I'm screwed. Transferring from NYU.

Transfer Students
1

<p>So my current status is: college dropout.</p>

<p>I spent my first year of college at Indiana University - Bloomington. I hated it (and never wanted to go there in the first place) and transferred to NYU for Fall 2008.</p>

<p>I did my sophomore year at NYU, it was great. The academics were a challenging but comfortable level for me, and I loved the independence that living in the city gave.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, my parents decided they no longer wanted to cosign my student loans, especially with the insane amount NYU wanted me to borrow for my junior year.</p>

<p>Now I have NO idea where to apply to school, and it's application time so I really need to start figuring it out. I LOVE New York, it's where I want to be over anywhere else, but there aren't many schools in the city that appeal to me.</p>

<p>A quick summary of my stats are:
HS GPA: 3.9
College GPA: 3.85
SAT I: 780 CR, 650 Math, 790 Writing
SAT II: Literature 770, Math 1 680, Math 2 550
Not a ton of ECS but was active in NYU College Libertarians and tutored at a NYC public school through the America Reads program</p>

<p>I'm a Linguistics and Anthropology double major</p>

<p>I've applied to CUNY Brooklyn College, mostly because of affordability and location.</p>

<p>I'm not sure where else, but affordability is the main concern. I can't be taking out $20,000+/year in loans like at NYU, especially since I plan on grad school. I would also like something in a city ... a school that is a decent match for my credentials ... or if it is not a great school, at least has a good linguistics program. What I really DO NOT want is a big frat-boy, sports-centric state school, a la IU. I'm a little offbeat and quirky and I just don't fit at those sorts of places. Buuut considering my situation, I'm not too picky and can handle some sacrifices I guess.</p>

<p>A few places I'm considering I'm applying are:</p>

<p>UMASS Amherst
University of Rochester
Barnard (would I have a shot?)
SUNY Binghamton?
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign?
University of Cincinnati?</p>

<p>I haven't checked yet if all of these places take spring transfers ... though I'm assuming the publics will.</p>

<p>Does anyone have any more suggestions, any advice, or any good information about these schools?
Please Please Please ...</p>

2

<p>I know this is not in the city…but it’s a 1 1/2 hour bus or car ride away, the price is right and it fits someone who is offbeat and quirky…SUNY New Paltz. They have a strong anthropology dept. and linguistics.
[State</a> University of New York at New Paltz: Linguistics](<a href=“http://www.newpaltz.edu/linguistics/]State”>Linguistics Program | SUNY New Paltz)
[SUNY</a> New Paltz: Anthropology](<a href=“http://www.newpaltz.edu/anthropology/]SUNY”>Anthropology | SUNY New Paltz)</p>

3

<p>With your kind of stats, why not apply to ivies, top LACs and get amazing financial aid packages? Anthropology and Linguistics? says Ivy all over it… keep the schools on your list for back-up though.</p>

4

<p>How much can you afford and what’s your EFC?</p>

5

<p>I think my EFC is around $20,000 but my parents aren’t contributing to my college costs and even if they were, we cannot actually afford that much. I would like to be taking out less than $20,000 a year in loans.</p>

<p>As far as Ivies go, I’m not sure I can actually get in. I applied to Brown when I was transferring out of IU and was not accepted … I suppose coming from NYU with a 3.85 may make my credentials a little better but I think being a transfer, especially a second-time transfer, is hurting me. And many of the top LACs do not have linguistics programs because they are so small and so few students go into that major.
Another thing as far as top schools go is that I’m not sure how to get recommendations as I am not even in school right now and many of my classes at NYU were around 100 students. I tend to be a bit of a wallflower in classes and I don’t know that my professors or TAs would remember me well enough to feel comfortable writing a recommendation?</p>

<p>However, Barnard is the Ivy-type reach that I am considering … it is in the city, and I would be able to take classes at Columbia … I would apply to Brown again but I’m pretty certain that having been denied once already lowers ones chances even more …</p>

6

<p>How much can you actually afford? This is the real question.</p>

<p>When you have the answer to that one, you will know some of the parameters you have to work around. Do you need to be working full-time and studying part-time? If so, can you finish your degree at NYU studying part-time? What is NYU’s policy on tuition remission for employees? Could you get a job there as an administrative assistant and study part-time for free (or very cheap)?</p>

<p>Do you feel that your interests are best served by studying full-time, working part-time, and taking on some debt? Then you need to look at less expensive schools (like SUNY-New Paltz) where you can make this happen.</p>

<p>As for letters of recommendation from your profs at NYU, don’t be afraid to ask them. They write letters all the time for students that they barely know or can barely remember. Make appointments with one or two of them and talk with them about your need to transfer, how much you liked their class, how well you did in it, how much you regret having to leave because of the money, etc. Then ask whether they think they can write a letter for you. Maybe they will say No, maybe they will say Yes, maybe they will help you figure out how you can complete your degree at NYU.</p>

<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>

7

<p>Did you look into CUNY City College? It has Anthropology, and it’s right in Manhattan. I know a few people who went to the Honors College there.</p>

8

<p>I’m pretty certain City College doesn’t have linguistics, which is the part of my degree that is more important to me. The CUNYs that have it are Brooklyn and Queens.</p>

<p>I need to be studying full-time and working part-time, and taking on some debt but a manageable amount as I plan on graduate school. If ‘afford’ means able to pay up front, I am not able to afford a dime. Unfortunately for me, I have no way to gain independent student status so my parents’ middle class status is screwing me.</p>

9

<p>but also … I am halfway across the country. Save for a phone discussion, I don’t even have a means of talking with these professors.</p>

10

<p>UMass Amherst is a great linguistics program and you would definitely get in. None of your schools listed are really in a city though, but I guarentee you would get some pretty good $ from UMass as well as other schools. I think you should apply to some top schools, and then reassess after you hear about the $. IDK but maybe fordham?</p>

11

<p>“I am halfway across the country”</p>

<p>I take this to mean that you are OOS for any of the public schools in NY. Take a long hard look at your home state public universities. Certainly one of them must offer Linguistics! If you can just bite the bullet and suffer through two years there, Home State U should be able to award you a degree that will get you into a decent graduate program.</p>

12

<p>I know it may be a bit late, but why not go back and talk to NYU? You had a great gpa there, go back to the, start with the dean, and tell them your story. They may find some money for you.</p>

13

<p>Your record is very strong. Apply to Barnard if there is any way to make it work financially. I agree, it would be a good idea to talk to NYU if you haven’t already. You were an asset to the school and they <em>ought</em> to help you out.</p>

14

<p>What exactly did you hate about IU? I just want to look into Indiana because I am planning on applying there for next fall.</p>