<p>So I've been getting alotta E-mails from universities to apply. Most of them were quite low ranked in comparision to where I want to transfer. Recently I got an E-mail from Georgetown and Rochester which are universities I believe are of my caliber.</p>
<p>Do these mean anything or are they just interested in getting my application money? </p>
<p>It’s really to just get you to apply. The fact that universities e-mail you to get you to apply doesn’t necessarily they’re absolutely interested in accepting you.</p>
<p>Some universities will do it to boost their rejection stats to “show” they’re more selective than people think they are. Some universities do it because they’re not well-known and they need to get their name out there. Some just want your application money.</p>
<p>It sounds unscrupulous, but you have to remember that a lot of universities are publicly-funded and tax-payers want to know where that money is going to. Well, a great way to use tax-payers’ money is to spend some of it on advertising just so they don’t end up on the six o’clock news like some of the fake charities.</p>
<p>Most of them have very little meaning, but not always. What it essentially means is that you fit into a cut-off bracket where you meet the qualifying stats of an applicant who may be considered. I’ve received e-mails from both UPenn and Columbia; both Ivy League schools. I’ve also received a ton of emails from St. Ambrose, Stetson University, University of Miami and a bunch of other no-name or little-name schools. </p>
<p>Being invited to apply doesn’t mean that they’re inviting you to attend. As others have pointed out, a lot of it has to do with boosting their own stats, getting their name out, or getting your money. Some of them may be worth applying to. I’m in a CC currently, and transferring after this year. My target school is UIUC, but I’m considering applying to both Penn and Columbia now since I got these emails. Am I considering St. Ambrose or Stetson? Not at all. Those schools are a lot lower on the totem pole than I’m aiming. But since I met the cut-off criteria, they put me on their email list. </p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. </p>
<p>@comfortablycurt : May I ask what your current CGPA is and how your application stands? I was thinking of applying to Cornell but then I think it would be pretty useless. I don’t have EC’s except being in the Math team and having a 4.0 gpa in CC</p>
<p>They buy lists and email students usually ( but not always) within their academic range.</p>
<p>They are meaningless.</p>
<p>I’ve got a 4.0 and majoring in physics. </p>
<p>Without being really exceptional, it’s hard to get into most of the top schools (think Stanford, Harvard, Caltech, UChicago, MIT etc.) as a transfer. They like to see CC students that have been very active, done internships, completed additional honors projects etc. </p>
<p>Yeah… Stanford Harvard etc are virtually impossible. Besides, it’s not my level anyway. Cornell I’ve heard does accept some transfers. </p>