I could use a some help

Transfer Students
1

<p>Aight, so I need help. I'm a complete idiot when it comes to applying for colleges and stuff. I utterly failed when applying for college as a HS grad (err...that doesn't sound right. It's late and I have a final in 6 hours haha) and I only got into my safe school (granted, I applied to 3 other schools, two being Cornell and Columbia). I've only kind of glanced at this site before when applying to schools a few years ago and didn't stay long because everyone else posting their "stats" made me feel like an idiot. </p>

<p>Well...here's go nothing:</p>

<p>Major: Physics
Applying to (so far, will probably become larger later) : Fordham U Rose Hill, NYU College of Arts & Sciences and Columbia U Columbia College
Current college: Clarkson University</p>

<p>High School GPA: 3.8
APs:
Lit - 3
Lang - 3
US History - 4
Calc AB - 4
SAT: 1880 (horrible, I know. I only took them once and I should've retaken them. I will never forgive myself for being an idiot)
SAT 2:
Mathematics Level 1 - 660
Mathematics Level 2 - 730
World History - 680</p>

<p>College GPA so far: 3.625, this semester I'm probably going to get a 3.7ish. </p>

<p>ECs:
President of French Honor Society
Senior National Honor Society
Junior National Honor Society
Quiz Bowl team captain
4 years of High School soccer and baseball
Intramural captain for a ****load of college and High School intramurals
American Chemical Society member
School Dorm Council member</p>

<p>And I don't know where this goes, but my dad went to Columbia so I guess I have legacy there, haha. </p>

<p>Transferring as a junior (aka this is my sophomore year).</p>

<p>Blegh, I feel like I'm missing something. Anyway, here are a few questions:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Should I retake my SATs? I am miserably unsatisfied with my previous scores but I don't know how much weight they carry. </p></li>
<li><p>I have a lot more ECs (I think...) but I don't know if I should list all of them. Should I?</p></li>
<li><p>Would it look better if I have TWO recommendations opposed to one? (One from a physics prof. and another from the physics department head)</p></li>
<li><p>What are they looking for in my essay? I admit I wrote my original college app. essay pretty poorly. I kinda wrote it like a ****ty high school essay that was to be graded, not a college app. essay, but I don't know what they're looking for exactly. Should I talk about how I'm aspiring to become some immortal scientist (haha cheesy, I know, but I feel like I have uncanny determination and my grades are no reflection of my intelligence [I've lost more grade points in homework/attendance than actual test scores])? Should I pour my heart and soul in the essay, as if I was going to be killed if it wasn't heart-wrenching enough? </p></li>
<li><p>What are my chances (be nice, I have a fragile heart! X(...)?</p></li>
</ol>

2

<p>Shameful self-bump =(</p>

3

<ol>
<li><p>SATs are not the most important factor when considering transfer candidates. Some schools do not require submission of SATs when transferring. NYU says “If you have been enrolled in a college or university for at least one year of full-time study, you are exempt from having to submit the SAT or ACT.” They also say “If you are applying as a transfer student and you have previously taken either of these tests, you should not retake the tests now”. And schools such as Columbia will look at all test scores. </p></li>
<li><p>List all of your EC’s. It will help.</p></li>
<li><p>Columbia REQUIRES two letters of Rec. NYU requires none.</p></li>
<li><p>Make your essay truthful. Not over-the-top.</p></li>
<li><p>You have almost no chance of getting into Columbia, even with legacy. (Legacy, lately has not had as much impact as in previous years) Your SAT scores are too low. Columbia rejects people with 4.0 and 2400. (Go look at the Columbia ED decisions.) NYU you stand a very good chance - send in your SAT and SAT II’s (even though they are requested). And at Fordham you stand an even better chance.</p></li>
</ol>

4

<p>K, thanks. Retaking the SATs is pretty much more about my own pride. You have no idea how crappy it is that I didn’t break 700 in math (I know I’m capable of an 800). And I thought I remember NYU required one recommendation. Oh well. It will look better if I did have them though, right? </p>

<p>And sorry if I’m asking stupid questions, I honestly don’t know about this stuff.</p>

5

<p>Well just note that if you plan on applying to NYU, you should not include those SAT scores, as they directly say not to retake the SAT. NYU may have required recommendations in the past (and they still do for freshmen applicants) however, transfer students do not need one. Of course, any letter of recommendation will look good.</p>

6

<p>Other than these 3, what other good schools are there in the NYC area (with a physics program)? Does anyone know?</p>

7

<p>bummmmppppp. I really wanna go to a school in the city and I just want to have more chances to get in there</p>

8

<p>Another bump! Oh, and I got my grades. Overall college GPA right now is a 3.688.</p>

9

<p>about the SAT really other than pride there is not much point since you are a junior transfer, the 3.68 is great and I think you have a great shot at NYU and Fordham, especially as a physics major, have you taken any hard physics requirements yet?</p>

10

<p>Hm. Well, here’s what I taken so far and grades:</p>

<p>First semester:
Clarkson Seminar (Freshman writing and lit course) - B+
Calc 1 - B (due to some stupid mistake on my part I had to take this even though I got a 4 on the AP Calc AB)
Chem 1 - B
Physics 1 - B+</p>

<p>Second semester:
Calc 2 - A
Chem 2 - A
Physics 2 - A
Environ. Science - A
Comp Sci 1 - A</p>

<p>Third semester:
Diff. Eq. - A
Modern Physics - A
Modern Physics lab - A
History of Western Philosophy - B+
Discrete Math - A
Psych. of Psychoactive Drugs - B</p>

<p>Fourth semester (Idk if they look at it but anyway):
Solid State Physics
Quantum Physics
Calc 3
Macroecon.
Number Theory
Experimental Physics</p>

<p>And, would I include that I’m looking to get a Math minor (hence why I took Discrete and am going to take Number Theory)?</p>

11

<p>Bummmp. I’m still trying to find good colleges close/in to NYC.</p>

12

<p>Agh. I’ve thought about it some, I figure to save on application money, I should probably replace Columbia with Polytechnic Institute of New York University. Haha though no one cares; my thread is lonely. =(</p>

13

<p>Ok, I promise this will be my last post in a while. As of right now, I’m going to apply to 4 Unis: NYU, Fordham, Poly and Rutgers Newark. First two are what I’m hoping to get into, second are pretty much safes (looks like their SAT averages are just about my current uni’s).</p>

<p>But, I guess my question is, do you think it’s pretty much a guarantee (I use that word loosely, as I know nothing is “guaranteed”, but there’s very little chance that I go 0-for-4) that I get at least into ONE of these? I’m just stressing like there’s no tomorrow.</p>

14

<p>Ok, it’s bump time =p</p>