Rejected From All Colleges: would appreciate any advice!

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>congratulations on your acceptances! </p>

<p>Especially those of you with a sense of humor...Easy, Bourne, etc. haha</p>

<p>anyways...as I'm preparing to transfer again, I was wondering if you could drop a couple lines on what I could do to perhaps improve myself. </p>

<p>I'm not really aiming for a "chance me" post...but I have come to realize that i tend to enclose myself in my own world...and have been quite hesitant to listen to other people.</p>

<p>So now that I've experienced the bitter result of not "listening" to others...I am now ready to listen. </p>

<p>Anywayz..lol here goes the basic stats when I applied in March. </p>

<p>Applied from: New York University
Applied for: Sophomore standing.
Citizenship: U.S.A.
Ethnicity: South Korean. </p>

<p>College 1st Semester GPA: 3.8677
College 2nd Semester Mid-year report: 3.9222</p>

<p>SAT: 2090.</p>

<p>High School: an international school in South Korea.
High School GPA: Around 3.0 out of 4.0
High School Academics: IB-Diploma. Also took an AP course in 10th grade.</p>

<p>Significant ECs: </p>

<ul>
<li>Published a 2500-word quasi article/column in The Washington Post during 12th grade in high school. </li>
<li>Researched for the Parliament of Australia in college. </li>
<li>Began to work as a journalist for the largest English newspaper in South Korea in 11th grade. </li>
<li>Published in The Yomiuri Shimbun, The China Daily, and elsewhere during high school.</li>
<li>Front-page editor of high school newspaper.</li>
<li>Associate Editor of another school's newspaper (for the first time in the school's history).</li>
<li>Varsity Soccer 9th, 10th grade (got caught smoking cigarette..so had to quit).</li>
<li>MUN in 9,10,11,12th grade. </li>
<li>Volunteer work at an alternative school for refugees </li>
</ul>

<p>Essays: Why I wrote to the Post, and how this shows my passion for Korean studies, and how each school that I'm applying to offers a better program in East Asian Studies and research opportunities (especially over Korea) than NYU. </p>

<p>High School Counselor Rec: I'm guessing so so....I ditched school quite often to cover news/interview people. Also got caught smoking and other bad stuff...</p>

<h1>1 College Professor Rec: Good (from a writing professor...so...)</h1>

<h1>2 College Professor Rec: Just OK...(we mutually didn't like each other that much...)</h1>

<h1>3 Supp. Rec: The Parliament of Australia (detaling my research work for the Parliament)</h1>

<p>Reasons for transfer: NYU offers very little on Korean studies. It does not even have a department in Korean studies. High tuition. Would like to concentrate in east asian studies. Harvard & Stanford offer supreme research opportunities on Korea. </p>

<p>Applied to: (in the order of preference) Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, UPENN, Cornell. </p>

<p>Results: rejected from all.</p>

<p>Will be applying next year to: Yale, Stanford, Columbia, UPENN, Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth. </p>

<p>Oh well, thanks in advance for your time!</p>

<p>I will sincerely appreciate your advice, and if I do get in next year, I will take you out for some warm Japanese sake and delicious Chinese noodle.</p>

2

<p>Transfer admissions are really tough. You need to be more than a stellar applicant for regular admissions. I would suggest looking at more colleges with good Korean studies programs that are slightly less impossible to get into. If you really want to do Korean studies, it's imperative that you transfer as quickly as you can so you can fulfill the major requirements. You can't always count on credits transferring, especially coming in as a junior. It seems like a lot of good programs are concentrated on the west coast. You might want to look into UCLA, UC-Berkley, USC, University of Washington, and University of Hawaii.
Also, you should work on getting better recommendations (teachers who you actually like and who like you- maybe there is a course on East Asian history or politics that you could take and really work that teacher by going to office hours, discussing your plans to transfer, etc.). Your GPA looks great so that shouldn't be a problem. I guess just continue with your EC's and make sure you show interest in the schools not just for their programs, but for the schools themselves. I'm basing this mostly off intuition and the regular admission process. Maybe someone else knows more specifics about transfer apps.</p>

<p>Also, does NYU have any sort of program similar to what you want? If there is an East Asian studies program you could major in that and see if any of your professors specialize in Korean studies who you could do research with or something. Then if you want to continue to grad school, you could specialize to just Korean studies but would also have a firm background in the neighboring countries. It might even be a more rounded experience. Also, can you register for courses at Columbia or other schools in the city? Talk to some professors and see what all your options are. Just in case transferring doesn't work out.
Best of luck!</p>

3

<p>First I highly suggest getting a recommendation from a professor that actually likes you. You should get a recommendation from a professor in your related field and it will help if you had a recommendation from a professor you worked with in research or something. For your essay it would be much better if you didn't write about how something compares to NYU. You should write about how the program and the research possibilities are good for you at that school. Write positively, and make a convincing arguement. If you get the chance maybe study abroad at another east asian country. </p>

