I have two choices..advice please!

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi, im a freshman at NYU right now from Japan. I thought I was going to like the place, but unfortunately, I realized that the city is really killing me so i'm considering a transfer. I have two options. One is to apply now, the other is to apply a year from now after brining up my GPA. what do you guys think? </p>

<p>Highschool: One of the best New England boarding prep schools in the nation.
GPA: 3.2 (went abroad for a term to Mexico my senior winter, took all classes in Spanish at a Mexican private school and that really killed my GPA).
SAT: M800 V660 640
SAT II (dont remember)
course load: very tough, many ap courses.
ECs: student counselor, head of japanese-american society, environmental proctor (in dorms), varsity soccer/lacrosse, volunteering at hospital, summer intern at an importing company, amusement park translator, English tutor, and a little more.</p>

<p>College: NYU (CAS)
GPA First term: 3.1 (A+ for my writing seminar, i messed up calculus..)
This term: realized I really want to get out of here, all As so far in all my papers/tests
ECs: Assistant to East Asian Studies Librarian 20hrs/week, japanese club.</p>

<p>I used to be good at/enjoy math and science before, but recently I've been much more interested/getting better grades in humanities. I'm currently a Journalism + Econ major, but I'm not 100% sure about it.</p>

<p>Schools I want to apply as transfer:</p>

<p>Rice, Emory, Northwestern, Wesleyan, WashU in St. Louis, Boston College, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Notre Dame, Carnegie Mellon, Vassar, Williams, Pomona, Tufts, Amherst, Vanderbilt, Georgetown, UPenn, Cornell.</p>

<p>I'm still narrowing the list down, and I know I don't have much of a shot especially with my first term grades, but are there any in the list that you guys think I might have a little chance if I keep up my grades this term and write amazing essays? Or do I have no chance unless I wait a year and really bring my GPA up?</p>

<p>Thanks so much for the help.</p>

2

<p>well, maybe my situation can help. im applying to 3 schools this year that i know are reaches but really good fits (they offer the major i really want among other things). more than likely, either i dont get in or the aid isnt good enough, ill be here at my current school again. next year is when i know i would definitely try to get out (b/c it'll be my last chance lol) so ill be applying to probably 6 schools.</p>

<p>unfortunately, the first term is sooooo much more important than the second b/c that is the gpa they see, of course they will put consideration on the midterm year report.
and yes essays are a big big deal because obviously almost everyones suck lol</p>

3

<p>Due to your college GPA, it might be difficult for you to transfer up to a more selective school this year.</p>

4

<p>Generally speaking, the schools on your list expect a minimum 3.7 college gpa to be considered for transfer admission.</p>

5

<p>bring up your gpa and apply as a junior. A 3.1 is really nothing spectacular and I seriously doubt you will get in to any of those schools, especially when your HS record isn't any better.</p>

6

<p>I think you need to figure out what about the city is "really killing you." Then, in light of that, think about and give us more information about what you are seeking in a school. Your current list really looks almost like a scattershot of a passel of highly ranked schools. </p>

<p>Why do you think they will be better for you than CAS?</p>

<p>Armed with this information, you will be able to write stronger applications. While it may be true, as others have said, that your GPA is a little weak for these strong schools, an understanding of why you want to change, what you have to offer besides GPA... might better help us (and you) guage your chances at those schools. And/or recommend others.</p>

<p>You might be better off waiting a year and improving your GPA, but you might not.</p>

7

<p>Thanks everyone for your feed back. Andale, what i meant by the city killing me is that coming from a rural setting my entire life, I cannot keep up with the pace of the city. It brings ridiculous amount of stress on me, and during my fall term, I had many health problems related to stress (mainly constant severe rash break outs, which has happened to me before when I get really stressed out). I decided to come to NYU because I wanted to put myself in a new environment, but it really isnt working for me. I have thought about it alot, and realize that the experience I'm having might be much closer to what the "real world" is, at least more than living in a bubble at a traditional college campus, but at least for a few more years until I'm over with college, I want to put myself where I can feel more like a college student than an adult. </p>

<p>In terms of the schools I listed, I understand its a rather random list, other than its highly ranked schools. The reason is because as for now I'm still narrowing it down, and I just picked them basing on the fact that there is a campus and doesnt have a ridiculously large student body size. Also, the dilemma I have is as an international student from Japan, I obviously have Asian parents, who will not let me go to a school lower than what I am at right now. My view is that I want to go where I fit the best, but sometimes, as it is in this case, I cant necessarily do that if its considered lower than NYU. </p>

<p>Within the list I presented, I'm more interested in the liberal arts colleges, because I'm not so sure of what I want to major in yet. As I have mentioned, I'm very interested in humanities, but i can't think of a specific path I wanna take.
I've always enjoyed studying/learning for the sake of learning, but I feel like I did that a lot just for my own self happiness. I didn't really care if I didn't get good grades, because I thought I was learning nevertheless. However, thats changed the past couple of months. I am ridiculously motivated to succeed now, and receiving good grades again. I almost feel like getting accepted to one of the top boarding prep schools in the nation for my high school made me feel like that was the end, and my motivation completely disappeared. Now I feel like I found my motivation again, and I'm just hoping its not too late.</p>

<p>So I guess I really have to research a lot more, and find out the schools I really want to go to. Right now I'm leaning on applying next year.</p>

8

<p>Thanks for the thoughtful response, fob. I understand your list a lot better now.</p>

<p>I think it is true that your GPA is a weak point. I don't know, though, whether it will be a deal-breaker. It might. What would your GPA have been without the Calculus?</p>

<p>I think you could wait until you have a stronger GPA, which seems to be the consensus of most who have posted here.</p>

<p>You could also build your case via essays - why you want to transfer, what you are looking for in a campus, the morphing of your interests from science/math to a different arena. And see what happens. Strong essays and strong recs might do it. If not, you can try again next year. </p>

<p>Or wait until next year. Because, remember, your stronger GPA this term - if you achieve it and I'm sure you will - won't really be a factor in the application review, which will mostly occur in March/April/May before you have new transcript to submit.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

9

<p>try 1 or 2 this year atleast</p>

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<p>if i apply to a few and dont get in this year, would I have worse chances next year for the same schools?</p>

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<p>I'm applying to transfer this year as well and this is a matter I'm concerned about. Some of these applications asked if you've applied before...</p>

12

<p>I don't get it: Georgetown is in the middle of a city and BC is pretty close (though more suburban) and UPenn is in Philly.........I would seriously think where to apply (ND is a great choice, but I think you would still be ridiculously busy, and u would have to get ur GPA up)</p>

13

<p>hopefulfor2012,</p>

<p>i realize that some are right next or in the city, but they have a campus, unlike nyu. thats a big thing for me. even if its busy around the place, so long as there is a campus, I would be fine.</p>

14

<p>I think everyone worries about whether applying and being denied will hurt if one applies again. It is a natural worry. And I don't think there is any set answer or rule of thumb.</p>

<p>I have certainly known students who were denied as freshmen but accepted as transfer. I believe I have known of students who applied as transfer, were denied, but tried again and were successful. I have, of course, known of students who were denied twice.</p>

<p>I think it is case by case. Most of the schools who ask whether you have applied previously are simply doing it for administrative reasons. They may already have a file open, scores, etc.</p>