Never really thought about transferring until now. 4.0 GPA at Flagship, help me?

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hello, it's been a long time since I visited this site for the last time. </p>

<p>I am a student at University of Alabama, double majoring in Econ/Math. Expected to graduate in May 2016.
I currently have, and will keep, 4.0 GPA, and had 2220 SAT score in one sitting in my junior year of high school.
I have an internship experience from last year (from a respectable commercial bank) as well as great extracurricular activities on my resume.
I also have been taking 20 credit hours each semester since I came here (other students usually take around 14~18), so I have quite a lot of credit hours under my belt.</p>

<p>Never really thought about taking this route before, but the only reason I came to this university is that they offered me a full ride, and I never really came to like the school.</p>

<p>The biggest reason I would want to transfer is that my school is not academically rigorous to suit my needs.
For example, I am a Ph.D in Econ hopeful, and while numerous number of schools offer their undergraduate econ students to stay for the summer and research for a professor (with nice stipends), our school has no such program.</p>

<p>Long story short, I am thinking about maybe transferring to a different school. (I know it's quite late). </p>

<p>I want to know the chance of getting into different schools, if I were to try transferring.</p>

<p>I would like to get into econ intensive undergraduate schools such as Ivy league schools (including Columbia and Harvard), University of Chicago, Stanford, MIT, and Northwestern. </p>

<p>I know these are big name schools that only admit maybe 1~5% of transferring applicants in any respective year.
That is why I want you to judge whether I have any chance at all. I want to use my time efficiently and if I have no chance at getting into those schools, then I'd rather focus my study at Alabama and try for good Ph.D programs.</p>

<p>If it turns out that I have a good chance at some schools, I am going to seriously devote all my time to make my application look as best as possible.</p>

<p>Thank you for your help, and I would love to hear any constructive advice!</p>

2

<p>I think you would have a reasonable chance at some schools with your stats. It couldn’t hurt to try, right? You had great test scores, and clearly have filled academic promise at a state U. You have as good a shot as anyone. Just make sure that you get great recommendations, and write a compelling essay. Now is the time to ask a professor with whom you have a great relationship to write a recommendation. You should research thoroughly your target schools’ programs, internship and post-grad hiring success, and visit to find out how you think you’d fit on campus. Socially, transferring can be challenging. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>Is this your sophomore year? If so, I would apply and see if you want get in.</p>

4

<p>Yes, I am a sophomore. So you think I have a reasonable shot. Then I will take it and see what happens.
Any other advice?
Thanks guys!</p>

5

<p>I think you have a reasonable chance because 1) excellent performance record 2) compelling reason to transfer to those particular colleges 3) good member of the community (assuming that was the EC’s)</p>

<p>So you have 1 to 5 percent chance. You might want to look at a few colleges that have a better transfer rate. Check origins of phD holders, like
[The</a> Undergraduate Origins of Ph.D. Economists](<a href=“http://ideas.repec.org/p/van/wpaper/0611.html]The”>The Undergraduate Origins of Ph.D. Economists)</p>

6

<p>Should I retake SAT? (I know there is one coming in January). I’m planning on calling all the individual colleges to ask this same question, but I feel like I will get a response like “oh, don’t worry about it, you can better spend your time somewhere else.”
The truth is, I never really studied for the test, and I feel like if I finish a practice book or two, I will be able to get scores very very close to 2400 (I am a math major and my reading comprehension skill has improved greatly).
Since I am going for schools like Stanford, Columbia, Penn, I feel like high SAT is a big factor for privilege reason.
What do you think?</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

7

<p>No, as a sophomore in college you just need to keep your academic record stellar.</p>