My Chances (Ivy Hopeful?)

Transfer Students
1

<p>I was wondering how people felt about my chances as a transfer to a few schools. I just finished my first semester at a top 20 LAC. I took 16 credits for 3 grades and 1 pass/fail = 2 A's and an A- (3.9 gpa). Retook new SAT's to raise a 1360 to a 2350. (800,780,770) My HS G.P.A was a 3.4 with an upward trend (4.0 senior year) and my EC's include varsity soccer here (D3) but will walk on, if anything, at my new school. </p>

<p>I want to be at my new schools for the begining of my soph. year so that I can have as close to a typical experience as possible (study abroad etc., social) Would I be kidding myself hoping for somewhere like Harvard and Columbia after just one semester? After those schools, I'm most interested in Brown and Penn. </p>

<p>Any thought on my chances or advice on how I should go about this, any at all, would be hugely appreciated. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>You could probably get into Cornell.</p>

3

<p>great chances, but taking only 3 classes for grad isn't that impressive, especially if none of them are really rigorous courses. Did you take a science course (not the b.s. one, the one for pre-med and majors), a math course (again, not the b.s. one, like calculus), or any upper level courses. B/c if you took 3 classes for grade and you took for example, american studies, religion course, and a landscape course, not too impressive.</p>

4

<p>i see good SATs, but only 3 courses for college grades. Since your 3.9 is based on only 3 classes, your HS gpa will still be a big factor for admissions, and the 3.4 isn't that impressive for ivy admissions. Bball is also correct about which classes you took. Even Cornell is a bit of a reach, they want to see more evidence that you can handle the college load - 3 classes likely won't be enough. If you had a 3.9 after 3 semesters, i'd be much more inclined to say you have a good shot.</p>

5

<p>I'm not interested in math or in the sciences. I'm planning on majoring in a social science or English, so I don't see what good showing the ability to do well in Bio or Calc. would do. My classes were English, Soc., Philo and Spanish. Although a bit discouraging, I appreciate your guys input. Any one else with advice?</p>

6

<p>You guys must have more of an input, so far I've only heard from Cornell students it looks like. Do you who have history in transfer admissions think my current college work, strong senior year grades and retaking of the sat will be enough to overcomewith a poor performance in 9th,10th and only a 3.4 in 11th grade.</p>

7

<p>I'm in roughly the same boat and was would love to know the answer to Timberland's last question.</p>

8

<p>
[quote]
Do you who have history in transfer admissions think my current college work, strong senior year grades and retaking of the sat will be enough to overcomewith a poor performance in 9th,10th and only a 3.4 in 11th grade.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>As a sophomore transfer candidate to Harvard, Penn, Brown, Columbia and so forth, the answer is no, especially with only three classes under your belt.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I'm not interested in math or in the sciences. I'm planning on majoring in a social science or English, so I don't see what good showing the ability to do well in Bio or Calc. would do.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>This was taken from this year's Harvard Transfer Application:</p>

<p>
[quote]
In evaluating transfer candidates, the Committee seeks students with clearly developing academic interests that can be well served by Harvard. Students preparing to apply as transfer candidates should take challenging, liberal arts programs, including mathematics, science, and a foreign language, if they are not already proficient in these areas.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I cannot give page numbers, since the booklet I was given does not have any.</p>

9

<p>nspeds, what about with five classes, two of which are sophmore-junior level classes and a 3.73 for Harvard? Any better, or really a negligible difference?</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
two of which are sophmore-junior level classes and a 3.73 for Harvard?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I am not an expert on admissions; however, your GPA needs to be higher, in my opinion. Some of your competition will come from better schools and will have better GPAs, what can you offer? I do not intend to be flippant or derisive, this is an honest question.</p>

<p>At any rate, five classes under a rigorous curriculum is fine. Admissions officers like students who challenge themselves; when students experience limitations because of their academic environments, admissions officers want to see students maximize what they can do within those limits or leap beyond them.</p>

11

<p>i dont get it, if ur applying to enter as a sophmore, ur telling me that 1 semester of grades is taken into consideration far more than an entire high school career and SAT scores.</p>

12

<p>
[quote]
ur telling me that 1 semester of grades is taken into consideration far more than an entire high school career and SAT scores.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I mean the exact opposite. Though college grades will be weighed more, one's high school record and SAT scores will be weighed nearly as much (if not equally), which is why sophomore transfers with subpar high school transcripts should consider waiting another year before applying to their Ivy-League school of choice.</p>

13

<p>oh sweet jesus, I can't stand the thought of another year here..... this might be nieve, but I've heard that something that can count almost as much as grades is writing an essay with really stellar reasons for wanting to transfer to the specific school. I was thinking about writing as an additional essay an explanation for my poor high school grades, since I had an upward trend after I realized what I wanted to do with my life when I worked on the Kerry campaign and derived a huge motivation and sense of purpose and new sense of self as a hard worker since summer 2004... will ad comms see this as me trying to justify something irrectifiable? In other words, do you think that you can convince an admissions committee that your recent good grades and ambition are permenant and not to judge you on the way you performed before your "awakening?" Or will they be irritated with me for telling this story?</p>

14

<p>
[quote]
but I've heard that something that can count almost as much as grades is writing an essay with really stellar reasons for wanting to transfer to the specific school.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yes, but you also need to consider that other students from better schools with better grades might also have 'stellar reasons.' The competition will make your rejection/acceptance likely, and considering your stats in isolation is unwise.</p>

<p>Instead of calling admissions departments and asking them 'what GPA do I need to get in?' and such, perhaps it is better to ask 'what GPA is considered competitive?'</p>

<p>
[quote]
I was thinking about writing as an additional essay an explanation for my poor high school grades, since I had an upward trend after I realized what I wanted to do with my life when I worked on the Kerry campaign and derived a huge motivation and sense of purpose and new sense of self as a hard worker since summer 2004... will ad comms see this as me trying to justify something irrectifiable?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you choose to write such an essay, you must be careful in what you write. Additionally, there are students from this forum with HS GPAs lower than yours who were admitted into top tier schools: M&B was admitted to Brown and Rice as a junior transfer with a 2.4-2.7 HS GPA, Kipling was admitted into Harvard, Brown, and Rice as a junior transfer without approximately the same GPA, and I was, luckily, admitted as a sophomore transfer to Georgetown with a 2.3 HS GPA.</p>

<p>Not to self-indulge, but I am an exception to the rule. I went into the transfer process expecting nothing and I was pleasantly surprised.</p>

<p>
[quote]
In other words, do you think that you can convince an admissions committee that your recent good grades and ambition are permenant and not to judge you on the way you performed before your "awakening?" Or will they be irritated with me for telling this story?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>They will not be irritated unless you burden them with too much information; only submit what is absolutely necessary. If what you need to say only occupies three lines, do not prettify it into seven. </p>

<p>You can try to transfer, but do not expect anything out of it.</p>

15

<p>Harvard-super reach for everyone
Columbia-doesn't take many transfers (from what I know) so reach as well
Brown-match
Penn-match if not Wharton</p>

<p>Nice Stats btw.</p>