<p>Dropped out after Freshman Year of High School (unfortunately, no compelling excuse)
Obtained GED
Spent the year studying programming, databases on my own.
Enrolled in local Community College</p>
<p>Current GPA: 3.7 (31 credit hours), another 6 hours marked with a “Withdrew”. Qualifies for honors college.</p>
<p>Work Experience: 9 months as part-time salesperson, and a 10 month (paid) writing gig with a tech blog when I was 15.</p>
<p>Extracurricular: Starting second semester of policy debate, won a 2nd place award in a minor competition.</p>
<p>SAT: 1760 (620 reading, Math 540, Writing 600, the essay was a 6).
ACT: Studying now, will take soon, will probably do better than I did on the SAT.</p>
<p>I’m majoring in pol-sci. I’m hoping to get into Ohio State, MI State, or U. of Wisconsin (I hear they have good Pol-Sci departments). I’m out of state for all three.</p>
<p>A couple problems/questions:</p>
<li>The year off, I need to explain it and am not sure the answer above will suffice.</li>
<li>The 6 hours of withdraws.</li>
<li>Don’t know where to look for accurate admissions data. Ohio seems to have an 85% acceptance rate for transfer students according to U.S. News & World Reports. That would be great, but seems unlikely.</li>
<li>Is it to my advantage that I am still only 18?</li>
<li>One more thing, someone from Ohio said you’d have a better chance applying to their Agricultural school or something, and then switching majors after you’re accepted. Is this a good idea?</li>
</ol>
<p>that is a very interesting path...what school are you at now? perhaps an academic advisor there would be of more help and have more familiarity with your situation...what year are you in now?</p>
<p>You would have a fine chance at those and many other schools (Wisconsin may be a reach until you have more credits with that GPA). I'm just wondering why you're looking at OOS publics, they will be expensive and most have little aid for OOS students.</p>
<p>Wow! I think you have a really good shot at OSU because your GPA is good (though the SAT is weak) and your personal situation is very unique and definitely brings something to the table that most applicants cannot. I don't know that the 85% is completely reflective of transfer admissions at OSU, as you have already stated, but I do know that they are quite easier to get into than most schools in terms of transfer admissions.</p>
<p>I agree with hmom5, you need to look at other safetys where you can get good financial aid as well just in case your other options do not work out. A good option is an in-state public university.</p>
<p>Also, don't apply to the school in the univ just so you can get in. It may be hard to transfer out, and honestly, admissions officers can probably tell if you want to go into polisci but you apply to something as antithetical to that as agriculture.
Being only 18 is not a disadvantage, I think it would make you stand out more and it helps show how mature you are.
Talk to the dean or admissions directly to get stats. Bug them, they will provide stats eventually.
Commonapp/most apps have places where you can explain your dropping out situation. If you feel it does not suffice, check with an adviser and get them to give you pointers. Many schools also need a dean's rec so if that is good ( which I am assuming it will be since you have been on a good path) it will help show that you have changed completely.
Also, this is a minor thing, but don't focus on what schools have reputable polisci departments. For the most part, undergrad polisci is the same pretty much everywhere. If you intend to pursue a career in the field, maybe look at a smaller college where you will get more 1 on 1 time with profs and maybe do some independent studies and research work.</p>
<p>I go to a CC in Kansas, so KU is definately my fallback if everything else falls through. I would prefer not to go there, mainly because of the academics. For instance on the US News Best Pol Sci list KU is ranked 54th, wheras Ohio is ranked 13th. On the London School of Economics list that ranks political science departments, Ohio is 4th and KU is 94th. Wisconsin and Michigan have almost as good rankings on the USNWP list and Michigan does on the LSE list. Also, I really just want to get the hell out of here. We've moved around a lot because of my dad's job and Kansas is my least favorite place we've lived so far.</p>
<p>The financial aid won't be a problem b/c I have a wealthy relative who is paying my tuition. Heh.</p>
<p>I'm currently entering my 4th semester, and that was one other thing I forgot to ask, will my light schedule be a problem? 9 credits each for my first two semesters, 13 for my third. I was working part-time... I'm taking as many credits as I can this semester to make up for it.</p>
<p>I don't see anything wrong with the explanation of what you did in the year off. I also don't see anything wrong with a light schedule for someone who was working part-time.</p>
<p>I don't know chances at those schools, but I have no reason to doubt hmom5's assessment. The OSU acceptance rate might be misleading if it reflects automatic/almost automatic agreements with instate feeder cc's.</p>
<p>Good luck. You seem to have a good plan - reach(es) you would love and can afford, less reachy schools and a safety of your own state flagship.</p>