Is applying for Transfer even worth it?

Transfer Students
1

<p>Here’s my dilemma:</p>

<p>Out of high school, I pretty much rocked. I won’t list my resume, but my stats were good. I turned down some “top 10” schools for a full merit scholarship to a “top 20.”</p>

<p>The money was not the sole reason for my decision – I was convinced the school that offered scholarship money was absolutely the right place for me. I was completely wrong. Now, I want to transfer out of my school.</p>

<p>The problem is, I had a TERRIBLE first semester socially, and those problems affected my academic performance.</p>

<p>When I look at stats for transfer programs, my SATs are way above the average accepted transfer applicant, but then my GPA is way below the 3.8s and 3.9s most schools average around for admitted transfers.</p>

<p>Am I correct in concluding that I screwed myself with the low GPA? I am on track to a 4.0 this term, but of course, these grades won’t be ready in time for fall transfer applications.</p>

<p>Another thing is that out of high school, I had a very impressive list of ECs, full of leadership and achievement. In college, I have gotten involved with about two or three things, but nothing too noteworthy. No leadership positions, for sure.</p>

<p>Do colleges want transfer students who could not have gotten into the school out of college, but performed very well in their lower tier college, over the student who would have been accepted out of high school, but had problems in college?</p>

<p>My concern is that I want to get out of my current school ASAP for reasons completely out of the classroom, but if I do this, I do not want to downgrade the incredible academic opportunity I have at my current school. Could anyone respond please? I want to know if it is even worth it to apply.</p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

2

<p>I was in the same boat as you. Out of HS I was at west point, didn't work out, went to a state school and pulled a 3.0...I applied to 8 schools and got turned down from all 8, and one of them was BU...a school I deff would have gotten into out of high-school. Now I'm at a CCC and I've turned my **** around in just 2 semesters, going to have a 3.55 after this semester. My advice? Stay at your school another year, show an "upward trend" in grades, and say you just had a bad semester.</p>

3

<p>is your GPA that bad? You could try applying as a freshman.. either that, or stay another year there to raise your GPA, but keep in mind that the longer you stay there the more weight they'll give to your college performance.</p>

4

<p>"but keep in mind that the longer you stay there the more weight they'll give to your college performance."</p>

5

<p>hmmm, any particular reason for quoting me?</p>

<p>Is that statement wrong?</p>

6

<p>no, it's right. I saw that you said what I wanted to say so I just copy-pasted :P</p>

7

<p>I would still apply. The average GPAs are hard to go by, especially if its a public school. I'm trying to transfer to a higher ranked IS school from my current IS school, and although the average hovers around a 3.5 and I have a 3.2 (engineering), I was told multiple times to not pay attention to the average GPAs because theresa huuggeee difference in the types of schools people are coming from, and colleges look at more than just your numbers.<br>
I'd say if you have above a 3.0, apply.</p>

8

<p>I'm gonna have to say at least try. The worst that could happen is that you could be deferred, and since you say you have a really high HS GPA, you only have one semester of college down; and your HS GPA and stuff should still count for some.</p>

<p>Though I'm just assuming your college GPA isn't that low...</p>

9

<p>Agreed. Most top schools will look 50/50 at HS and college for first years.
Giving us more numbers would be helpful =)</p>

10

<p>I love your username.</p>

11

<p>"Do colleges want transfer students who could not have gotten into the school out of college, but performed very well in their lower tier college, over the student who would have been accepted out of high school, but had problems in college?"</p>

<p>I'm in no way an expert on this, but from my experience talking to admissions counselors and other transfer students, I think they will be more likely to admit the former. </p>

<p>Whether your problems were social or not, I can't help but think that someone in the admissions department might wonder "If this person can't excell at their current top-20 school, why should we think they'll excell at our school, which is even tougher?" You'll really have to focus in your essay about the personal issues which lead to your drop in academic performance.</p>

<p>I think it'd be worth it to wait a year and prove that your first semester was a fluke and not a problem that would continue should you transfer to a better school.</p>

12

<p>My current school is a private college known for grade DEflation.</p>

<p>I am below a 3.0, but I am above the average first semester GPA of 2.6 for freshmen (I'm not kidding).</p>

<p>Really, I had one bad class (C) that tanked the GPA.</p>

<p>Let's look at Georgetown's Business School, for example:
2005
Applied: 274
Accepted: 83
Enrolled: 50
Mean Verbal SAT: 634
Mean Math SAT: 689
Mean College GPA: 3.72 </p>

<p>Both of my SATs are in the upper 700s. My high school rank and extracurriculars could have gotten me into McDonough, most likely. I mean, I got into some schools more selective than G'Town. However now, my college GPAis almost a digit lower than their average college GPA.</p>

<p>The first semester was a fluke, and it was a lot of crap having to do with my school not being a good fit that led to the bad grades. I am doing very well this semester, and will get upper 3. if not 4.0 GPA. I'll stay here in the mean time - it's free! Georgetown will be 45K, but I know it is more along the lines of what I want.</p>

<p>

I'm glad.</p>

13

<p>tubgirl - what school are you at that is private / T20 and that difficult? I can't think of any schools that admissions will excuse <3.0 for.</p>

<p>Try it, but don't expect much as <3.0 at even UChicago or Swat would be hard to explain, especially if one wants to transfer to a competitive school like G-Town, etc. </p>

<p>As for the money issue, think about it. You'll be at a school for likely 3 years and end up paying 100K plus probably. Compare that to the current top 20 school you're at on a full ride and it becomes clear that the best choice would be to stay where you are. However, if you really can't stand your school that much, then you should transfer for sure, especially as it sounds very tough.</p>

14

<p>While you might be able to get into a better school by staying another year and trying to show that your first semester GPA was a flake, if you are really unhappy, you should transfer now. A year is A LONG TIME to spend at a school you want to leave. Trust me, I know. </p>

<p>Plus, I doubt the school you would gte into next year would be much better than the school you would get into now. And as previous people have said, as a first-year transfer applicant, your high school record will be valued much more, and since you say you have a good high school record, I think it makes sense.</p>

15

<p>tubgirl...</p>

<p>Have you worked on what you figured was the cause of your poor marks? I am just curious if you figured out the root case and tried your best to work on it. </p>

<p>Also, can you take some of the classes you did poorly in over for a higher mark? I know that is not the most cool thing to do, but some addy offices like to see it. </p>

<p>Lastly, have you spoken with your parents? Unless you are in my boat, you would have to speak with your parents about the changes which would take place with their finances if you swapped schools.</p>

16

<p>


</p>

<p>My school is comparable to Swat in regard to grades. </p>

<p>


</p>

<p>I've talked to my parents. They were the ones that suggested I apply for transfer. I didn't want to put the financial burden on them, seeing how my dad bought a new car with my college money they had been saving, but we aren't poor, and my dad could get the money together.</p>

<p>And I'm not looking for a "better" school. I just want to make sure that the school is on par with my current institution, not a downgrade.</p>

17

<p>you dont go to Wake do you?</p>

18

<p>


</p>

<p>nope.</p>

<p>And I'm not going to apply for transfer this year.</p>

19

<p>do you perhaps go to davidson</p>

20

<p>Davidson - nada.</p>

<p>Stop guessing. </p>

<p>BYE</p>