<p>So I've posted here a few times on this board about wanting to transfer out from USC. I thought that I'd be able to get a 3.7+ this semester, but at this point, it seems like I'm on track for more of a 3.3-3.5 average unless my second round of midterms go much better than my first round. It's causing me to worry that now I'm reaching TOO high (as I was already aiming high to begin with). One of the things is that I don't want to go to a school that's significantly "lower" than USC as I feel like I'd have wasted my time and money for what I've already done. At the moment, it seems like I've come down to either transferring, studying abroad, or taking a leave of absence. The problem is I'd most likely want to study abroad for a year if I stay at USC and doing so would make it difficult to graduate in 4 years (because I cannot get business credit if I study abroad for a year). Likewise, taking a leave of absence probably wouldn't help much as I'd still need to come back to USC eventually to finish my degree. Am I missing ideas that are perfectly logical? Any suggestions of what I can do?</p>
<p>Schools looking at:
Columbia
Brown
NYU (Stern)
Georgetown (McDonough)</p>
<p>Here are my stats incase they're of any use:
Majors: Business Administration (BS) (Marshall) and Sociology (BA) (CLAS)
1st semester GPA: 3.35
2nd semester GPA: 3.65
Summer Classes (At a CC, will not count towards USC GPA): 4.0 (Microecon & Intro to Sociology)
Based on my classes for next semester, my guess for my GPA this fall will be somewhere in the 3.7-4.0 range.
SAT: 610CR, 730M, 750W (1340/2090)
SAT2: 760 Math 2, 560 Bio, 640 Chem, 530 French
ACT: 33 (32 E, 34 M, 31 R, 35 S, 30 E/W, 9 Essay)
GPA: 4.22 (W)/4.3 (HS did some wacky calculation)
GPA (UW) (recalculated for a 4.0 scale): 9: 3.68, 10: 2.94, 11: 3.42, 12: 3.78 (most classes were AP/Honors for all 4 years)
ECs: Treasurer of Invisible Children Club, Lit& Art Editor of Literary Magazine, Member of Concert Committee (planning), Member of an organization that creates a yearly networking event for freshmen, Marshall Student Ambassador</p>
<p>I’m no expert, but a 3.3 or so from USC is not necessarily going to excite the other selective schools you want to transfer over to. Not impossible, but what would make you stick out of a crowd of other transfer applicants with those or better scores/gpas?</p>
<p>What is wrong with sticking it out at USC. A 3.3 from USC is quite respectable. It sounds like what you want is to go back to tabula rasa, a clean slate where you are the “perfect” college student. That’s not worth chasing after. Just keep going at USC, slog through your classes, find your inspiration. </p>
<p>I suspect the study abroad for a year or taking a leave of absence are just ways for you to avoid facing whatever is going on with you. A new transfer school won’t fix it, either.</p>
<p>So, the question really is - what is stopping you from just really enjoying your time at a great school (USC) and diving even deeper into your studies at USC and being proud of your 3.3-3.5 GPA?</p>
<p>My cumulative shouldn’t drop below a 3.4, with just one semester at 3.3…but I suppose you’re right about not having anything that would “excite” them. But I don’t really know what you mean by “perfect” college student. If you mean someone who has a 4.0, then that’s far from what I’m looking for. I’m actually quite happy with my current GPA and I have never been one to stress about not getting perfect scores. However, “slogging” through classes is exactly what I DON’T want. I want to actually get something from my education. I just feel like I’m not getting what I should from 50k a year, whether it be academically or socially. It’s not to say I’m MISERABLE, but I definitely can’t say I’m happy with USC either. Someone had actually asked previously for me to see if I could pinpoint some specifics about WHY I want to leave, and I did reply, so let me see if I can find my response and see if that’d give a better insight.</p>
<p>This was from a previous thread I posted. Some of it might not be important to why I want to leave (I believe it was more of what I want in a school), but hopefully it should give a general idea.</p>
<p>1) I believe that USC is a bit to big for me, but I do not want a really small school either. I think the main problem is that the graduate population is larger than the undergraduate population and I would prefer a school that places a larger emphasis on undergrads.
2) I love the school pride and athletics, however, athletics are not something that I feel like I NEED. Although I do enjoy going to football games, that was really the only sporting events that I went to. However, I think the aspect of the football games that appeals to me is the actual “college experience” which seems to be lacking as the campus dies on the weekends other than football games.
3) Setting: While I do want a city (either in a city or easy access to a city), I realize LA is NOT for me. It’s not an easy city to take advantage of without a car as public transportation sucks. I want to have a city that I can easily see many things without need for a car and that offers a wide variety of activities (entertainment, dining, etc).
4) Location: I think a major thing that did make this transition difficult was the distance. Preferably, I think I will want to go back to the east coast, or at the furthest the midwest. I realized that the only schools in CA that I might not be willing to go back to the east coast for are Stanford and Berkeley, and I think it is more for SF than CA. I do know that I do not want to be in LA anymore.
