Need advice, please! Short on time!

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi :) I just discovered this site - bummer I didn't find it last year, it could have been really helpful. </p>

<p>But anyway, my problem is that I'm a sophomore in college now, planning to apply to transfer as soon as the semester ends. That is, I'll be sending the applications in January (so I can get this semester's grades in); I'm mostly using the Common Application, it's pretty much all done. </p>

<p>The problem is, although I spent all of last year looking through schools, editing my massive list (over a hundred to start), I'm still feeling very uncertain. I just managed to narrow it down to five schools this week, but I'm just not sure if I'm being realistic. I don't have anyone I can talk to about this stuff; which is why I'm so glad to have found a discussion board just for transfer students :) </p>

<p>Anyway, I have my stats here - if anyone could take a look at them and the schools I've picked out, and let me now what they think (go ahead and be brutal, really)? </p>

<p>I'll just include anything that might be relevent:</p>

<p>19 year old female, Hispanic (Dominican Republic, in the Carribbean)</p>

<p>High School:
GPA: 2.8 unweighed, 3.5 weighted (not good, I know)
ECs: Just FBLA, a couple hundred hours of community service, and a short-lived job
SATs: 1230 math+reading...690 Reading, 540 Math, 680 Writing</p>

<p>College: I go to a fourth-tier (according to US News, anyway)huge university
GPA: 3.5 right now, should be a 3.6 by the time I apply
I'm in the Honors College, have made the Dean's List both semesters last year, involved in two school clubs and a city community service group (though I joined recently and haven't yet done any). I wish I were more involved, but that's part of the reason I'd like to transfer - very hard to find active clubs with people who care in them. </p>

<p>Oh, and I'm a Psych major.</p>

<p>The schools:</p>

<p>I re-added a bunch of schools to the list I mentioned above, because I wasn't sure about taking them off in the first place and I'd like some advice. I'd like to get this down to 5 or less schools I have a chance at, even if only a small one...</p>

<p>Allegheny
Drew University
Clark University
Illinois Wesleyan
Beloit
Wheaton (MA)
Lawrence
Gettysburg
Skidmore
Reed
Whitman
Goucher
Hampshire</p>

<p>And Macalester as a far, far reach just because I love the school so much I have to apply, even with no chance</p>

<p>If you think you have any other schools I might like, please rec. If it's a small school more or less in the Northeast, and some parts of the Midwest, chances are I've already heard of/looked at it, and I'll give it another look if it's reccomended here (I'm looking for small schools in that area with a liberal arts college feel, small classes, history of good financial aid, ect.). </p>

<p>Please, please, please throw your two cents in if you have them! I've been trying to get a handle on all this by myself using the 'net and guides, but some real, human advice would be fantastic! Thanks :)</p>

2

<p>those are all fantastic schools. I know somebody currently enrolled at a bunch of them. I know Hampshire College is very different. They do not get graded nor are there grades- you finish when you are done. It is a very independent school. I'm also looking at Wheaton College (MA). My mom went there and she believes she could not have received a better education anywhere. A good friend of mine goes to Beloit and another goes to Skidmore- both love their schools. Another friend of mine goes to Clark and loves it there. Are you from the New England area? All these schools are roughly in the same ballpark, is there a specific part of the country you would prefer over another?</p>

3

<p>Hi! Yeah, I know, they're all such great schools. The only thing though is I don't know if I'd actually be able to get into them. </p>

<p>"Are you from the New England area?"</p>

<p>Well, I used to be :) Wouldn't mind going back. Yes, I would prefer a school in the Northeast or Midwest to West Coast, South or Southwest (Except Whitman, I'm pretty sure Washington counts as West Coast). I think I'd just be more comfortable, since it's what I'm used to.</p>

4

<p>I don't know if it matters to you, but Drew doesn't require the SAT.</p>

<p>Hampshire is VERY different. Hampshire students are very independent, hippy-like, and often smoke weed. You need to create your own major there and so if you like a little structure, it won't be for you. Also, the campus is kind of weird looking, but the surrounding area is beautiful (a lot of rolling hills, etc). </p>

<p>I cut skidmore out because the student body seemed a little homogenous, but I could have made a quick judgment because I, too, needed to cut down my list. I come from a really diverse family and school so that's a no-no.</p>

<p>Reed is pretty quirky too, so you should look further into them. Great (!!!) school though.</p>

<p>Wheaton is a great school too. If I could have dealt with one more app I would have applied there.</p>

5

<p>TIJTS - Have you been able to find out the transfer acceptance rates for that list of schools? </p>

<p>My guess is that with your college track record, you will have choices come late spring of schools to transfer to :). If I knew the transfer acceptance rates in recent years, it might help in giving you a good range in selectivity to apply to.</p>

<p>Are you wanting to whittle it down to 5 schools because of the costs of application fees?</p>

6

<p>I happen to know off hand that Wheaton is 51%.</p>

7

<p>Transfer rates were one of the first things I started looking at after I realized some schools that seemed in my range with freshman admissions admitted like 5 out of every 200 transfers (Ok, that's a little exaggeration...).</p>

<p>Allegheny - 47%
Drew University - 61%
Clark University - 59%
Illinois Wesleyan - 32%
Beloit - 84%
Wheaton (MA) - 51%, as bostonbene said :)
Lawrence - 43%
Gettysburg - 11.6% (I'd forgotten how low this was! It's 41% for freshmen...
Skidmore - 32%
Reed - 50%
Whitman - 55%
Goucher - 54%
Hampshire - 47%</p>

8

<p>"Are you wanting to whittle it down to 5 schools because of the costs of application fees?"</p>

<p>That's the biggest part of it; I also want to make sure I apply only to schools I'd seriously consider going to if accepted (and that I have a real chance of being accepted to).</p>

9

<p>Also, taking a virtual tour or simply seeing pictures of the campus might help. Go onto Princeton Review and read "students say". The students say usually give an accurate depiction of the school.</p>