How will it hurt me to transfer senior year of high school?

Applying to College
1

<p>I go to the best public school in my state, and one of the top three in the South. It has always been nationally-ranked, and I fit in well socially with the 600 students. I do well academically there, and the school does not rank its students. It has nearly all of the AP courses, every single course is honors or gifted (no regular classes), and it's known as the hardest school, even compared to the many elite private schools surrounding it. I went to a strong Catholic school freshman year, and have gone to this one sophomore and junior year. When I came to the public school from the Catholic school, my weighted GPA dropped substantially because of grade inflation at the Catholic school.</p>

<p>My mother wants to move to Dallas for selfish, unnecessary reasons. There's an 80% chance that she'll do it. Dallas schools rank, and their academics may not be completely on par.</p>

<p>I have an amazing relationship with my college counselor, and I have excellent recommendations already set up. I picked the hardest schedule possible for my senior year, and I know exactly how to tackle my new classes.</p>

<p>I'm applying to Brown, UChicago, Vanderbilt, Duke, Georgetown, USC, Northwestern, Tulane (confirmed automatic acceptance if I stay at my school), Boston College, George Washington University, U Michigan, Loyola Chicago, and possibly Wesleyan.</p>

<p>I feel like the new school would be lower in academics for me (colleges will know that), hurt my recommendations, create an extremely difficult social environment for me, factor rank into my high school profile (transfers are mostly automatically ranked last), eliminate my extracurriculars (soon-to-be President in two clubs), and kill my chances at the Top 20 schools.</p>

<p>How will it affect me in my college admissions process? How can I fix this or try to work with it?</p>

2

<p>You are not the first and will not be the last person to have transferred schools Senior Year.</p>

<p>The top 20 schools have seen this before and will know how to deal with it. They will know how to evaluate the fact that the first three years’ records come from a different school. They will understand that ranking systems in a new school may not accurately portray transfers (but this would be an appropriate topic for your new GC to explain.) They will understand lost leadership opportunities since you are the new kid in town.</p>

<p>Basically, they’ve seen it before. Your chances will not be killed.</p>

<p>What can you do.</p>

<p>If you can get letters from the faculty advisor of the clubs where you were slated to be President stating this fact.</p>

<p>Before you move, talk to the teachers who know you best, and try to line them up for teacher recommendations.</p>

<p>Possibly get your current GC to write a GC letter now.</p>

<p>(Hopefully your current school will work with you).</p>

3

<p>

Zephyr has good recommendations. You need to get over your hurt feelings. I know this is an awkward time to move but it is not all about you.</p>

4

<p>Hopefully, you’re relationship with the college counselor will help you make sure you get the letters of recommendations. I moved my senior year and found out that none of my junior year teachers sent in their letters of recommendation. After contacting the colleges, they let me use some senior year teachers but it was really too late at the point because of financial aid issues. I have to admit, that my senior year was not fun. I went from a very well respected magnet school to a school where I had taken most of the classes. I did have some good teachers and a lot of help from the guidance counselor. I ended up only taking four classes at the high school and was enrolled in a special early admission/honors program for high school students at the local university. There were opportunities I hadn’t anticipated and people very willing to help me out and I probably didn’t make the most of the situation as I could have. If the move happens, make sure you keep on top of the recommendations and be open to the possibilities at the new school. It won’t be the same but you might be surprised at what comes up.</p>

5

<p>Thanks you guys. You’re giving good advice, but I still think it’s a horrible decision.</p>