Preparing to Transfer to GS years from now. Help please!

Hello everyone!

A little info about me, I graduated in 2014 and have been working ever since to support my family. Now that alot of things are starting to settle down I would finally be able to start attending college in 2017. I would love to go to columbia gs but I do understand that my GPA leaves alot to be desired so my best route would be to transfer there beginning my junior year…

that leaves me with the question on where to take my two years of college. Should I go to a four year university (university of Houston) or a community college (Lone Star College - Montgomery ). Obviously I’d like to go to LSC to save money but would it hurt my chances of getting accepted to Columbia if i do so? Is it more attractive transferring from a four year university?

Anything else i should prepare for other than working my butt off?

My stats:

GPA: 3.5 (came to this country my senior year so no AP’s) very frustrated with this because a 3.5 gpa would put me in all the best colleges back in my country. but that’s just me being a sour grape
SAT: 2200 (i’ll take it again when the time gets closer)

Thank you for your time.

I would argue that your chances of admission from a four-year university are marginally increased if you attend a four-year university over a community college. Again, I want to stress that it would only be a MARGINAL boost - GS actively recruits students from certain community colleges, and the admissions board is very accustomed to reviewing applications from students attending two-year colleges. However, four-year universities are traditionally more rigorous and well-established, so if I were on an admissions board, I would equate a students’ 3.5 GPA from the University of Houston with another’s 3.8 GPA from Lone Star Community College. Having said that, there are also so many variables to take into consideration here as well (major, reputation of community college) so I can’t say anything with certainty - I’m just speculating. In the interest of saving money, I would focus on the specific classes that each school offers, and whether or not they would transfer to GS in 2019. Is Lone Star Community College a reputable two-year university? What is their transfer rate like for other students, and have students transferred from there to other prestigious universities (say, UT Austin)?

As it stands right now, I think you have a great shot at getting into GS in two years. Taking care of your family at your age suggests that you have a fairly nontraditional background, and if conveyed well in an essay, will certainly earn the respect of the GS admissions board. Definitely aim for a 3.7+ at whichever school you choose to attend, and I wouldn’t even recommend re-taking the SAT - your scores are good for 8 years I believe, and a 2200 is above the average score they usually receive (I believe that’s about a 2050). Also, I’d suggest getting involved in certain on-campus activities as well - or, if that’s not your style, getting an internship - the committee likes applicants with practical, real-life experience. Good luck! @Serena130

Thank you for the detailed response @nickdrake . I’m almost sure i’ll go to UH in 2017. From what i’ve heard here every small advantage helps with the lottery-like admission any top school has. i’ll try to win some scholarships like i did during senior year to help with the cost. heres hoping I’m able to be lucky enough once more!

May i ask if you are currently a GS student? if so can you tell me how the process for you was like? things that made you stand out from the application pool? Is it worth all the blood sweat and tears getting into Columbia (prestige aside). Things you wish you did or did not do?

I apologize for the buttload of questions and I do appreciate all of your help!

@Serena130 It’s important to make the distinction between GS admissions and Columbia College admissions. Though GS is undoubtedly a competitive school, you will not have to defy the same odds that you would in order to be admitted to Columbia College as a high school senior. Maintain a 3.7-4.0 GPA, earn some scholarships, and write a fantastic essay (which you have plenty of time to work on), and you’ll have a great shot at getting accepted.

I’m not currently a GS student but will be attending in the fall. I did very well at my community college, re-took the SAT (which I don’t think you’ll need to do), locked down a pretty competitive internship which I wrote about, and worked a ton on my admissions essay. As for whether or not it’s worth it, I’d argue that it absolutely is. However, as an in-state Texas resident, I’d look heavily at the majors offered at UT Austin and Columbia, and whether or not Columbia will truly give you an advantage over a degree from UT Austin. UT Austin is a fantastic school in itself and you’d save considerably more money attending that school. Columbia GS is outrageously expensive, and is often not worth the steep price that applicants are forced (lack of scholarships, aid) to pay. Just a suggestion.

Yes I will be looking into UT austin as well. I was lucky enough to be offered PACE so I would be able to transfer to UT Austin as a sophomore but turned it down. My single mom and I are moving to Houston in september and with 4 sibling to feed there would not be any way for me to leave my family to go to austin’s community college. Sometimes I wish UT austin didnt admit most students by rank. I think I wouldve had a decent shot in getting in but I digress.

But yes I will apply to UT austin as well as Columbia university at the end of my 2nd year. the thing that makes Columbia more appealing ,from a financial point of view, is that I would fall under those who get free tuition.this is not the reason why I wanted to go to Columbia in the first place but it certainly helps. Granted I am still in the middle of researching about this rule so i do not know if there are specific requirements or hidden fees. I do plan to research more after I get home from work.

Congratulations!! You must have been so happy getting accepted. It seems like a dream of a dream for me right now as I unload trucks and get screeched at by customers !It’s very inspiring for people like me to see those who have made it. So thank you again!

oh may I ask if you were from a competitive community college?

Another thing is that one of the admissions officer told me they are not sure if i would get an instate tuition since I am an immigrant. I’d think with a Green card I would but she was very unsure and dismissive. Not gonna lie made my excitement to become a Longhorn wane.

@Serena130 If you qualify for free tuition, which is unheard of at GS, then I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to attend. Are you sure you weren’t confusing certain financial requirements for Columbia College with those of GS? I only ask because Columbia GS is notorious for providing students from all walks of life with very little financial assistance. In fact, an article was recently published in the New York Post about a Columbia GS student from Romania who essentially homeless - http://nypost.com/2016/04/24/getting-an-ivy-league-degree-was-worth-being-homeless/

If you find that this truly is the case after doing some thorough research, I would wholeheartedly recommend attending over another school. The lack of financial aid is often the only factor that casts doubt on students’ decisions to attend. Regarding my community college, it was certainly competitive in the sense that Columbia GS had an on-campus presence for college fairs. It also has a reputable reputation for sending students to fairly prestigious universities, so yes, I would argue that it is competitive. It sounds like you have a very unique and interesting background that will certainly work in your advantage when applying.