Gap Year vs. Transfer

Applying to College
1

Hey Everyone!

I graduated high school last november because that’s how our school year work in my country. I hadn’t planned on applying to the U.S. until the very last minute because my parents were suddenly open to the idea. I’ve always wanted to study in the U.S. but I never thought I’d get the chance. I missed the 2015 admission and I was wondering whether I should take a gap year to apply or whether to apply for transfer. I know transfer admission is impossible but I’m not so keen on taking a year off (especially because i’ve been off since November).

I’ve been debating whether I should go to university in London (UCL) and then apply for transfer or do a gap year interning and pursuing a few projects listed below. The idea of a gap year is scary because it’ll feel like a waste at the end of it if I don’t make it to a great university. I’m aiming for Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, HYPSM, Duke, MIT… If I take a gap year, would it help my chances if I intern at Porsche/KTM? Or should I go straight to university and look for opportunities there and then transfer?

Current Stats:
IB: 39
HL ECONOMICS - 7
HL PHYSICS - 6
HL MATH - 5
SL FRENCH AB INITIO - 7
SL CHEMISTRY - 6
SL LITERATURE - 5

EE - A
TOK - A

IGCSE:
MATH - A*
PHYSICS - A*
CHEMISTRY - A*
ECONOMICS - A*
ENGLISH LITERATURE - A*
ENGLISH LANGUAGE - A
ADDITIONAL MATHEMATICS - A
BIOLOGY - A

SAT 1: 1980
I did my SATS completely cold and plan to retake it. I also plan on doing the SAT II for Math and Physics.

My grades were never consistent - I’m the type of person who’ll laze around until the very last minute so my term grades are pretty bad. I also don’t have any consistent ECs…

Highschool ECs:
VICE CAPTAIN OF MY HOUSE
SCHOOL PREFECT
STUDENT COUNCILLOR
MODEL UNITED NATIONS - FLEW TO DUBAI FOR DAIMUN (FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEAR)
BALLET (JUNIOR YEAR UNTIL NOW)
WENT TO AFRICA FOR A SERVICE TRIP
TAUGHT MATH, SCIENCE, ETIQUETTE TO UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN FROM BROKEN HOMES EVERY SUNDAYS

What I am currently doing:
Starting a Fashion Blog
Developing an App
Starting a Non-profit (this would be easier if I was in college)

2

You are aiming at highly selective schools in the US. Are you looking for financial aid? If you are, then your chances at those particular schools is very low even with a significant improvement in your SAT. They are very low for everyone and even lower for a non-US national. And I assume you wouldn’t want to come to the US if you weren’t attending one of those schools (or others just as selective) because you have good/better options in your own country. Is that correct?

Applying as a transfer is very difficult. There are simply fewer spaces open and you need a good explanation for why your school isn’t satisfactory. You’d be better off applying as a freshman.

As for a gap year, it depends on what you do with your time. Starting a blog and a nonprofit or developing an app are okay but not particularly impressive. In affluent communities in the US, every other high school student who wants to go somewhere selective seems to be starting a nonprofit or writing a blog or developing an app. Unless you have a long-term passion for something that you’ve been investing your time and effort in for years, I wouldn’t bother. An internship, if it’s in something you care about professionally, would potentially be more interesting and unusual. But if its just to fill time, you’d be better off at school in your own country. Consider coming to the US for study abroad and/or grad school - much, much easier to do. Or, if your heart is still set on the US, expand your list of schools to include a significant number of less selective schools that you’d be happy to attend.

3

I won’t be applying for aid. I forgot to mention I’ll be doing engineering and my internship will be engineering related. I know that selective schools prefer students who have sticked with their ECs consistently for a long time but I discovered my passions late… I’m afraid that will really hurt my application. My heart is set on the U.S. however my parents don’t think it’s worth sending me if I won’t be going to a top school. After doing some research, it seems some universities are transfer-friendly (i.e., Cornell, USC, UCLA)