schools: many of the classes at Harvard (or Harvard Philosophy, at the very least) have graduate and undergraduate students.</p>
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Also, the Northwestern girl noted that not all your info is correct; you're not an admissions officer or anything.
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<p>...and, of course, since his answer pleased you, you didn't bother to read my response.</p>
<p>This is intellectual stupidity at its finest. You guys should strive for disabuse, not for false hope. Try reading a debate in its entirety instead of just saying "well, he responded that you're wrong, so you're wrong." Consider the possibility that... well geez... THERE JUST MIGHT BE A RESPONSE TO THAT RESPONSE.</p>
<p>Like I said earlier: you have a shot, and you should apply. What is dragging you down is your GPA: try to pull it up next semester and send in a mid-semester report. You never know.</p>
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idk, the deal about GPA....i have a 3.9, so hopefully that is enough for columbia or stanford
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<p>You're fine. Just concencrate on the soft factors. It's the idiot from Duke who has trouble reading and comprehending how an argument proceeds.</p>
<p>"This is intellectual stupidity at its finest. "</p>
<p>"It's the idiot from Duke who has trouble reading and comprehending how an argument proceeds."</p>
<p>I never insulted your intelligence.</p>
<p>Nspeds occassionally has problems with anger and insults which, in my opinion, is not very becoming of someone considered to be a nationally competitive debater. However, he means well, as you can tell from statements such as:</p>
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you have a shot, and you should apply. What is dragging you down is your GPA: try to pull it up next semester and send in a mid-semester report. You never know.
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<p>As has been suggested, work on your GPA and keep your fingers crossed. Duke is a great platform to start from, but by no means secures your spot. Also remember that you are already at an amazing university. That is a plus in that you have a great school to fall back on, but you also must convince Harvard adcoms that you are being deprived of something at Duke that Harvard possesses - which is not an easy task. Naturally, it is much easier for someone at a third tier university to explain the benefits of attending Harvard over their current institution than it will be for you.</p>
<p>"Nspeds occassionally has problems with anger and insults which, in my opinion, is not very becoming of someone considered to be a nationally competitive debater." <-- well, he needs to work on that or he shouldn't even be here. Calling people on CC idiots and labeling things as "intellectual stupidity" is out of line.</p>
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Calling people on CC idiots and labeling things as "intellectual stupidity" is out of line.
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<p>I call it as I see it. Not being able to reason through an argument is factual grounds for intellectual stupidity. You see it as an insult. I see it as an area of improvement.</p>
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lso, the Northwestern girl noted that not all your info is correct; you're not an admissions officer or anything.
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<p>...and I responded...</p>
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I'm not sure how that contradicted my statement. I stated that the number of applicants from top 25 schools far outnumbers the number of admitted students. The statement was meant to imply that attending a top 25 school doesn't guarantee admissions, or pretty much anything else. That the prepondance of the entering class comprises students from top 25 schools merely means that they have a better chance than both; however, this does not mean that GPAs are not regarded.
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<p>Yeesh. Did that happen to slip by your selective reading?</p>
<p>"I call it as I see it. Not being able to reason through an argument is factual grounds for intellectual stupidity. You see it as an insult. I see it as an area of improvement." <--- not many would in the real word. You sound like a pompous jerk.</p>
<p>geez...well..first of all, I'm a guy as someone pointed out. (It's actually rather amusing how everyone continues to say hem..'northwestern girl.')</p>
<p>Here's my advice to you bluedevil138, apply anyway. Your GPA is above a 3.5 and that's minimum so you're at least above that. I can't say whether you'll get in or not; my statement from before was merely saying that most of the transfers are from top-25 schools, which doesn't mean that you are in simply because you apply from a top 25 school. </p>
<p>I don't want to give anyone false hope either. The percentage is indeed low and to this day, many of my fellow transfers and myself consider ourselves very lucky. </p>
<p>Otherwise, good luck. </p>
<p>By the way, nspeds, do you know JT? (He's a GT transfer to Harvard this year)</p>
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not many would in the real word.
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<p>Okay, so most people don't point out imperfections. No wonder you've lived so long without being able to read an argument.</p>
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You sound like a pompous jerk.
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<p>...and you sound like an idiot. Can we move on now?</p>
<p>As I said earlier:</p>
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you have a shot, and you should apply. What is dragging you down is your GPA: try to pull it up next semester and send in a mid-semester report. You never know.
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<p>This is the best you will get from here. My being a "pompous jerk" or your being an idiot doesn't change this fact.</p>