Here's what I've got...

Transfer Students
1

<p>Just typing this out will help me decide, but I am also interested in yall's input. I've said it several times already and I'm sure some are tired of hearing, but here are my stats:</p>

<p>At a Texas CC
GPA: 4.0 - most rigorous courseload includes honors courses.
SAT I: 2220 (770R 670M 780W, possible trying one more time = number 3)
SAT II: 740USH 740MathIIC 750MathIC (plan to retake IIC and take a science)
ECs: Singer, member of top college choir, vice president student govt, vice president honors program, member phi theta kappa, press reporter business club, community service = over 250 hours, work 35 hours per week for past 3 years, will send in a demo CD.
Recs: should be good
Essays: should also be good.</p>

<p>I think that's it. I would certainly be interested in any recommended input to improve my application. I believe there is a congressman internship and I was interested in doing it, but I'm not sure it would help (Econ major). Now, for the main part, here are the schools I have chosen and why:</p>

<p>Amherst (15% transfer admit rate) - Small student body, tight-knit, seems like it'd be easy to transfer in and make friends compared to a 30,000 student univ. Attention paid to students and helping them excel after undergrad, a lot of freedom in course choice and accessible professors, beautiful area and campus. </p>

<p>Brown (20%? who knows after this year) - similar to Amherst in its academics and student body connection to campus, incredibly beautiful campus and probably my favorite of all that I have looked into.</p>

<p>Columbia (9%) - my big reach...I've been interested in Columbia since I began the college search b/c of it's location and academics, as well as the beauty of the campus. When I was deciding on whether to apply to this or Harvard as my "big reach" I chose Columbia.</p>

<p>Cornell (28% who knows due to GTs) - I love the fact that it is not in a largely urban location...beautiful campus and the admissions ppl I have spoken to have been the friendliest, good vibes from Cornell.</p>

<p>Emory (34%) - Also a beautiful campus and great business school, the high transfer rate is really what is making me want to apply to this one b/c I don't want to be stuck here for another year...have heard the student body is not very diverse, but I like diversity so that sucks...Atlanta doesn't look very cool at all.</p>

<p>Georgetown (30%) - Awesome looking campus in D.C., McDonough seems a bit easier to get into than the rest of Georgetown...don't like the fact that many have said it isn't very diverse b/c it's Catholic.</p>

<p>NYU (28%) - No campus at all, but Greenwich/Washington Square sounds pretty cool, sounds like it'd be hard to make friends, but would love to live in the city (at least I think I would). I want to apply just so I can have it available...I'd have to visit the campus b4 I decided, but my parents won't let me go up there until I get in. </p>

<p>Northwestern (30%) - beautiful campus and the student body looks like it'd be easy to make friends...the fact that there is no b-school undergrad makes it seem easier to get admitted (since places like Stern/Goizueta would be harder to get into than the general colleges at NYU/Emory). I really like that transfer rate too.</p>

<p>Swarthmore (26%) - awesome campus and the students sound like my kind of people, chilled, not TOO much partying and drinking and good focus on academics. That transfer rate looks nice but I'm sure the ppl applying are a whole lot more impressive than ppl applying to most universities.</p>

<p>Chicago (30%) - I can't help but try...along with Brown, this is my favorite; the best looking campus (building wise) I have seen and incredible academics, I really feel like I could learn a lot here and get my money's worth.</p>

<p>UT - Austin (11%) - that rate is for McCombs...this is basically my safety. I want to get out of Texas and live somewhere else for the next few years. This is the best value and McCombs is a good school, but I'm not too attracted to UT.</p>

<p>Wesleyan (40%) - sweet! This is the most liberal college I have found, which I think is awesome. The stories a/b guys going to class in heels is a "little" strange, but remember I'm from Texas. Open curriculum, pretty college and the student body looks really close...I like it alot. I'm still wondering whether this is a "match" though, because although the transfer rate is the highest of any school I have listed, I'm sure the applicants are much more qualified than at others.</p>

<p>Man, I'm sorry. That's such a long list. Any help to narrow it down would be great. I'm not sure how many schools I'm aiming for, but I know this is too many. I want to be able to say I have an ultimate safety, which I believe is UT, but I want to give the schools I really like a shot. I've researched these schools a ton, but until I visit them, it's hard to list them in order from favorite to least.</p>

