<p>Hi
I'm from Australia, and am really interested in transferring to America.
Preferably an Ivyleague uni.
But I've also heard that the chances are slim, especially for International students (is this true?)
What are some of the good qualities that American unis look for?
I'm aiming for Brown, Cornell, (since I've heard that they're transfer-friendly/ international- friendly) and Berkeley and NYU (since I've heard that these two are slightly easier to be admitted into , compared to Ivyleagues).
All this information might be wrong or be a little biased , since my access to information is rather limited. Not many students from Australia go to America to pursue tertiary studies- which I don't know the reason to.
Anyway, hope you can give me some starter points, with indications to the GPA they're looking for, or any activities outside of/inside uni that they like to see in candidates, etc etc!</p>
<p>Thanks a bunch
xx</p>
<p>ihatemonash,
All forms of international transfer, from both America and to America are hard, mostly because of the amount of differences in the college process in different countries.
However, you are a lot luckier than those before the internet age because any information you need is easily accessible to you with a computer.
Each school has their own website. Within that website, there is usually an admissions section. THey usually say what kind of qualities they are looking for - GPAs, grades, SAT scores. There is almost always an international section that I think would really help you out.
Your choices are good - Brown and Cornell are very good schools but are very hard to get into, even for Americans.
There are a couple of websites that you could also check out that might help you - [::</a> College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions Requirements](<a href=“http://www.collegeboard.com%5D::”>http://www.collegeboard.com) - has a wide variety of information about the college process
[Test</a> Prep: GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, SAT, ACT, and More](<a href=“http://www.princetonreview.com%5DTest”>http://www.princetonreview.com) - has basic information about colleges
[theU.com</a> Online - College campus video tours, Online student reviews and info about campus life.](<a href=“http://www.theU.com%5DtheU.com”>http://www.theU.com) - has some student reviews of colleges
Browse the boards on here - not just in the transfer section, but all over. There are many threads on international applicants. Seek and you shall find!
Your information is not wrong - just know that most information is online nowadays, so you are not as limited as you might think.
Good luck!</p>
<p>A good place to start your research is at: <a href=“http://educationusa.state.gov/undergrad.htm[/url]”>http://educationusa.state.gov/undergrad.htm</a> This organization receives its funding through the US Department of State and exists only to help international students find good places to study in the US. After you’ve read everything on the website, make a appointment with the counselors at the advising office closest to you. There are several in Australia: [East</a> Asia / Pacific ? Educational Advising Centers ? EducationUSA](<a href=“http://eca.state.gov/educationusa/centers/index.cfm?region=EA#AUSTRALIA]East”>http://eca.state.gov/educationusa/centers/index.cfm?region=EA#AUSTRALIA) If the staff in Australia is anything like the staff I used to work with in South America, they are truly are expert at what they do. </p>
<p>Even if you determine that transferring won’t work, you may be able to arrange a semester or a year abroad at a cooperating college or university in the US. The EducationUSA folks can help you learn about those programs as well.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Hey ihatemonash (funny name, by the way).
I have just applied as a transfer from an Australian university to seven US unis of the calibre that you are thinking of.
I am waiting on the results but at Ivy League and similar institutions, the admit rates are between 3-10%. Basically, if you wouldn’t be admitted as a freshman, then your chances as a transfer are even slimmer. Having said that, it’s no reason to give up. I didn’t but I must say, I haven’t got my heart set on getting in because it’s so hard to do.
Plus, there’s the issue of finances. I need aid if I am going to study over there so I was limited to applying to places that give financial aid to international transfers. I’m pretty sure NYU won’t help you out if you need money. Likewise, Cornell and Brown are “need-sensitive” when it comes to making an admission decision. That is, they take your application for financial aid into account when making the decision.
The recommendation to see Education USA is a good one. I went to see them and they were quite helpful.
Also, I don’t know whether you’ve already done the SAT tests or not, but if you are applying to pretty much any top school, you will need to submit scores for SAT I and SAT II tests. These are ridiculous multiple choice tests that are administered about once every 2 months. You have to do them.
Naturally, an outstanding high school and university record will help your progress. Extracurriculars are important. Volunteer/charity work is common place. If you are an elite athlete, that will also help. Otherwise, leadership positions are of importance.
I will warn you the transfer process is a horror. I kid you not when I say it has been frustrating to the point of tears on numerous occasions. You have to get so much information - recommendations from high school teachers, university lectures, the Dean and sometimes even your peers (Dartmouth). I don’t know if my efforts will have come to fruition but I think it has taught me a lot about uni in America and along the way I have been in touch with some really lovely college students and admissions counsellors.
Fortunately I am at one of Australia’s best universities already so if I don’t get in, it won’t be such a big deal. Having said that, I will be disappointed but there are always exchange programs and other ways to get to the US if you are really determined.
Good luck with it all, please let me know if you have any more questions.
P.S. Have you thought of transferring to another Australian university in the even that the US doesn’t work out?</p>
<p>A woman from Brown came to give a talk in Australia, and she said that although the chances of Brown giving financial aid is slim, they ignore that part of the application until the decision is made (whether to admit the student or not).</p>
<p>Um…and I’ve taken my SATs before. what uni are you at btw?
Ive been to melbourne uni and i’ve been to monash, which both of them don’t quite fulfil my ‘needs’.</p>
<p>Would you let me know how you go with your applications?
It’ll be great to know!!</p>
<p>I think it is naive to believe that you have a chance at schools which are not need blind if you are an international student.
That is, in this era of financial turmoil, colleges need people who can pay.
I applied to 3 non need blind schools (including Brown) but I have negligible hope for admittance into any of these three. You virtually have to be a Nobel Prize Winning Saint to be admitted at somewhere like Brown with aid.
That aside, Brown has the smallest (or second smallest) endowment of any Ivy League institution, so chances of financial aid there are smaller there are smaller even for US students, let alone internationals.
Also, I you’d certainly have to get a lot of info if you have already transferred universities. Not sure if they fact that you have already switched around would go in your favour, but it’s worth asking the question to an admission’s department of a school you are interested in.</p>
<p>By the way, I realise that last post sounds really harsh. I didn’t mean for it to be that way! I guess I am feeling a little tense because decisions will be out soon and I’m hoping for something different.
I am telling myself that I won’t get in because it will be easier to cope with the rejection that way.
It’s actually really hard to gauge whether I was totally out of depth in even applying. I guess I will know soon!</p>
<p>oh yeah
um… thanks for the reply.
i actually don’t need financial help at all,
actually, hope it’ll work in my favour that im not applying for financial aid.
but im not too sure i want to transfer anymore. i mean, ive heard about some of the great exchange programs to columbia, berkeley and cornell, and plus the unis in australia are only 3 years, which means that it’ll just be quicker for me to finish uni here in australia and do postgrad in america…
i hope everything really works out for you in regards to your application.and hey, my friend was admitted into brown last year from australia, which means that your chances aren’t soOOOOOOOOOO slim</p>