<p>I'm currently in my second semester at FSU (Florida State University), and I love it here. However, after reading up on the subject and talking to advisors, I'm learning that it's going to be hard to be accepted to a top graduate school in philosophy if I stay here. So I'm seriously considering transferring.</p>
<p>I'm really interested in philosophy so I'd say NYU, Yale, Stanford, UNC Chapel Hill, Columbia, UPenn, Brown, University of Chicago, Georgetown, etc would all be AMAZING. But probably all of those are out of my league, right? </p>
<p>I'm planning on applying to College of Liberal Arts as a Literature major because I have more to show for Lit than Philosophy currently. </p>
<p>College Stats:
Freshman Scholar (the highest merit scholarship)
4.0 GPA first semester (based on 13 credit hours in a lot of english classes)
In the Honors Student Association
Undergraduate Research Assistant to a Professor of Literature (received $1,000 stipend)
Presenting this research at a conference for FSU undergrads
Involved with Students for Education Reform Club
Currently learning to be a tutor at the writing center
A little bit of community service</p>
<p>High School Stats:
Upward trend in grades
3.6 UW and 4.1 Weighted
Top 11%
9 AP classes total (mostly 4's on exams)
SAT: 570 math, 740 critical reading, 650 writing (MUST RETAKE)</p>
<p>Also, I'm a white girl from Florida with no demonstrated financial need. If it's easier, tell me what schools (any "known" schools, not necessarily from my earlier list) I have no chance to transfer to and which schools I have some chance (if any).</p>
<p>You’d have a good shot at UNC and NYU if you wanted to transfer this year. For penn/brown/chicago/georgetown, you’ll need to transfer as a junior to have a chance since your HS grades weren’t good enough to get you accepted last year. The others I wouldn’t bother applying to even if you keep a 4.0.</p>
<p>low high school stats will hurt your chance as a freshman transfer student. College stuffs are good, but since you are applying to so many competitive schools, chances will be pretty low if you only write mediocre essays. UNC may be a good shot. Good luck though.</p>
<p>Agree that HS grades and test scores hurt your chances as a soph transfer for the highly selective schools. I would suggest either waiting a year or taking out some of the uber reaches and replacing them with schools more along the lines of NYU & UNC-CH, as well as adding UF. </p>
<p>While top grad schools may be difficult to reach from FSU, you don’t need to go to a top UG to get into a top grad school. You can also get there by doing great work at a mid level school.</p>
<p>I agree with the other posters - if you’re happy there, apply as a junior. That will also give you more time to focus on philosophy. The fact that you’re already doing research looks great, though. I’d say you’d have a decent shot at Brown especially after two years if you can get the SAT score over 2100 (focus on math), because they are need-aware.</p>
<p>I talked to a few professors and they seemed to think that staying at FSU would be fine if I wanted to get into a top ten Phd program. How valid is this?</p>
<p>There are no guarantees no matter what school you go to for UG, it depends much more on what you DO, rather than WHERE you are. And you don’t need top 10 for anything to be happy and successful in life.</p>
<p>Here’s the bottom line, does where you go to UG have any affect on applying to grad/professional school? In the real and not the ideal world, yes it does to some degree. But is it a limiting factor? No it isn’t. </p>
<p>Remember there are pros and cons to one of those other schools vs. FSU. Right now you’re building bonds with profs, you’re getting to know the system, and you’re likely at the top of your cohort and will be first in line for the opportunities offered. At one of the other schools, you will likely be coming in after 2 yrs and have a relatively short time to establish relationships, there may well be more opportunities, but you will be more mid-pool in competing for them, you may find more like minded peers, and your profs may or may not be better instructors (due to the strong research emphasis at these schools).</p>