2

<p>Hey brand_182...
I'd say you're on the right track. Just keep it up next year.</p>

<p>As with your list, you're right- it's damn long! And they are all very different.
If you list the top 3 things you want at your college, we'll be able to help you.</p>

3

<p>Wesleyan has an acceptance rate of 40% to the transfers!!!! Where did yo get that from?
Most of the acceptance rates are for the freshmen I guess. Check it again.</p>

4

<p>WindCloudUltra:
I'm glad to hear that coming from you since it sounds like you got in where you wanted :) Like I said, it's kind of hard to say "the" three things I want in a college, or to say that I definitely like or dislike a university since I haven't actually visited any of them. But, off the top of my head, the 3 biggest things are:
1) Strong academics that will prepare me for grad school and help me in that process.
2) A diverse student body where it will be easy to make friends, b/c I doubt making friends as a junior transfer is THAT easy.
3) A beautiful campus with good facilities and approachable professors/faculty as well as study abroad opportunities...if I'm paying 40 grand a year, I want my money's worth.</p>

<p>Isherpa_Cool:
I got that from Collegeboard.com...I think it says they took like a hundred and something out of 3 hundred something applicants, and it came out to 40%...pretty good if you ask me.</p>

<p>Personally, I think my GPA is a/b as good as I can do obviously and I'll be retaking SATs once more, but do my ECs look competitive. I understand there are MUCH strong applicants when it comes to EC, but are mine really weak at this point?</p>

5

<p>i think you have a great shot at atll of those schools. if columbia is your top choice, i suggest you figure out what major you're applying as and do as much research as possible and explain over and over and over again why you want to attend columbia and tell them what they could offer you. i'm glad you finally have a decent sized list down though. i still remember that first list you had with like 20 schools, haha.</p>

6

<p>Does Wesleyan take international transfers?</p>

7

<p>Did you look for wesleyan college? The one that I want to is Wesleyan university in CT.</p>

8

<p>forgiven: i'm going to be applying to columbia as an econ major...i've already emailed one of the department heads to see if my courseload is appropriate. So that is a question I really had...a/b the essay. Am I supposed to come up with something crazy and creative, or do most transfers make their essays more concrete and have their reasons for wanting to transfer presented clearly. I know many of the good essays I have read from freshman applicants are often strange and a/b themselves, and I can do that, but I'm not sure which I should focus on...</p>

<p>buddhaforever: wesleyan does take international transfers but offers no financial aid...and that is the one i'm talking a/b...in middletown,CT.</p>

9

<p>so any suggestions on deletions from this list...or is 12 an ok number to apply to...somehow I think I'd go crazy.</p>

10

<p>you should definitely keep nyu and UT since their applications are easier to fill out than the others, haha. im not sure about UT, but NYU only requires one recommendation and a simple essay and a few short q&a's. </p>

<p>anyways, 12 is a lot, but so is 10. i would take out wesleyan and emory, and maybe cornell. i don't know if you're aware, but you need 2 semesters of bio to apply to the aem program i think, and cas admissions is brutal. that makes it to 9, and i think you can do it.</p>

11

<p>yeah i checked out the cornell AEM program and I am a/b to do my science stuff this fall...I wanted to do physics but I could go for biology like they said, along with academic writing and the other stuff they want. I was actually going to try CAS Econ since I had heard AEM was the most difficult, but you think AEM would be easier...that's more the direction I "should" be going since it's more business-oriented, but Econ is also fine by me.</p>

<p>I like Wesleyan alot, but not as much as Amherst...but I'm unsure as to whether to keep it or drop it b/c, by the numbers, it would SEEM to be my safest school. Like I said though, the applicants to Wesleyan are probably far more qualified than to some other schools.</p>

<p>Why Emory? I'm sorry I'm asking a lotta questions, lol, it's just harder for me to drop those that have a higher transfer admit rate b/c it seems like they would be easier...but ya, as much as I like Cornell, I think it may be far too difficult to get in.</p>

