@younganddumb18 I go to Rutgers
For future classes, once decisions are announced, please post your results and any relevant info (classes, GPA, background, etc.) since you are the pathfinders in the process! Good luck to you all.
@psywar Absolutely! It’ll definitely help if we did that, whether the decision is positive or negative really.
@younganddumb18 So you are saying that transfer students from 4-year universities apply to Princeton just to “move up”? I am curious to know your opinion on community college students applying to Princeton. Are they applying to move down or up?
I read your comments about how confident you are about your chances of getting into this university. It’s good that you believe in your odds, but there’s no need to express that in a discussion board, whose main purpose is for applicants to get to know each other. I have been reading the comments on this discussion board and haven’t seen anyone brag or express their confidence Now let me tell you why what you said is totally irrelevant. You don’t even know who applies to transfer to this university and you’re making silly assumptions just to convince yourself that you’re getting in.
I study Mechanical Engineering and Physics in a 4-year University (GPA 3.98). I was ranked Top 5 students in the country out of 40,000 students graduating that year and got perfect scores on the Math section of SAT, and Math II Subject Tests. I have been interning on prestigious Engineering companies and conducted Undergraduate Research while having to take 18-20 credit hours every term. But I also come from a developing country and my parents have to spend almost all their annual income on tuition and other international student fees, because I am only allowed to intern in US companies (CPT), which barely covers my living expenses. For me Princeton does not represent only a new academic challenge, but its need blind policy is probably the only option I have to graduate and achieve a goal for which my family and I have been working very hard (first generation college student).
Now please tell me, why would Princeton or any other prestigious university be more academically fit for you ( coming from a community college), than for me that I’m studying in a 4-year university?
@albdrg I don’t think he means you’re not a good fit, but the whole reason schools like Princeton (Stanford has a program similar to this) accept transfers is to give people with a very non-traditional background a chance to diversify their campus. Students applying as transfers and being admitted are typically those who have had a long and unconventional path towards education and were not able to apply and attend a 4-year university right out of high school. Typically veterans, immigrants, etc. This is why Stanford accepts more than half of their transfer students from community colleges, and typically more than half are also veterans. If you look at the Princeton website, it seems that they are also seeking similar types of students.
They already have incredibly smart and talented individuals such as yourself at the college, they are looking for people with more work and life experience rather than perfect grades and academic accolades. Furthermore, it’s not crazy to think that the majority of students applying to Princeton from a school like (lets say) UPenn, Cornell, Brown, or Stanford are doing so for prestige, rather than due to a lack of quality education at their current institution, and I’m sure admissions personnel know this and take it into consideration.
Hi @albdrg Not to speak for @younganddumb18 but I didn’t perceive the posts to be attacking you in any way/inflating accomplishments and I think your defensiveness is slightly unfounded.
Here is a quote from Princeton’s website regarding the transfer applicants that they wish to admit. “We will enroll a small group of exceptionally well-prepared transfer students from a range of backgrounds, and we particularly encourage applications from students from low-income backgrounds, community college students, and U.S. military veterans.” They specifically mention community college students, which is why students like myself and perhaps @younganddumb18 got excited about community colleges being specifically recognized by such a prestigious institution as Princeton University. Personally, I had no intention of implying that we are somehow better than those attending four-year colleges, but please know that we are also no less equipped than you for an Ivy league education.
Frankly, I find your post to be the offensive one in this argument. Especially considering the way in which you seem to imply that community college students are inferior to four-year students such as yourself. If community college students want to obtain a four-year degree, they have to transfer. Whereas a four-year student does not, so some could argue that you seem merely discontent, while we are successfully moving up. As you seem to be someone who has an interesting background, I am disappointed to see that you are unable to recognize that community college students also often possess similar life experiences to you that divert from the norm.
We share a common ground when it comes to appreciation for Princeton’s need-blind policy. I wish all colleges and universities were able to follow this model to give all students an equal chance at a college education. I wish you all the best in your endeavors with Princeton and beyond.
60 Minutes just had a segment today about college admissions and nontraditional students. A representative from Princeton spoke in length about their program and mentioned their new transfer program :))
@SmartJarhead I agree with you, but I don’t feel that taking the position of the admission personnel and making several assumptions just to feel that his application is relevant helps this discussion. There are many 4-year college students with interesting stories and strong academic backgrounds who are being told by a random applicant that just because they attend a 4-year university, they are “canceled out”.
