Please Chance for Wharton/Harvard/Columbia Transfer

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>Please chance me for transfer into the schools in the title.</p>

<p>Keep in mind I am a freshman and have completed only one semester of college so far, and I am looking to transfer for fall 2013 as a sophomore.</p>

<p>I go to the flagship public school of my state (nothing incredible but not bad - 23% acceptance rate). I am also in the honors program and I have a full-tuition scholarship and annual stipend of a couple thousand to attend this school. I would rather go to a school I love that get paid to go to a school I don't.</p>

<p>I want to go the Wharton and Harvard because they both have a notable entrepreneurial spirit (even compared to other Ivy Leagues). And Columbia is in New York, so a lot of opportunity there.</p>

<p>Majors: Mathematics and Biology
Cumulative GPA - 3.95
GPA in Majors - 4.0</p>

<p>Fall semester schedule:
Into to Macroeconomics - A
Multivariable Calculus - A
Physics with Calculus I - A
Honors Art Seminar - A minus (too strongly opinionated according to professor! I agree.)
English - A</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-CEO and founder of a small business focusing on consulting for other small businesses
-President and founder of an environmental club at my school, will take off spring semester as I started it in December
-Leadership position in small youth-led nonprofit
-Internship at prestigious New York State public office during senior summer 2012
-Internship at technology start-up during fall semester 2012
-Internship at financial executive recruiting firm during fall semester 2012</p>

<p>Test Scores:
SAT: 1440/1600
SAT Subject: Math II - 800, Biology M - 760, Physics - 730
APs: Biology - 5, Psychology - 5, Calc BC - 5, Chemistry - 5, English Lit - 5, Stats - 4</p>

<p>Recommendation letters:
Should be great, at least for the professor who offered me a summer research position.</p>

<p>I did not apply to these schools out of high schools because my GPA was terrible in high school. My GPA was terrible because I had a horrible time being bullied for being gay during freshman and sophomore year, though I then moved to another high school for the next two years and got a 4.0. But still my cumulative GPA was bad and my extracurriculars were very eh.</p>

2

<p>Hey, I had a REALLY bad experience in middle school with anti-LGBT bullying, I’m sorry that had to happen to you. I would definitely talk about that, and if you have any LGBT issues with your current school then definitely have that in your application materials. Don’t make it an apology letter though. Focus on how you would benefit UPenn/Columbia/Harvard. </p>

<p>I think you have a very good chance, and I wish you the best of luck. The only thing that isn’t top-notch about your application is your SAT score, which is still fine. Good luck!</p>

<p>Chance me back?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1438458-chances-top-ivys-universities-lacs-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1438458-chances-top-ivys-universities-lacs-will-chance-back.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>OK thanks, I agree about the SAT.</p>

4

<p>Also I play classical violin and contemporary guitar, and I’m planning to submit an artistic supplement.</p>

5

<p>I don’t think anyone has answered the question yet, so let me give it a shot.
Objectively, the transfer rate to Harvard is, like, 12. Not 12% - 12, as in 12 people succeed into transferring into classes of ~1600 each year, out of about 1500 students who applied to transfer. I’m sorry if this seems harsh, but it’s true.
Usually the people who get in to these schools as transfers can say “I went to such and such college because of its excellent such and such program, but this program was eliminated (usually due to budget) but hey, I see Harvard has a world-renowned program in this field!” IN ADDITION to unfathomably good ECs, high school and colleges grades, SAT/ACT, and professor recs that say “take her, I’ve nothing to teach her, she basically taught my class as a frosh and I have a PhD!” (I’m not making this up - this describes my neighbor who went to a small liberal arts college for its Sanskrit program, only to find the only professor who taught it passed away her freshman year)
If you had applied for regular admission, honestly if you had explained your grades you might have had a chance - your stats are not atypical among those admitted - but transfer admissions is more than a craps shoot - it’s like hoping to get struck by lightning.</p>

<p>On a more positive note, I hear Penn admits the most transfers of any Ivy League?</p>

6

<p>Maomao</p>

<p>First I have to thank you for reminding me how difficult Ivy transfer admission is.</p>

<p>Though, I think you are dramatizing the process. I believe about 200 transfer applicants were admitted in some recent year to Penn, and then about 20 to Wharton. Im sure for Harvard and Columbia the numbers are closer to those of Wharton than of general UPenn. </p>

<p>If the program of any college is so incredibly good, then it likely has a large endowment and budget and thus would not be eliminated, so I do not agree with your submission there. </p>

<p>Also, I am not going to pretend I am competing with autistic savants who know more than their professors (believe me I know they are out there, especially in math), but I don’t think it is reasonable that a professor in a reputable institution will know less than a student. </p>

<p>I would not have been admitted as a high school student, I had horrible stats as I have explained and they are not good enough. Only now have I done so much that I am competitive. </p>

<p>But again, I have to thank you for reminding me of the difficulty of Ivy transfer admissions, though I reject your view that these universities are gods that will pick the lucky winners from an infinite pool of geniuses.</p>

7

<p>I think you have a pretty good shot, assuming you continue to do well your second semester</p>

8

<p>I would have said that you had a great chance, but you indicated that your high school record was bad. You are a sophomore transfer, correct? If so, your high school record will receive much more weight than your first semester university grades (which are excellent), so I don’t think you have a realistic chance. If you transfer as a junior and keep your grades similar next year, I think it would be worth applying.</p>

9

<p>I didn’t read very carefully, but did you say which school you’re transferring from? I think that will be a pretty big factor in your chances.</p>