<p>I highly recommend that you look into some other schools with decent east asian studies program that is less competitive than the Ivy League schools or Stanford University. Since NYU does not have a good east asian studies program you should at least try to transfer to a university that will have a better program than NYU as a "back up plan" in case you didn't get into any of the Ivy League schools or Stanford. And if you do get in then it will be great but if you don't get in then at least you can go to a school with a better program than NYU.</p>

4

<p>As I see it you have two problems. 1st, you went to NYU and it would appear from your writings that your major is Korean studies. NYU by your own admisssion does not offer much in that area. The problem is that from the start it appears that Korean studies was your intended major. So, you should have researched looking for schools that had strong Korean studies programs and applied to those. My guess is that you applied to all the Ivy's, got rejected and NYU was more or less your safety school. Might be wrong but hoefully you can see my point. 2nd, you appear to be repeating your same mistake that you did this year by applying to those schools that everyone on this board will tell you is somewhat a luck-of-the-draw. meaning that 90%+ of those applying have identical credentials all vying to be one of less than 10% at best, and 4% at worst acceptance rates.
I really think you need to research colleges that offer strong departments in your major, and within that list make sure that you apply to a range of colleges that have acceptance rates greater then 25%.
Finally, I would work on getting two great references. You might as well not apply to any of the current schools you indicated above without assuring that you will have superlative references.</p>

5

<ol>
<li><p>Get to know your professors this next year so that you will have stronger LORs.</p></li>
<li><p>I would have said to retake your SATs last year since you were applying as a sop, but since you will now be applying as a jr, they shouldn't matter as much. Instead, work hard on your college ECs this year as they will matter more than your HS ECs as a jr transfer.</p></li>
<li><p>If you are happy to stay at NYU if you don't get into any of the schools you've chosen to apply to, your list is fine. However, given your results from this year, that should tell you that all of the schools you're planning on applying to this are reaches (you were rejected to Cornell which was the least selective of your schools last year and it is also the least selective of this year's list as well). So, if you really want to leave NYU for the reason you've stated (better Korean program), then pick some schools with good Korean programs that are less selective than Cornell.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>x-posted with different_steps.....great minds....</p>

6

<p>I will say it in shorter sentences:</p>

<p>Your list of schools does not include any that give you a good chance of acceptance. </p>

<p>If you get superlatively stupendous recommendations, you will still not have a good chance of acceptance at those schools.</p>

<p>If you want to transfer to a different school for Korean Studies, you need to apply to schools with higher transfer acceptance rates. Your stats are strong; if you add such schools, you should have success. </p>

<p>Otherwise, you need to find a major at NYU that you like.</p>

7

<p>I'm with Andale. Your choices are schools that do not take many students. High selectivity. You need safeties just as those who are first applying to colleges need safeties. Your list would be dangerous for even the most stellar students to use for college choices for first year, even more so as a transfer. Most of the schools you have picked accept so few transfer, some of them none. Also if NYU is too expensive, you should look at some colleges with lower sticker prices, as often transfers do not get financial aid packages as generous as first year students, and your choices do not give merit money.</p>

8

<p>IMO you should avoid reapplying to schools that you applied to this year, unless your application profile improves dramatically. They've already told you they don't see a great fit. Make a list of all new schools, with most of them having much higher transfer acceptance rates.</p>

9

<p>How many transfers do these schools take? You may be applying futilely or looking at single digit acceptances.</p>

10

<p>How many transfers do these schools take? You may be applying futilely or looking at single digit acceptance rates.</p>

11

<p>님 친구해요ㅋㅋㅋ
난이번에 트랜스퍼 성공함</p>

12

<p>i don't know about the major, but georgetown is a great school with a way higher acceptance rate</p>

13

<p>Two comments</p>

<p>You have an unrealistic list of schools.</p>

<p>Your high school record, though great, will not matter much for junior transfer- it will not be nearly as significant as what you have done at NYU- so you better work on those ECs</p>

14

<p>A more realistic list of schools would have places like Rice, Emory, Vandy, WUSTL, Northwestern, Cornell, Georgetown and Notre Dame. They may not be Top 10, but they're still really really good colleges.</p>

15

<p>At least it didnt happen next year, where you would have no choice but to stay at NYU, right?</p>

16

<p>The other part of the reason is the shortage of classes you had when you applied. I just don't know if you had enough coursework to make up for your HS GPA. HS counts millions times more as a sophomore so yeah, next year with continued excellence you should do just as well. </p>

<p>For "I want to get the ____ out of NYU" Reasons, you should probably extend but not increase your college list. Add a couple of top30 schools that you'd be fine going to if you didn't get into anywhere else. Maybe a Brandeis or something like that.</p>

<p>Make a college list of 3-3-3 or 3-3-2 or one that represents a solid way out with good chances of you getting into a better school than you currently attend.</p>

<p>Best of Luck.</p>

17

<p>The stats and ECs you posted were quite impressive and definitely Ivy-material; SATs a little low, but easily within range.</p>

<p>Maybe come up with some safety schools, but befriend some professors and take another shot at those schools next year. A scintillating recommendation won't get you in, but a lackluster one will certainly keep you out, because everyone has great recs from their teachers. Perhaps you could also find ways to improve on your essays.</p>

