<p>Hi everyone.</p>
<p>I'm from Colombia and I'm looking to apply to Stanford the next year.
I wrote an email to the admissions department with a couple of questions about the process in general and they replied me with something that I didn't was expecting. I already have a degree in graphic design in my country. It is the equivalent to an associate degree in the United States. The problem is that I want to apply for Computer Science and they told me that I should apply as a transfer. Why should I apply as a transfer student if I want to study something very different? I'm pretty sure that graphic design and computer science doesn't have similar courses, so what is the point?</p>
<p>I need to clarify that this can be a dummy question but the concept of freshman, sophomore, transfer, etc. are not so common in our education system. I thought that a transfer application only applies if I want to continue my education in graphic design.</p>
<p>You have two years of college - therefore you will be a transfer student. You may gain a few credits from your graphic design studies as an incoming freshman, but given the fact that you’re changing fields dramatically, it will still take probably 3 or more years for you to graduate. </p>
<p>By the way, do you have any idea how hard it is to get into Stanford as a freshman or, worse, as a transfer student? Stanford only accepts 20-50 transfer students per year. Most come from other elite universities. It’s one of the hardest schools to get into in the entire U.S., especially in computer science which attracts the finest math/computer students from around the world.</p>
<p>Hey, thanks for the reply.</p>
<p>Yes, I was just reading about it. Between twenty and fifty transfer student spaces are typically available each year. That’s a pretty low acceptance rate for transfer students! …But you know what is even worst? Don’t go for one of those spaces! That will be criminal.
I will do my best to showcase all my potential. I feel confident enough to go for it.</p>
<p>In order to have a shot, you need to have straight-A’s and national distinction in your field. If that describes your profile, then hopefully you’ll be one of the lucky few.
In addition, you must be able to fund the $60,000/year since there is very little (as in, basically none) financial aid for international transfers.
You can slo look into other schools: rit, wpi, rennselaer, rose hulman, etc. Very few will have scholarships for transfers students though.</p>