I totally support people with unconventional paths towards education and I hope that many of them get into Princeton this year, but it’s not up to any applicant to define what the characteristics of students should be for them to have good chances to get in any university.
Hi @gtowngirl99 . My point was not that 4-year college students are superior to community college students. I just said that it’s not up to us to eliminate the possibility or say that other applicants are not a good fit, just because they go to a 4-year university or community college.
@gtowngirl99 And I have read the paragraph you’re referring to on the Princeton website. I agree that every one of those groups should be given a chance to be part of Princeton, and in some cases their applications should have more priority. However, making silly calculations, saying that this and that group will be “canceled out” just to feel confident about his chances of getting into Princeton is delusional.
What would you think if I said, without knowing your story and academic performance, that your application should be canceled out just because you apply to transfer from a community college? That’s exactly what is being said for 4-year college students in this case.
@albdrg lollllllllllll Hahahahahahahahaha wow. You took that to a level that it was nowhere near. I was speaking to @AGoodFloridian and they understood what I said, I was expressing my opinion. As @gtowngirl99 has expressed, this transfer class is specifically looking at non traditional students. Congrats on your amazinggggggg stats though bud, I’m sure everyone cares! Lolololol
@albdrg as mentioned in the website, articles, and now an interview, this program is not looking specifically for 4 year students making lateral movements. Forgive me if I hurt your feelings with my “canceling out” comment. I had no intention of doing so, but I think it’s pretty clear who the admissions committee is looking for, and I’m sorry but 4 year does not seem to be at the top of that list.
@AGoodFloridian that’s exciting. Im going to try and find the segment
@younganddumb18 I didn’t show my “stats” and my story to say that I have a better chance than other applicants to get in, but to show that 4-year college students’ applications should not be canceled out like you said.
I mean you were making calculations which any reasonable person would hesitate to think about. Maybe you can add laughing skills as another strong point in your application. I think that would rank you at least 100 positions higher among the 1200 applicants. So there will be 1200 applicants… Approximately 500 will come from 4-year universities and you gained 100 positions for laughing skills. You’re currently ranked 600th. Congratulations!
Encouraging community college students to apply is completely different from saying that they (and the other groups) will be the only ones to be accepted @younganddumb18
@albdrg it’s clear that the post made you feel some type of way. You misunderstood the context, clearly, as those who were apart of the discussion took no offense to it and understood it fine.
Perhaps I should not have said “canceled out” and for that I apologize. But, it is clear that veterans, community college students, and other underrepresented students are who they are aiming for. The condescending tone, in which you wrote your subtle attack at community college kids, beautifully illustrates the type of thinking that it seems Princeton does not want to be associated with.
The sole fact that you attend a 4 year institution also shows that you’re apart of something that the majority of the people in this thread have not yet been given the opportunity to do. We are applying to Princeton because the criteria seems to be speaking directly to us. In any case, good luck to you with your transfer. Try not to get so angry on the internet, it’s unbecoming & leads to unnecessary stress. 
@younganddumb18 I did not take it personally, but I was just shocked that you were indirectly saying to many applicants that they have no chances because they come from 4-year institutions. I agree that community college or veterans should have priority and I said that in previous posts too. However, is not up to us to play the role of the admissions office and say to people in this discussion board or others that will apply in the future that they have no chances.
@AGoodFloridian hey thank you for highlighting the 60 minutes segment. I found an article, with the video attached. For anyone interested, here it is. Pretty cool stuff, Princeton is on the forefront for change in the country!
Hi,
No need for anyone to take anything personal. @younganddumb18 i understand your point about Princeton’s admission and their look for “nontraditional students” but it was not fair to use the words “cancel out” for a four year student. In retrospect, what does “nontraditional” really mean? It does not necessarily need to mean attending commmunity college. There are so many factors that could make someone seem or be “nontraditional” that it is not fair to make assumptions.
@albdrg I feel your frustration at his comment but do not take it personal as it’s just a thread lol.
We will have to wait and see the outcome, no need to get upset.
I can’t speak for @albdrg, and I’m not saying anyone on this forum was bragging, but I will say this. As a math person, there is this unspoken rule about saying anything that can be perceived as bragging. In the mathematical world, saying anything of such nature is looked down upon. Outside of the mathematical community, it is okay to talk about yourself and accomplishments and all that, it’s just that math people, like myself sometimes see things a bit different.
I hope you all get in My application has been withdrawn, sad I know, but I’m still holding out hope for the other schools I applied to.