18

<p>WE BELIEVE IN YOU SSL!!! WE BELIEVE.</p>

<p>kk Remember the Titans moment over.</p>

19

<p>Guys, thank you so much for your invaluable responses!!</p>

<p>colormehappy, thanks for your encouragements. I will definitely work more on getting to know/befriending my professors...but an unfortunate thing is...I've decided to use the option of transferring to Stern as a back-up plan so my Sophomore classes are all Stern classes (Stats, Accounting, Econ, Etc...). </p>

<p>I know I am contradicting myself in saying I want to focus on East Asian studies while at the same time preparing myself for Stern...but the reality is..while that's not my true passion, I still have to prepapre myself for the competitive job market...my current desire is to transfer to a school with a better name, than do/study/get myself invovled in what I truly like...such as political science/history(east asian)/script writing. </p>

<p>Awaken Zero, thanks for your reply. </p>

<p>I'm thinking of registering a 5th class now that I see the importance of making the connection between intended major and actually taking a class in that intended major and getting the right letter of rec. "Write positively..." I will remember that for sure!</p>

<p>different_steps, I never actually thought of that. Thanks for your analysis!</p>

<p>In high school, I actually only applied to 3 Ivies (Harvard, Yale, and Columbia). I mostly applied to schools with great journalism programs such as Northwestern's Medill, USC's Annen, Boston University, and elsewhere. </p>

<p>But I'm thinking of doing writing just as a hobby, and part-time work. </p>

<p>But anyways, thanks for your advice. I will certainly work more on research and getting "great" references.</p>

<p>entomom, thanks for your reply. </p>

<p>While I know that the list is quite a reach for someone like me, I'm still not afraid to try again. This is partly because some of the previous trial-erros I've experienced...for example...In high school, I initially sent my writing to the Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, and numerous other small newspapers. Got a cold rejection. So what did I do? I fixed the introduction and edited a few more paragraphs and sent it to the Post, and immediately heard back.</p>

<p>But anyways, I think if I get rejected next year, I will just stay at NYU and enjoy New York and be the best student.</p>

<p>Frankly, prestige is a big factor in my desire to transfer. And I am aware of the vanity invovled...and how foolish it is to go after for a better name and such...but I have a brother who went to Columbia and is going to Harvard for grad. So I had a chance to visit him and stay at his Columbia dorm a few times...and simply loved the atmosphere of an Ivy League and the many stories I've heard about the amazing professors and the competitive nature of the place(s). </p>

<p>But at the same time, I know that I can certainly experience all of that at NYU too, and that if I look for great people and great professors, I will be able to find them. As for transfer, I will certainly invest more time in doing activities that I like. thanks =)</p>

<p>Andale, thanks for your encouragement.</p>

<p>I'm thinking of double-majoring...perhaps...</p>

<p>cptofthehouse, thanks for your input on financial aid.</p>

<p>yeah NYU's tuition is ridiculous, and starting this year, NYU has raised its tuition by 6%..and I think it will raise more in the upcoming years..haha sigh..
anyways..the avg. acceptance rate of the schools I've applied is around 11%</p>

<p>greennblue, thanks for your comment.</p>

<p>I think the whole idea of a "fit" is much of a misnomer. I think it's very much a game of numbers..anyways..I'm retaking the SAT so hopefully I can raise my profile.</p>

<p>BK22889, aha, I will look into it!</p>

<p>Malishka31, thanks! </p>

<p>crs1909, those schools are fantastic schools but I can't possibily see myself living in Texas, Georgia, and other places haha. but thanks though.</p>

<p>alipes07, yeah...I'm definitely going to grad school so it's not that much of a big deal, but paying 52,000$ a year is kind of heavy...while my brother paid less than 20,000$ at Colubmia with lucurative fin. aid packages...</p>

<p>BOURNE! LOL. probably the funniest dude in CC. congrats on Stanford!
Lebron has yet to win an MVP...Lebron has yet to win an MVP...are you a cleveland fan?</p>

<p>anyways...I read in your posts about the way you tied your application, and must say, that's a very smart way to present yourself! Never thought of that while filling the short answer questions for the Stanford app (a message to my future roommate? I want some booze and booty 2nite! lol just kidding)</p>

<p>my question is...in addition to basketball and teaching SAT, did you have other ECs that you were able to tie to your application (essays, for example?). Also, I liked how you were not afraid to be unique with your essays....how abstract were they? did you also mention the specific research programs of stanford?? when my writing prof. read my essay, he said that i twas s a newspaper article, not an essay. I'm having a lot of trouble writing about myself...lol. </p>

<p>Easy, thanks for your positive comment.</p>

<p>Yeah I will definitely start working on essays early...but I think I will be content with NYU. After all, it's a great school and I feel truly fortunate to be there and I'm sure if I try, I can find great professors and great classes. But I will certainly set work on getting superb recs...after all, Lebron has yet to win an MVP.</p>

20

<p>Look at Claremont McKenna College here in S. Cal. They have a Korean Studies program and you might fit well as a transfer (that is if you are willing to venture from the east). Also listed in the Book of Majors is Clumbia University (Columbia College) and U of Washington in Seattle. All good choices. Good Luck!</p>