<p>My daughter was successful in moving from a state college to an ivy equal. One thing she did was identify things at the school she wanted to attend that she could target in terms of saying that was why she wanted to attend and that she had something to contribute in that arena. She found a program, then looked at the professors involved and made contact with them. When she applied she had the support of these profs.</p>
<p>What you can start by doing is finding profs at SDSU doing research in the areas that interest you. Then get involved.</p>
<p>When you say Penn, do you mean Wharton? If you want Wharton the advice would be different. But I’ll warn you, Wharton is the toughest transfer out there. There are very, very few from outside of Penn that transfer in because it’s a tough adjustment. Freshmen year in the program sets the tone and pace. I can only remember a couple of transfers when I was there.</p>
<p>If foreign study interests you Dartmouth should be on your list. It also has a phenomenal econ department and a great government department with IR strength. My son who is a freshman there will be doing three separate study abroad programs and 2 internships abroad. The Dartmouth Plan, which is a quarter system in which you can take any quarters off, facilitates this. So you can take internships during the winter when everyone else is in school so you have your pick. It’s wonderful for anyone interested in business because you can graduate with an unmatched resume. They are also very strong in languages.</p>
<p>On the SATs, check with the schools you’re applying to. Some will accept score from after you’ve started college and others won’t.</p>
<p>A queston for you. I have a nephew at SDSU who also wants to transfer. He had me take a look at the IB major there. I was impressed by the program’s requirements and classes offered. He’s not be impressed by his classes so far. What do you think and I’m wondering, what kind of jobs the grads get.</p>