I'd like to go to Stanford

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi, I'd like to go to Stanford, and I'd like to know what they are looking for in a transfer student. I'm a pretty competitive student academically and I have a few pretty good ECs. I'm half Mexican and half El Salvadorian. My parents make a total of $115,000-$130,000. I'm 19 and I go to a community college. In high school I graduated second in my class. My SAT scores aren't anything special. I think an 1830? Math was 670, Writing 570, and CR 620, I think. I just took them in October because I never took them in high school. These are my stats for college:</p>

<p>Cumulative GPA: 4.0
Major: Biochemistry
Pre-Reqs: Complete before Spring 2010</p>

<h2>IGETC: Complete before Spring 2010</h2>

<p>Extra-Curriculars/Work/Volunteer:
1.) President of school chapter of SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science)
2.) Member of AMSA club (American Medical Student Association)
3.) Member of MSS club (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement Student Society)
4.) Worked 16-19 hours a week at local library for 3 years.
5.) Volunteer at a local after school program to tutor kids K-8.</p>

<p>My safety schools are UCD and UCSD. I made TAGs with them and I think I should be able to get into Berkeley, but I don't think I want to go there. I'll also try for USC, Yale, and Cornell. I can get great letters of rec from my Gen. Chem professor as well as my O Chem professor. I like to write a lot of reflective pieces so I don't think the essay should be too bad, but I don't know what I should tell them. I've led a pretty easy going life. The biggest mistake that I've made was not going to a university straight out of high school, but I don't even see that as a mistake because of the things I've accomplished since my time at my community college. I don't know what to specifically mention in my essay other than who I am as a person and why I should be at Stanford. Should I mention ethnicity/trials?</p>

<p>I would appreciate any responses! Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>I think if anyone had a magical essay topic that would get them into Stanford, they probably wouldn’t just tell you about it</p>

3

<p>I am assuming that you are applying for junior transfer, in which case your GPA is fine. However, know that S’s admit rate is regularly around 2-3%–or even less in some years. Keeping that in mind, I would say your chances are not too good (but then again, everyone’s chances are slim).
For your essay, doesn’t writing about who you are include your ethnicity and/or your trials by default?o_O I think that your essay should focus on what S is asking you for: Why you want to transfer and why specifically for Stanford. Personal, highly ruminative stories are more fitting for a freshman app essay.</p>

4

<p>ECs aren’t unique enough for Stanford transfer. =&lt;/p>

5

<p>URM, perfect GPA in hard classes, ECs…</p>

<p>but stanford admits very few students… and no one really knows how they got in or if there is any magic formula.</p>

6

<p>Stanford saves a few transfer spots for CC students every year. With your 4.0, URM status, some signs of leadership…I’d say you’re a good candidate. The only weakness I see is the SAT and maybe you could try the ACT, you may well do better on that.</p>

7

<p>Go for it buddy! You never know! Stanford is full of surprises…believe me. My stats were no where near where yours are and I was considered last year so just apply and prepare for the worst.</p>