<p>I'm currently a high school senior and I'm thinking about transferring after my first year at my state university. It this realistic if my ultimate goal is an Ivy or something comparable? My high schools stats aren't exactly incredible, but they're decent if anything. 4.0 UW GPA, 4.8 W [the max], 2260 SAT score, 35 ACT, pretty high SAT II's, National Merit Finalist. My extracurriculars were decent, held positions every year in high school [Key Club, NHS, DECA, Student Council...] but I know what I have isn't enough. I'm guessing my major weakness was in my essay. I probably failed to convince the admissions committees that I had some sort of intellectual 'spark'.</p>
<p>This past week has been brutal, and I'm just building up a plan for the next four years. I've dreamt of attending one of these top notch schools for years and though it might be for the wrong reasons, I know I can do well at these schools. Aid is a huge factor; it's why I can't go to the schools I've been accepted to.</p>
<p>I'm motivated, so my college GPA will be high if I can help it. I'm also an IB candidate taking tests this May, so the scores might push my application a little further. I'm planning on doing whatever I can to make this possible. So my question is... with my position, is transferring realistic?</p>
<p>This is one of the most FAQ here on the Transfer forum. Read the sticky thread at the top of the page: Transfer Admissions 101. You’ll see that if you want to transfer after freshman year, your HS record (gpa and rigor or coursework) and test scores will still be very important. That is because you will be submitting transfer applications with only 1 sem/qt of college completed.</p>
<p>While not impossible, your chances of being accepted as a sop transfer to a selective college that you would not have been accepted by as an entering freshman is very slim.</p>
<p>I think you have really good high school stats. Were you at a competitive school? I think you should be able to transfer successfully if you keep up your grades and concentrate on your essays.</p>
<p>My school isn’t competitive, or at least I think so. It’s in a pretty bad part of town, and IB kids are basically the only motivated ones there. Huge generalization, but it’s true for the most part. But if college admissions determines the level of competition, I’d say it was decent. All the URM’s are getting in wherever they apply because of affirmative action [if that’s an indicator of anything]. It was my dose of reality; this entire process has been completely humbling.</p>
<p>Question; are schools just as focused on meeting quotas with transfer applicants? When it comes to statistics, I’d assume that it doesn’t matter as much as with freshman applicants.</p>
<p>I’m aware that my chances are slim and that transfer rates for these schools are pretty much impossible. I’m willing to do pretty much anything though… It’ll just take another round of rejection letters to snap me out of this daze I seem to be in.</p>