Preparing For Transfer & Major Switch. Question about W's and EC's

Transfer Students
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Hello all,

I have decided that I will attend my current 4 year university for one more year and then apply to several schools as a Junior transfer. It is my goal to be accepted to a more competitive university with a student body that is more academically motivated than my current one. Additionally, I plan on switching my major from Biology to Economics and Public Policy.

Here are my stats/EC’s:
-3.83 GPA (31 credits) at an unknown regional university
-1990 SAT
-Part time job at cfa
-Volunteer with a refugee focused mental healthcare non-profit
-Teach an honors class (next semester)
-Researching in a genetics lab
-Volunteer soccer coach for local refugee children
-English tutor

I have two major questions/concerns:

  1. I am currently taking a summer stats course and biology course. I will definitely get an A in stats, but I screwed up and missed a quiz in bio while volunteering, so I dont think I’ll be able to get better than a B. A B- is a possibility.
    Q - should I withdraw from the course? If I do, I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll have a 3.9+ on my transcript by the time of transfer. Will the one ‘W’ hurt me more than the 3.9+ will help me?
  2. I am currently researching in an undergrad bio lab on campus. I get to do really interesting, hands-on work, that would have looked good for med school apps but that is no longer my goal. The lab research will probably be totally irrelevant to a career in policy.
    Q - should I keep up with the research If it is likley to be irrelivant in the long run? Will colleges still see it as an impressive EC or could it make them question my commitment to policy?

Really appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Ps- schools I am planning on applying to are: Vandy, Tufts, USC, Georgetown, Cornell, Notre Dame, W&L (please let me know if these are/aren’t realistic)

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For your first question: a single class withdrawal will not hurt you NEARLY as much as a 3.9 will help you. However, I do not recommend you withdraw, because some of those schools have on your list have course requirements you need to complete in order to transfer into their major.

Which comes to my second point, which is you should transfer as biology major, and then switch your major during your time at your new school.

My reasoning behind this is that with your biology / research centric EC’s won’t go to waste, and switching your major right now would mean that you’d have to complete new course requirements, course requirements you have to have done by the time you apply. If you switch your major after you enter your new school, you can focus on your policy and economics curriculum without having to deal with transfer admissions paperwork.

However, if you absolutely hate your major, and can’t stand another year of coursework, then by all means, switch. Keep in mind though, that you’ll have to juggle new course requirements, EC’s, and transfer paperwork, which is not fun.

Another thing I should address is your school list. You’re a solid candidate for all of those schools, but you should apply a bit broader, maybe throw in some less selective schools with strong economics / public policy department(s).

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Here is the deal with my major: Studying for biology classes is miserable and I am pretty fed up with the brute force memorization. This next year would have me taking orgo 1 & 2, and Physics 1 & 2. Not worried about the physics at all (took it all through high school at the AP level but would have to re take for med school credit), but with orgo being a totally new topic, It could end up as a “B” and with that grade and my bio 3 grade, my transfer gpa would probably look like a 3.8 +/- a few hundredths. Not terrible, but not too impressive. If its not a completely horrible idea, I would prefer to be done with bio and make the switch. Plus, I think I can get away with a pretty heavy econ courseload here to catch up, and I’ve already taken stats and calc, which seem to be the only other econ major pre reqs (cornell). What do you think?

As for the EC’s, I believe that all of my work as an english tutor, coach, university facilitator, and mental health volunteer would still be pretty applicable. Shouldnt they all suggest a commitment to public service? And with the refugee specificity, it seems to me like it would be very relevant to policy. The bio research it obviously irrelivant, but I have spoken to my mentor and he is willing to let me remain on the project for this next semester as I try an “econ semester” of course work. Would it be worth continuing, just to keep it on my application?

Finally- schools:
I see your point about applying more broadly. If I added UVA, UNC, Boston College, and George Washington to that list, would I be in a better spot? I know UVA could be tough for OOS, but UNC is residency blind and GW is a bit less competitive, so those two seem pretty reasonable, no? Should I drop any of the other schools that I have listed?

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Additionally, if the school (cornell, usc) is SAT optional, do you think I should include my 1990?

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If you can juggle the coursework and the paperwork that’s required of you, go for it.

In terms of EC’s: what I meant is that your biology EC’s (genetics research) wouldn’t go to waste. I misread your post, thought that you had already completed the genetics research, or had already done a significant amount of it. Sorry!

However, my other points still stand, but if your content with taking up the coursework, and you’re confident you can meet your major requirements by the time you apply, go ahead and switch you major.

I’d like to discuss EC’s again, since now I understand your situation much clearer lol.

A bit of anecdotal experience: I’m currently on the pre-med track, however, due to some recent revelations (revelations you should be all too familiar with, haha) I’ve decided I might change career paths and go for a different major. I’ve been keeping my EC focus vague (I’ve been involved in some fulfilling humanities work, which is relevant to a number of majors I’m interested in), however, I’ve also accepted to assist in some research that my professor has been conducting.

I’ve chosen to do this research, even with the possibility of irrelevance, with two things in mind:

  1. If I don’t like it, and / or I don’t find it fulfilling, I can simply omit it from my extracurricular activities. (Of course, then you might say it was a waste of time, but hey, at least I’ve solidified the fact that I don’t want to do this for a couple more years.)
  2. If I do like it, I’ll include it in my EC’s, I can talk about it in my essays, and I’m basically guaranteed a recommendation letter from a professor.

When you take on new EC’s, relevance is important, sure. However, in your application, you can make any EC relevant, within reason. Colleges care more about how that particular EC is fulfilling to you, or how it has perhaps contributed to your growth as a student / citizen. You obviously explain this in your essays.

If you think lab work won’t be fulfilling, and you don’t think it’s worth your time to find out, then drop it, and fill your time with work your willing to do.

You’ve made perfect additions to your list. I’d keep looking, but whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it right. Have you thought of NYU?

SAT scores…well this is what I recommend. While most institutions don’t publish the standardized test scores of admitted transfer students, they do publish freshman SAT / ACT scores. Now, when you see the average admitted freshman SAT / ACT scores, treat them as a broad guideline, just to get a feel for what the school usually expects. If your SAT score is LESS than the average admitted freshman’s, then you shouldn’t submit.

Of course, if you really would want to apply / attend the school (and the school requires that you send it in), then you should retake it.

Thankfully, I have my handy spreadsheet with all the stats / metrics / reqs for Cornell and USC compiled (PM me if your interested in any further information you’d like on USC, Cornell, or other schools):

Your SAT score (1990) converted to new scores is a 1400. Keep that in mind.

USC average freshman SAT: 1450 (new) /2080 (old)

Cornell average freshman SAT:1430 (new) /2040 (old)

Remember, this is the dead average. Interpret the data for yourself. I think you shouldn’t include it. Even it does not stray far from the average, I cannot see how a below-average SAT score will help your application.