How to truly prepare yourself as a good transfer student?

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hey, guys.</p>

<p>I'm currently a freshmen at Penn State and I've been thinking about transferring to a school with more concentration on the liberal arts/humanities/arts/communication. I really like it here and I've met some great people, but it's just not the school for me. I'm currently going to finish my first semester here with a 3.8 or 3.9. For next semester, I signed up for:</p>

<p>ECON 102 - Microeconomics
CAMS 45 - Classical Mythology
COMM 250 - Film History and Theory
GEOG 10 - Earth and Mineral Science
ENGL 474 - Issues in Rhetoric</p>

<p>I heard that in order to stand out as a transfer student, one needs to take hard classes and get good grades in them. Is my schedule considered rigorous? I'm not a science kind of guy, so I opt for geography since that's the most appealing topic in science. I love media, film, english, etc. I'm currently a Media Studies major here at PSU, but the program isn't as strong as I hoped. The schools I'm looking at are:</p>

<p>Wesleyan University
Brown University
NYU
Carnegie Mellon (arts)
Northwestern</p>

<p>My high school grades were pretty AVERAGE. 3.4 gpa...1800 SAT...really lazy. But I'm trying really hard now. I'm currently a reporter for my school's paper. I just want to go to a school with stronger programs in the interests I listed above. Will my high school grades hold me back? Am I reaching too far? What are some other great schools for my interest? I just don't feel like I fit in at PSU. Also, what year is the best time to apply to transfer? Am I too naive? Thanks!!!</p>

2

<p>i don’t think your schedule is rigorous, but that’s just IMO. with such low highschool GPA and SAT it will be very difficult to get into brown, CMU, or northwestern</p>

3

<p>Due to your HS gpa and test scores, I’d say it would be a good idea to wait and apply as a jr transfer, when your college record will have more weight. If you apply this year as a soph transfer, you will only have completed the one semester of college work when applications are due, so your HS record and testing will be given more importance.</p>

<p>Will you be needing FA?</p>

4

<p>FA will definitely be a factor, unfortunately. Thanks for the honest responses. I’m not too sure if I want to even transfer since I’m doing fine here, but it’s just an idea I want to keep in mind.</p>

5

<p>Why do you want to transfer out of a good school? You are doing well there. Just stay.</p>

6

<p>Be aware that NYU is known for giving very poor FA. And B has need-aware admissions and limited FA for transfer students:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/936056-brown-transfer-applicant-survey-fa-need-aware-admissions.html?highlight=need+aware[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/936056-brown-transfer-applicant-survey-fa-need-aware-admissions.html?highlight=need+aware&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>Transfer applications are much more predictable than freshman. Transfer is a number game. Get a 4.0 gpa, have over a 2250 sat, good ec’s, and a good reason to transfer and you’ll get into many top schools.</p>

8

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<p>For highly selective schools, I would disagree with this, due to: very low transfer rates, more factors to evaluate for each applicant than for fr admissions and more variability in what top schools are looking for in transfer applicants.</p>

9

<p>Just saying, you may want to look at Elon University. I don’t go there, but I looked into it, and they have an amazing, nationally ranked communications department and a spectacular liberal arts curriculum. My friends all love it there, and your SAT score and GPA are right on track to be accepted. :)</p>