Lopsided Transfer Candidate: Am I being realistic?

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi. I’m currently a freshman at a top Masters University in the South and have found that I don’t like the social/intellectual atmosphere and would rather be in a city. I haven’t been in college long enough to know what my grades will be, but I predict that I’ll get all As except perhaps a B or C in Calc I. Could anyone tell me if I’m being realistic in the schools I’m considering transferring to?</p>

<p>HS GPA: I can’t remember the scaling, but I think it was around a 91-93% on a 100 scale.
SAT: 800v/580m/710w
SAT IIs: US History: 740, Eng Lit: 700, Math II: 500 (required for Cornell…ugh)
HS ECs: Model UN, 4H, horseback riding, Fed Challenge (competitive economics presenting team), Newspaper, Academic Passport (year-long research project), Archeology camp, some volunteer work
APs: Eng Lit: 5, Euro History: 5, US History: 5, Macroeconomics: 3, Microeconomics: 3, Spanish Lang: 2
Recognition: National Merit Scholarship Letter of Commendation, AP Scholar with Distinction </p>

<p>College GPA: Don’t know yet, but hopefully between a B+ and an A
ECs (so far): College Democrats, Model UN, a student-run movie production team
Classes: 1st Semester- Bio 101, Calc I, Global (required freshman course), Intro to Archeology. Winter term: required Fellows research class. 2nd Semester (planned): College writing, Population Bio, Intro Psych, 300 level Euro History course.
Recognition: Part of the competitive College Fellows program (kind of like an honors program, puts a focus on undergrad research)</p>

<p>Prospective schools: Cornell School of Human Ecology (guaranteed transfer), Georgetown, UPenn, USC, NYU, UChicago
Planned Major: maybe English, but most likely History, except in HumEc- Social Human Development</p>

<p>I’m afraid that I won’t be a competitive transfer applicant because I’m taking so many courses in areas that I’m not the best in and I’m afraid that my recs might not be stellar. However, I hoped that taking these courses would demonstrate that I want to try to improve the areas that I was weak in during HS. I felt like my lopsidedness hurt me during freshman admissions.</p>

<p>Are there any other schools that I should look at as prospective History major? I'm also interested in film and creative writing.</p>

2

<p>You should reconfigure to take classes you know you can excel in and befriend your professor. Nevertheless, you'll be fine if you're able to express the passion you have for your subject area in your essay.</p>

<p>Your application would seem to beg the question: how do you know you're serious about history when you won't even have completed a history course until after you receive your decision letters? </p>

<p>You need to think about how you will legitimately express how schools like Georgetown or Chicago are necessary to your academic success when you haven't yet taken courses in your subject area.</p>

<p>Note that I'm not trying to belittle your efforts (you have a Cornell GT!). I just think you should plan this out a little better.</p>

<p>I'm speaking as a transfer from a southern university who's now at WashU and applied to some of the schools you're looking at.</p>

3

<p>I agree with dearsiryyes that you would be wiser to take courses next term where you can excel. You don't need to prove that you can do better in areas where you are weak, if they are not areas you intend to pursue. You are also more likely to get better recs that way, and recs are important.</p>

<p>Why are you taking Calc? Is it really needed in your proposed majors? Is it too late for you to drop/add in your current term? If so, worth thinking about.</p>

<p>I think lopsidedness can be fine. But the SATs will, right or wrong, hurt you at schools which really put a lot of stock in them. Consider adding some schools to your list which do not require SAT scores (or don't require them for transfers). I know JHU used to be one (not sure if that one interests you, but it is an urban school; top quality and I'm guessing wouldn't have the atmosphere you dislike at your current school). For other possibilities, visit <a href="http://www.fairtest.org%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.fairtest.org&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

4

<p>Thanks. The problem is, when I signed up for my 1st semester classes, I was deadset on Cornell. I had to take 2 lab sciences and Calc for the GT and I tailored my schedule around those requirements. But since getting here, I've revaluated whether I want to go HumEc. But now I'm stuck in the lamentable post-drop/add period and I've realized how stupid it was not to take a history course 1st semester. To be fair however, I don't think any substantial history courses were offered in the dropdown menu I looked through when choosing 1st semester classes. If I must, I might stay here a second year in order to really refine what I want to do and take more courses I can ace, but I fear that more unhappiness would not be worth it.</p>

<p>I'm confident that I'll excel in next semester's courses, the question is just whether or not it will be too late. For what it's worth though, I've been shocked by how much I love my bio class. I also enjoy Global (kind of a current events class involving discussion and an indepth reasearch paper) and Archeology, which is kind of a nice cross-section of science and history.</p>

<p>Also, I've read that most top tier colleges won't consider you a competitive applicant unless you've completed a Calc or higher level math course in college. Is this true?</p>

5

<p>Also, JHU is an interesting suggestion. I hadn't really considered the school before, so thank you.</p>

6

<p>Regarding Calc...it's better to NOT take Calc and keep a stellar GPA, then bomb it and have the school wonder whether you'll be able to take it there. </p>

<p>Don't give them reason to doubt your candidacy. With that being said...DO NOT JEOPARDIZE YOUR GT.</p>

7

<p>My HS math grades might be reason enough to doubt my candidacy, haha. I actually do like calc and I feel that if I work hard enough, I could get a B. Is this akin to "bombing" Calc when it comes to top tier schools? Either way, you're right, I don't want to jeopardize my GT and for this reason alone, I will persevere with Calc.</p>