<p>I agree with entomom. You can look for the few schools that allow transfer with a huge number of credits - even transfer as a senior. But they are very few. I have seen a thread here on cc where someone researched this issue, but I have not been able to find it again. </p>
<p>However, it doesn’t seem like transfer makes any sense. Nor does getting more than one undergraduate degree. (Most schools won’t allow this either).</p>
<p>What makes sense for you, imo, is to complete your undergrad. Then apply for grad school, or work and apply for grad school later - whichever you prefer.</p>
<p>You will not have to worry about taking English, gened requirements, distribution requirements ever again. That is over.</p>
<p>If you are applying for a graduate degree for which you lack some of the typical/required preparation, there are a couple of ways that can be handled:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Take undergrad classes at the graduate school, along with or prior to beginning your graduate classes.</p></li>
<li><p>In the time following your undergrad degree, while you are in the workplace, you can take individual courses (at a nearby university or college) that you would need to prepare for the graduate degree.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Which of these options would be best? Probably you should discuss with an admissions officer at a graduate school of interest. I know that my H, who had an undergraduate degree in Classics and only a few science courses, enrolled for a semester or two (part-time as I recall) at a major University to take needed Chem and Bio courses for pre-med. He then applied to medical school and was accepted to one of the top 10. So that is definitely one way it can work.</p>
<p>Can someone from a “lower tier” school gain graduate admission to a top University? Well, yes… they can. It depends on so many things. Professor recommendations are key. Doing outstanding work at your undergraduate institution is important. Possibly what you do in the workplace may come into play. You can only try. You can also have an outstanding career if you do your graduate work at someplace other than the caliber of MIT or UCB. I would suggest applying widely for graduate school. A good way to find schools to consider would be to check the websites of major employers where you would love to start your career. See what Universities they recruit from - there will likely be some in their local/regional areas… that may not be top 5 or 10 schools, but which do produce successful grads in your field.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>