5) Academics: At the moment, my main emphasis on education is my business degree. Sociology was something I added on because I had the space to do it. Preferably, I’d like a school that would allow me to pursue both, but if not possible, then business would be my main concern. Many of courses taken thus far (including a fair number of upper division classes) seem to be superfluous and not really teaching me anything useful or applicable to the business field.</p>
<p>As I see it, #1 is a good consideration as you look for transfer schools. #2, frankly, if you have to give up anything in the quest for a college-fit, it would be that criteria as many colleges are pretty dead on weekends. #3 & 4 should be a fairly easy criteria to use to whittle down transfer choices (location location location). And #5 should also be high on your list.</p>
<p>Go ahead and transfer. Look for a medium sized school where there is an emphasis on actual teaching. My advice is to not worry so much about prestige-by-numbers (flashy schools that even someone living under a rock has heard of) but for prestige-by-those-who-really-care… fellow academics.</p>
<p>Try looking up “colleges that make a difference” or look for schools that have a strong regional presence.</p>
<p>Have you tried Santa Clara University? Not the flash of Stanford or Berkeley, but their Business School is well regarded, the campus is about 6K in size, and the school is all taught by professors (no TAs). While you warned us in your first post that “prestige/pride” was getting in your way of deciding I didn’t really understand it until the last post where you skated right past SCU as a possibility in CA.</p>
<p>By all means, move closer to the east coast, though.</p>
<p>Sounds like you need to start researching options, make a list, and start applying.</p>
<p>Had you mentioned even a small hook for USC, I might still encourage you to stay. But what I am reading here is that you want to leave, you just are looking for that last bit of encouragement to make the change.</p>
<p>Hm thanks for the insight annikasorrensen. Yeah, I think I will definitely need to find a slightly “brainier” school. Not necessarily one more rigorous (though I’m sure that’ll come with it), but as you said, one that places an emphasis on actual teaching. Reflecting back on my applications out of HS, I realized one school that I really did start to like every time I did more and more research was UChicago. I applied their originally just because my guidance counselor said to apply EA somewhere and suggested Georgetown or UChicago. But as I did more research , I truly did like the “braininess”. However, I was deferred and ultimately rejected from the econ program and I’m sure it’d be much more difficult to get in now. Would you have any suggestions on “brainy” schools like that, and also ones that place an emphasis on a “core” education (ie like UChicago or Columbia)?</p>
<p>'SC is a wonderful school, for kids who can embrace the Trojan Family. But, it’s not for all types. Unfortunately, the schools on your list will be reaches, particularly since your HS stats are below their normal Frosh, and your college gpa is <3.7. And, of course, those schools all have high Frosh retention rates, so they have little room for transfers. OTOH, NYU might be possible if you are full pay.</p>
<p>You probably should focus on schools lower down the food chain, such as Fordham or George Washington, or consider colleges that are really transfer-friendly, such as Cornell. (Yeah, I know it’s not in a City, but it is highly-ranked and transfer-friendly, and they have a top AEM program.) </p>
<p>btw: Brown doesn’t even have undergrad biz.</p>
<p>Haha, yes I do realize Brown (and also Columbia) don’t offer undergrad business. For Brown, I would apply for Commerce, Organizations and Entrepreneurship as it would most parallel my business curriculum as well as include some sociology aspects (as I’m not sure how easily I will be able to double major if I went, though if I can, I would). And for Columbia, I would most likely apply for the Economics & Operations Research (or possibly Econ & Poli Sci) major.</p>
<p>And don’t get me wrong, USC is a wonderful school. My sister went here and she enjoyed every second she was here. And I realize my GPA is going to be a big issue, but I’m hoping that maybe my final grades won’t be as bad as I think they will be right now. I was thinking of applying to Cornell’s AEM program, the only problem was that they required a Biology class and as I don’t need it for USC (as I passed out of my Science requirement with AP scores) or for any other school, I decided it probably wasn’t worth it as it’d be on the lower end of schools I’d want to attend.</p>
<p>But thank you for the advice and I will try and see if I can maybe find more transfer-friendly schools, though I was hoping NYU and Georgetown would be more transfer-friendly…though I suppose it wouldn’t really work for Stern.</p>
<p>You can always check with Cornell to see if your AP credits will count for the Biology class they want, or if you can pick it up in summer school somewhere cheap and convenient for you. Perhaps you could wait and take it there. Don’t let one class stand in the way of a program that otherwise is likable.</p>
<p>Hm, I suppose I can look into it some more. My AP Bio grade was not high enough (only a 3) but I was waived from the Science requirements at USC from AP Chem and Physics C (4 on both). However, I can’t find it now, but I believe I saw somewhere that they said that wouldn’t count towards the Bio requirement. But I suppose I can call them and see what my other options would be.</p>
<p>Hm…you have a point there, though not sure if I’d want to do 2 Bio classes in the summer…let alone be in Ithaca, but I’ll definitely look more into it. Thanks bluebayou :)</p>
<p>Have you looked at Claremont McKenna?
It wont be a business major but it will be econ.</p>
<p>BTW why are you so stuck on business, why can’t it be econ? you’ll have the same opportunities business majors would get, and you could study abroad and not have to take longer to graduate.</p>