12

<p>and ya I did the UT application last year - but didn't get my transcripts sent in time which is why I'm still here - and it took me about an hour to do...the essay was only a page but it was pretty easy, so I'll definitely apply there since it's a "safety" and b/c it takes so little effort. That's good about NYU, less work is good.</p>

13

<p>i don't think you should apply to schools just because their acceptance rates are more generous. that's what most people did with brown, penn, and cornell this year, and there was a huge amount of people that got rejected. and if i remember correctly, i think cornell's CAS more difficult to transfer into than AEM.</p>

<p>with your stats, i don't think you should worry too much about trasfer rates, haha. just apply to the best schools that you would really want to go to, not because it might be 'easier' to get into.</p>

14

<p>lol ok then i'll start looking at it like that...that will be MUCH easier to choose then. thanks.</p>

15

<p>I really encourage you to keep Brown, NU, Georgetown, Swarthmore and Amherst (and of course Columbia :) ) They seem to fit what you want in a college. Obviously, all the schools you've listed are fantastic in terms of academics and should well prepare you for grad school. </p>

<p>Chicago is similar to Columbia in a way; they both have required Core classes and can provide you with a very well-rounded intellectual education. Interestingly enough, Brown is almost exactly the opposite. </p>

<p>Someone mentioned the ease of filling out an NYU application. Since you are applying to a bunch of schools that require 2 recommendations, its not as if the NYU application requiring only one rec. is going to make your life easier, assuming you ask no more than like 3 professors to write your recs.</p>

<p>NYU....I'd recommend not applying there. I have some friends there and they all complain about it all the time. I've visited before as well...it just doesn’t feel like college. Columbia is different, as it has several blocks to itself as well as some campus green. </p>

<p>Might I also suggest applying to Williams College?</p>

<p>Anyway, good luck. PM me if you wish.</p>

16

<p>WindCloudUltra: To me, the core curriculum deal isn't too big of deal...if I have to do it, (and at most colleges I will) I don't mind. But Brown/Amherst/Wesleyan's offer of no core requirements is very appealing and I would be happier at a school like that. However, I haven't found many schools like that and the benefits/attractions of places like Chicago encourage me to apply there, regardless of the core.</p>

<p>NYU is definitely a wildcard. I'm from Texas (the country) so NYC sounds incredible...Columbia is a sure bet b/c it has a beautiful campus that is separate from the city, but NYU is one that I'd have to visit to be able to decide. My parents won't let me visit any schools (except UT and I don't want to) until I'm admitted, which is understandable given my 12 or so schools. </p>

<p>Lol it's kind of funny you suggested Williams b/c that was one I liked just as much as Amherst/Swat/Wesleyan. I guess the biggest deal I'm having is trying to get the numbers right...kind of like forgiven said, I've been basing some of my decisions on numbers instead of genuine like or dislike for the school...Williams has an abysmal transfer rate (10 out of 109 I think) which is about the same as Columbia, and I am just afraid that I'll apply to so many reaches that I'll be stuck here for another year!!! </p>

<p>Why did they have to make so many great colleges...lol. As much as I'm afraid to do it, I probably will end up dropping some of these places like Emory that I am just interested in due to their generous transfer rates. I guess I'll have to live life on the edge and apply to mostly reaches b/c I want to focus on those apps.</p>

<p>Thanks for your help WCU. I will definitely send you a PM if I have any other questions...Curious - how many schools did you apply to?</p>

17

<p>well WCU sent me a private message so that won't be answered here...
anyone else have suggestions on my list.</p>

<p>In addition, I really like LACs and have chosen 3 currently because of several reasons:
1) I like the campus, what I have read/heard a/b students, social life, academics
2) They are well known. </p>

<p>I am interested in finding some more LACs (matches, if I pick another reach it will likely be Williams), but am having trouble getting past the fact that its 40k a year for a college few have heard of. Those that I have already chosen are known, so I would feel safe spending that much money b/c I believe job opportunities would be good. Any other LACs that have good job/grad opportunities that I haven't thought of and that could be considered matches.</p>

18

<p>Transfer to Williams is among the most difficult. Worth a second thought. They took like 4 students out of the 70 odd who applied.</p>