Oh life, oh crazy life

Transfer Students
1

<p>So I only applied to one college this year which was a huge mistake and I got rejected. It was Georgetown, right now I go to a big University up in Boston and I dislike it immensely. I feel that the weakness of my application was a real lack of recommendations because I was in all classes of 50+ students and the best I could get was a TA.</p>

<p>Here are my stats;</p>

<p>SAT: 760 reading, 630 math, 710 writing
SAT 2: span 540, math 1 600, ushst 670
HS GPA: 3.7, 9th in class/ 141
HS ECs; Class President, NHS, Captain of Mock Trial, JSA
College GPA: 3.717
College ECs; Model United Nations, Orientation Leader, Dean’s List </p>

<p>So here’s my plan, I am going back to my college for one more semester where I am taking a class with a pretty big name Political Science prof (that’s my major) so I’m hoping to get a good recommendation from him and from one other.
I’m also planning on taking an internship @ the Massachusetts state house as well as doing some volunteering. Then because of the odd program at my school we go on a work experience for the second half of sophomore year and I’m hoping that will help me stand out in my application process.</p>

<p>So my dream school is Brown which is by and far a gigantic reach, and another school I was thinking about was College of William and Mary which I was waitlisted to when I got out of high school.</p>

<p>So I have a couple of general questions;</p>

<li>Should I retake any of the SATs or is that just a waste of time and energy?</li>
<li>What other schools would you recommend that are similar to Brown in types of people and academic success but may be a better chance of me getting in?</li>
<li>What else would you recommend to increase my chances of admissions to a top school because I do not want to go back to my current school at all after next year?</li>
</ol>

<p>Ok, thanks for any help anyone can give.</p>

2

<p>To help you identify some safer schools, I would want to know:</p>

<p>What is it you don't like about your current school?
What is it you do like about Brown and Georgetown (ie what are you looking for in a school)?</p>

3

<p>Yeah I don't think a TA recommendation is any good, unless they specifically say it's OK to have a TA recommendation, which I doubt they did. Just a couple of suggestions for your future recommendations... I'm in a small State University (5,000 students) which makes it easier for the professors to get to know me and vice-versa. But it doesn't mean that it's not doable if you are in a bigger university, just takes a little bit of more effort. I try to participate in class as much as I can, I ask questions, go to their office and ask questions and just chat about random stuff.. try to have a good relationship with them and they will def remember your face/name making it easier and better to write recommendation letters..</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

4

<p>I had a professor in a 200-person class who I got to know. Just go to their office and introduce yourself, start emailing with questions and show you are committed to your studies.</p>

5

<p>Both of my reccomendations came from T.A.s since I go to a huge university. As long as your TAs know you (and speak highly of you), that shouldn't count against you in the application process.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>